The Italian Navy’s historic tall ship is open to visitors at the port near Rome from November 12 to 1One of Italy’s most recognisable ships is about to dock an hour from Rome. On Thursday 12 November, the Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian Navy’s historic sailing ship and training vessel, arrives in the port of Civitavecchia as part of its 2026 campaign. It will stay moored until Wednesday 18 November, and the public can go on board for most of that time.Few ships in the Italian fleet carry as much symbolic weight. Launched in 1931, the Vespucci is a three-masted square-rigger that has trained generations of naval officers in the basics of seamanship. Its wooden decks, towering masts and white and black hull make it a familiar sight at ports around the world, and the Navy describes it as a symbol of Italy’s maritime tradition and an ambassador of the country abroad. When you can visit The ship will be open to the public from Thursday 12 to Monday 16 November. Visiting hours are 14:00 to 18:00 each day, with one exception: on Saturday 14 November the ship closes earlier, and visits run from 14:00 to 17:00. Besides the public tours, the stopover includes visits by local authorities, institutions and students, as well as meetings with the press. How to get there Plan your arrival carefully, because cars are not allowed into the port area. Visitors who drive can leave their vehicles in the former Feltrinelli area, behind Civitavecchia’s railway station. From there, the ship can be reached on foot. The route goes through Varco Vespucci, Varco Fortezza, Porta Marina and Porta Livorno. A free bus service will also run, with a stop in front of Molo Sardegna, the pier where the ship is berthed. Anyone arriving by train will find the station close to the parking area and the start of the pedestrian route. Accessibility limits The Navy warns that the ship cannot be made fully accessible. The Vespucci was designed at a time when accessibility was not a consideration, and its structure has architectural barriers that make it impossible to install ramps for wheelchairs. For technical and safety reasons, access cannot generally be guaranteed to people with walking difficulties who need aids such as wheelchairs. Visitors with limited mobility may want to contact the organisers before making the trip. Planning your visit Because visiting hours fall in the afternoon, the tours suit a half-day trip from Rome. Civitavecchia is the city’s main port and is reached from the capital by regional train and by road, so combining the visit with a walk through the old town and the fortress area is easy. Expect queues at peak times, especially at the weekend, and note that the Saturday closing time is an hour earlier than on the other days. For anyone who has only seen the Vespucci in photographs or from the shore, a week-long stop this close to Rome is a rare chance to walk its decks. The ship leaves Civitavecchia on 18 November to continue its campaign.  

One of Italy’s most recognisable ships is about to dock an hour from Rome. On Thursday 12 November, the Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian Navy’s historic sailing ship and training vessel, arrives in the port of Civitavecchia as part of its 2026 campaign. It will stay moored until Wednesday 18 November, and the public can go on board for most of that time. Few ships in the Italian fleet carry as much symbolic weight. Launched in 1931, the Vespucci is a three-masted square-rigger that has trained generations of naval officers in the basics of seamanship. Its wooden decks, towering masts and white and black hull make it a familiar sight at ports around the world, and the Navy describes it as a symbol of Italy’s maritime tradition and an ambassador of the country abroad. The ship will be open to the public from Thursday 12 to Monday 16 November. Visiting hours are 14:00 to 18:00 each day, with one exception: on Saturday 14 November the ship closes earlier, and visits run from 14:00 to 17:00. Besides the public tours, the stopover includes visits by local authorities, institutions and students, as well as meetings with the press. Plan your arrival carefully, because cars are not allowed into the port area. Visitors who drive can leave their vehicles in the former Feltrinelli area, behind Civitavecchia’s railway station. From there, the ship can be reached on foot. The route goes through Varco Vespucci, Varco Fortezza, Porta Marina and Porta Livorno. A free bus service will also run, with a stop in front of Molo Sardegna, the pier where the ship is berthed. Anyone arriving by train will find the station close to the parking area and the start of the pedestrian route. The Navy warns that the ship cannot be made fully accessible. The Vespucci was designed at a time when accessibility was not a consideration, and its structure has architectural barriers that make it impossible to install ramps for wheelchairs. For technical and safety reasons, access cannot generally be guaranteed to people with walking difficulties who need aids such as wheelchairs. Visitors with limited mobility may want to contact the organisers before making the trip. Because visiting hours fall in the afternoon, the tours suit a half-day trip from Rome. Civitavecchia is the city’s main port and is reached from the capital by regional train and by road, so combining the visit with a walk through the old town and the fortress area is easy. Expect queues at peak times, especially at the weekend, and note that the Saturday closing time is an hour earlier than on the other days. For anyone who has only seen the Vespucci in photographs or from the shore, a week-long stop this close to Rome is a rare chance to walk its decks. The ship leaves Civitavecchia on 18 November to continue its campaign.