Historic tall ship to bring touch of Italy to foreign shores

Rome: The Amerigo Vespucci, which Italians call the world's most beautiful ship, is taking a taste of its homeland on a round-the-world tour, with temporary expositions at several stops showcasing Italian products and heritage, authorities said.

Tall ship Vespucci, named after the explorer who gave his name to America, is a navy boat that entered service in 1931. Some 2,700 square metres (29,000 square feet) of sails are tied to its three masts, and it has a crew of over 260 sailors, supplemented by trainees.

The Amerigo Vespucci ship is seen during the Barcolana Sailing Regatta

It set off from Genoa in northern Italy last July for its first world tour in 20 years, which will take it to over 30 ports in five continents to help provide training for those onboard.

The national expos, dubbed Italy villages, will be established in eight ports and the first is to be set up in Los Angeles next week, the defence ministry said on Monday.

"We managed to link the history of the Vespucci to Italy, to turn an ancient thing into something that can be a driving force for the present," Minister Guido Crosetto told a news conference.