The Amerigo Vespucci was built in 1930 in the style of the 19th century type of large frigates. It was Francesco Rotundi, a first lieutenant in the Naval Engineering corps who came up with the idea of constructing this unusual vessel. The Amerigo Vespucci belongs to the Accademie Navale in Livorno.

Ever since she first went into service, the Amerigo Vespucci has always been used for training officer cadets at the naval academy. Up to 1965 she made 31 Ocean voyages of between three and five months each, including four transatlantic crossings to North and South America. The stern gallery can only be reached from the captain’s saloon. The decor and luxurious fittings in the reception rooms almost make you forget that you are on a sailing ship used for naval training. A life-size figurehead of Amerigo Vespucci adorns the bow.

The florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci, made four voyages of discovery to South America between 1497 and 1504. His detailed accounts of the countries he discovered were distributed throughout Europe and made his name so famous that at the time, he was regarded as the real discoverer of the Americas.

The Amerigo Vespucci was modernised in 1951 and 1958 and had her last major overhaul in 1964.