After departing Genoa on May 9, the Italian Navy’s training ship Amerigo Vespucci has crossed the Atlantic Ocean and arrived on the East Coast of the United States, opening a new chapter in the Amerigo Vespucci World Tour – North America Campaign 2026. The mission continues to showcase the beauty, identity, culture, and values of Italy while strengthening dialogue and friendship among nations.
Announced in September 2025 by Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto during the closing press conference of the 2023–2025 World Tour, the Amerigo Vespucci World Tour – North America Campaign 2026 is an initiative of the Italian Ministry of Defense and the Italian Navy, produced by Difesa Servizi S.p.A., the Ministry’s in-house company responsible for enhancing defense assets for dual-use purposes. The campaign is part of the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence and is carried out in cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Culture, the Minister for Sport and Youth, and the Minister for Disabilities.
In 2021, the U.S. Navy invited the Italian Navy to participate in SAIL250, the international gathering of tall ships and naval vessels celebrating America's Semiquincentennial. The event includes major stops in Baltimore (SAIL250 Maryland), New York (Sail4th 250), and Boston (Sail Boston), bringing together some of the world's most distinguished sailing ships and naval vessels. On July 4, Amerigo Vespucci will take part in the International Naval Review 250, the centerpiece of the anniversary celebrations. The parade will lead the world's most beautiful tall ships up the Hudson River from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty, and onward to the George Washington Bridge.
Today, Amerigo Vespucci arrived in the Port of Baltimore, the largest city in the state of Maryland.
During the Atlantic crossing, the ship set several new records. It surpassed its previous sailing-only distance record by covering more than 2,899 nautical miles under sail alone, exceeding the mark established during the 1992 training campaign.
Captain Nicasio Falica, commanding officer of Amerigo Vespucci, chose to extend the route by approximately 500 nautical miles in search of favorable trade winds rather than taking the direct crossing. The decision allowed the crew to sail exclusively under wind power for 12 consecutive days.
With its arrival in Baltimore, the ship also established a new record for the longest voyage in its history since 1952, covering 3,661 nautical miles.
Amerigo Vespucci is berthed at the Tide Point waterfront in Baltimore's Locust Point district alongside the other vessels participating in SAIL250 Maryland, taking place from June 25 through July 1. The festivities also feature the return of the U.S. Navy's renowned Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron, performing at Martin State Airport in an event open to the public.
On Sunday, June 28, at 7:00 p.m., internationally acclaimed Italian pianist Cristiana Pegoraro will perform the concert "From Vespucci to America: A Musical Journey" on the pier beside the ship as a tribute to the America250 celebrations. The event is organized by the Consulate General of Italy in Philadelphia and concludes a series of conferences dedicated to the Italian contribution to the American Declaration of Independence and the drafting of the United States Constitution.
While in Baltimore, Amerigo Vespucci will embark first-year cadets from the Italian Naval Academy in Livorno for their traditional summer training cruise, which will conclude in Taranto, Italy. During the voyage, the cadets will experience their "baptism of the sea" while preparing to become officers of the Italian Navy through centuries-old maritime traditions, combining sail training, technical instruction, and naval diplomacy as part of the official America250 program.
On July 1, Amerigo Vespucci will depart Baltimore for New York City, the second and most significant stop of the North America Campaign. On Independence Day, July 4, the ship will participate in Sail4th250, the largest maritime event of the celebrations. More than 50 tall ships and over 40 naval vessels are expected to participate in one of the largest peacetime naval parades ever held in New York Harbor during the International Naval Review 250.
The arrival of Amerigo Vespucci is eagerly anticipated not only by New York's large Italian American community but also by the broader American public because of the deep historical ties linking both the ship and Italy with the United States. The Italian Navy's training ship is named after Florentine navigator Amerigo Vespucci, whose recognition that Christopher Columbus had reached a previously unknown continent ultimately gave America its name.
The ship also shares a famous bond with the U.S. Navy. In 1962, while sailing in the Mediterranean Sea, the aircraft carrier USS Independence signaled the Italian vessel with flashing lights asking, "Who are you?" The response came: "Training ship Amerigo Vespucci, Italian Navy." The American reply became legendary: "You are the most beautiful ship in the world." Sixty years later, in 2022, while passing the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush, a radio exchange reaffirmed that reputation: "You are still, after 60 years, the most beautiful ship in the world."
Following the parade, Amerigo Vespucci will berth at Pier 86, home of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, where the ship will be open for public tours.
No reservations are required to visit Amerigo Vespucci in Baltimore, New York, or Boston. In accordance with SAIL250 procedures, visitors may simply arrive at the designated location. Boarding will be permitted according to the ship's maximum capacity and the organizational procedures established at each port.
After the New York celebrations, Amerigo Vespucci will continue to Boston, where it will participate in Sail Boston from July 11 through July 16. The tour will then continue to Canada for the Rendez-vous Naval de Québec, an internationally renowned gathering of historic and naval vessels in Québec City from July 23 through July 26, 2026. The ship will subsequently visit Montreal from July 29 through August 3 before beginning another Atlantic crossing.
