Retrace the Italian front line that marks the peaks of Averau and Nuvolau, running near the famous Passo Giau.

The Averau, an isolated 2,648 m mountain, was very important for the view from the top: the Passo Falzarego, the Val Cordevole, the upper part of the Val Costeana and the Val Badia are clearly visible. For this reason, an observatory and a photoelectric station were installed, essential for controlling and directing actions and illuminating the front during night operations. 

On the slopes of Mount Averau you can walk through the deep trenches dug in the ground by the Italian army to Forcella Averau, which housed a large military camp. 

Historical re-enactments take place every summer at the Averau mountain hut: you can see with your own eyes how the actions were conducted and how the soldiers moved during the Great War. 

It’s interesting to know that right from here, on the night of 11 July 1916, King Vittorio Emanuele III and General Cadorna followed what was perhaps one of the most famous operations on the Dolomite front during the conflict: the explosion of the Italian mine in Castelletto, close to the Tofana di Rozes.

Near Passo Giau, in Fedare, you can walk along the paved roads along which the artillery pieces were towed, as you can see the bases and trenches that are still preserved.

The Passo Giau area was part of the Italian defensive line and was well connected to the nearby posts of Nuvolau and Mount Pore. The deep trenches flowed under the ridge between Mount Pore, Mount Averau and along the Jof de Melei, a flat ridge at an altitude of 2142 m. From here, the Col di Lana in front of it was incessantly striking, where the Austro-Hungarians had settled on the slope and the summit. This mountain was hotly contested between the two sides and was the scene of many human sacrifices, which is why it became known as Col di Sangue.