The Road of the British Royals – Route of the British Royals, stretches for about 100 km between Dueville and the southern edge of the Altopiano di Asiago.
This route, ideal for a road trip or a cycling tour, allows visitors to immerse themselves in History, Culture, and Environment, among breathtaking landscapes and places of remembrance.
Between June 15 and 16, 1918, the battle known in history as the Battle of the Solstice (The Battle of Asiago) took place on the Altopiano di Asiago , in which more than two thousand British soldiers lost their lives. They were soldiers from the troops called to assist the Italian army, alongside French troops, on the southern edge of the plateau, in anticipation of the last attack by the Austrians, stationed in the area north of Asiago.
The British command was established at Villa Godi Malinverni in Lugo di Vicenza, where the Prince of Wales and future King Edward VIII also resided.
The fallen soldiers rest in the evocative cemeteries of the Pedemontana located in the municipalities of Dueville, Montecchio Precalcino, Calvene (locality Cavalletto), Cesuna di Roana (localities Magnaboschi and Boscon), Asiago (locality Barenthal), and Lusiana (locality Granezza).
Through a route of approximately 100 km, ideal for a road trip or a cycling tour but also a slow route on an e-bike or pedal-assisted bicycle, the Road of the British Royals – Route of the British Royals allows visitors to immerse themselves in History, Culture, and Environment, among breathtaking landscapes and places of remembrance, battlefields and rear areas, Town Halls housing hospitals and Red Cross relief centers, Venetian villas, and castles. The itinerary is enriched by museums, remains of trenches and outposts, cable cars, aqueducts, and support airports.
These places were visited in 1923 by the British Royals, King George V and Queen Mary, parents of King George VIII: they stopped at Villa Godi Malinverni where the British command was stationed in 1918. Then, in 2017, the Prince of Wales, Charles of England, visited the cemetery of Montecchio Precalcino and the Road of the 52 Galleries.
The route of the Road of the British Royals starts at the British Cemetery of Dueville, then continues towards that of Montecchio Precalcino, proceeds towards the airport of Thiene and passes through the historic center where the Castello Porto-Colleoni-Thiene can be visited.
It reaches Zugliano with Villa Giusti-Suman, ventures into the hills and along the bridge over the Astico, crosses Fara Vicentino where there are testimonies of the shelter points, and then arrives at Lugo di Vicenza where it is possible to visit Villa Godi Malinverni, the first villa by Palladio, which also houses the museum "La Villa del Principe" remembering the presence of the British command under Lord Cavan and Prince Edward.
The itinerary continues ascending towards Monte di Calvene to reach Locality Cavalletto, where another British cemetery is located. It then proceeds towards Caltrano, with a stop at Malga Carriola, which also served as headquarters for the British army command.
From there, the route continues along the path of the Giro delle Malghe to reach Roana with its cemetery in locality Magnaboschi and, crossing the center of the hamlet of Cesuna, reaches locality Boscon where the subsequent British cemetery can be visited. The road then leads towards the center of the hamlet Canove to visit the Museum of the Great War 1915-1918.
It then reaches the center of Asiago where the Battle of the Solstice took place, a historically significant place worthy of a stop, before continuing towards locality San Sisto where the homonymous chapel and the British hospital can be found. The route then continues to locality Prunno where the subsequent British cemetery Barenthal is located and right after, with a short detour to locality Kaberlaba for a visit to the Water Museum. It then enters Lusiana, in locality Granezza, to visit the last British cemetery.
At this point, the route begins to descend in a loop towards Salcedo, where the Pasquale Museum of the Great War can be visited. The route crosses Breganze to return to Thiene and cross Ferrarin airport in the locality of Rozzampia. Once again, a stop is made at Montecchio Precalcino and finally, it concludes with the return to Dueville.
INVOLVED MUNICIPALITIES:
Dueville
Montecchio Precalcino
Villaverla
Thiene
Zugliano
Fara Vicentino
Lugo di Vicenza
Calvene
Caltrano
Roana
Asiago
Lusiana
Salcedo
Breganze
