Mention La Spezia and most people picture the sea, the Gulf of Poets and the wonders that surround the city, yet this is also a place deeply bound to the Italian Navy, and on certain occasions it is where you can meet the Amerigo Vespucci, one of the most beautiful and best-known ships in the world.
With her white sails, the elegant lines of her hull and her distinctive wooden planking, the Vespucci is far more than a training ship. She is one of Italy’s great symbols abroad, and on her long voyages she carries the country’s traditions, culture and craftsmanship with her, a true ambassador of Made in Italy. Seen from the quayside, even with her sails furled, she has a presence that stops people in their tracks.
The bond between the Amerigo Vespucci and La Spezia runs through the Arsenale Militare Marittimo, the city’s Naval Arsenal. Inside it are important dry docks, the basins where ships are brought in for maintenance and repair. Its long walls and gates are part of the city’s everyday landscape.
The Amerigo Vespucci, too, returns to La Spezia periodically for the work needed to keep this extraordinary sailing ship in perfect condition. It is a quiet routine, carried out behind the Arsenal walls, that many visitors strolling through the centre never suspect is taking place.
That presence makes the city’s relationship with the sea feel even more special. For anyone visiting La Spezia, knowing that one of Italy’s most important naval arsenals lies right in the heart of town, and that the Signora dei Mari, the Lady of the Seas, is periodically hosted here, is a curiosity well worth discovering.
It also changes the way you look at the city. The seafront, the harbour and the streets around the Arsenal take on a different meaning once you know that the Amerigo Vespucci has a place in their story, and that the naval tradition here is part of everyday life rather than something kept in a museum.
On special occasions and celebrations, such as those linked to the Festa di San Giuseppe, the feast of the city’s patron saint on 19 March, the Amerigo Vespucci may also be opened to visitors. When that happens, stepping aboard is a genuinely special experience.
Going on board means entering a place where the traditions of the Italian Navy, fine craftsmanship and the history of navigation are still very much alive. It is worth keeping an eye on the city’s calendar of events and on the Italian Navy website if you would like to plan around one of these openings.
La Spezia, then, offers visitors something beyond its handy position for reaching the Cinque Terre, Portovenere and the other gems of the Gulf of Poets. It is an authentic seafaring city, with a maritime history and tradition that remain very present in daily life. Events such as Velarìa, the La Spezia festival of sailing ships, show just how strong that bond still is.
For guests of the Downtown Blue Apartment, in Via Milazzo 22, discovering this side of the city is easy. The apartment is centrally located, close to the railway station and the main city services, and just a short walk from the Arsenal area.
So, between a stroll through the historic centre and a train out to the Cinque Terre, you can also discover another soul of La Spezia: its great naval tradition, which finds in the Amerigo Vespucci one of its most beautiful and fascinating expressions. Do ask us for tips when you arrive: we are always glad to suggest a walk along the seafront or a good place for dinner by the harbour.