The Route of the British Royals runs for about 100 km between Dueville and the southern edge of the Asiago Plateau.
This route, ideal for a road trip or a bike ride, allows visitors to immerse themselves in History, Culture, and the Environment, among breathtaking landscapes and places of memory.
Between June 15 and 16, 1918, the battle known as the Battle of the Solstice took place on the Asiago Plateau , where more than two thousand British soldiers lost their lives. These soldiers were part of the troops called for assistance by the Italian army, along with the French forces, in anticipation of the final Austrian attack, stationed to the 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 stayed.
The fallen soldiers rest in the evocative cemeteries of the Pedemontana located in the municipalities of Dueville, Montecchio Precalcino, Calvene (Cavalletto locality), Cesuna di Roana (Magnaboschi and Boscon localities), Asiago (Barenthal locality), and Lusiana (Granezza locality).
Through a route of about 100 km, ideal for a road trip or a bike ride but also a slow route on an e-bike or pedal-assisted bicycle, the Route of the British Royals allows visitors to immerse themselves in History, Culture, and the Environment, among breathtaking landscapes and places of memory, 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 supporting 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 Route of the British Royals begins at the British Cemetery of Dueville, then continues towards the one in Montecchio Precalcino, proceeds towards the airport of Thiene and passes through the historic center where one can visit the Castle Porto-Colleoni-Thiene.
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, to arrive then at Lugo di Vicenza where one can visit Villa Godi Malinverni, Palladio's first villa, which also houses the museum "The Villa of the Prince" that recalls the presence of the British command under Lord Cavan and Prince Edward.
The itinerary continues uphill towards the Monte di Calvene to reach the Cavalletto locality, where another British Cemetery is located. It then proceeds towards Caltrano, with a stop at Malga Carriola, which was also the headquarters of the British army command.
From there, the route continues along the path of the Giro delle Malghe to then reach Roana with its cemetery at Magnaboschi and, crossing the center of the hamlet of Cesuna, reaches Boscon locality where the next British Cemetery can be visited. The route then takes you to 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 significant historic site worthy of a stop, before continuing to the locality of San Sisto where the eponymous chapel and the British hospital are located. The route then continues towards the locality of Prunno where the next British cemetery Barenthal is located, and immediately after with a short detour to the locality Kaberlaba for a visit to the Water Museum. Next, it enters Lusiana, in Granezza locality, to visit the last British Cemetery.
At this point, the route begins the ring descent towards Salcedo, where the Pasquale Museum of the Great War can be visited. It crosses Breganze to return to Thiene and crosses the Ferrarin airport in Rozzampia locality. There is another stop at Montecchio Precalcino and finally, the return to Dueville concludes the journey.
MUNICIPALITIES INVOLVED:
Dueville
Montecchio Precalcino
Villaverla
Thiene
Zugliano
Fara Vicentino
Lugo di Vicenza
Calvene
Caltrano
Roana
Asiago
Lusiana
Salcedo
Breganze
