Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Since its arrival on June 18, Puerto Vallarta residents and visitors have been eager to visit the Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian Navy training ship known as the “most beautiful ship in the world.” Initially, free tours of the ship required pre-registration. However, due to high demand, ASIPONA authorities, along with the Italian Ambassador and Navy, decided to allow general public access.
To take a free tour of the ship, visitors can enter through door 10, located in front of pier 3 on Francisco Medina Ascencio Boulevard, next to Banjercito and Plaza Galerías. For those interested in boarding the ship and taking souvenir photos without a reservation, the available times are:
Friday, June 21: 10:00 am to 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Saturday, June 22: 10:00 am to 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The Amerigo Vespucci, the oldest frigate in the Italian navy, was designed in 1930 by Francesco Rotundi. Named after Florentine navigator and cosmographer Amerigo Vespucci, who is credited with recognizing the Americas as a new continent, the ship participated in World War II and represents centuries of maritime tradition. It measures 101 meters long, 15.5 meters wide, and weighs 4,000 tons. The ship can deploy up to 26 sails across its three masts, the tallest being 50 meters high, and also has diesel engines.
The ship is currently on a 20-month world tour promoting Italian culture and tourism. The tour started in Genoa, Italy, passed through Monaco, Marseille, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde, then crossed the Atlantic to the Americas. After circling the continent for a year, its penultimate stop is in Mexico.
The Amerigo Vespucci arrived from Balboa, Panama, with 280 crew members, including officers and sailors. Its arrival in Puerto Vallarta coincides with the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Mexico.
The ship will set sail for Los Angeles on June 23rd, heading to Los Angeles, California. It will anchor there on July 6 before crossing the Pacific to Japan, continuing to stops in Asia and Africa, and finally returning to Italy on February 11, 2025.
