“The Most Beautiful Ship in the World”: the Amerigo Vespucci Calls at Tokyo, with Swirl as the Sole Wine Partner at Villaggio Italia

In August 2024, the Italian Navy sailing ship Amerigo Vespucci, known as “the most beautiful ship in the world,” called at the Port of Tokyo during her world tour. To mark the visit, the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal was transformed for five days into “Villaggio Italia” (the Italian Village), and within it, at the “Enoteca Italia,” Swirl was chosen as the only wine company to serve Italian wine to visitors.

For this world tour, at the initiative of Defence Minister Crosetto, a large-scale event was held at every port of call. Over five days, Tokyo’s Villaggio Italia welcomed more than 63,000 visitors. We had a wonderful time hosting the many admirers of the Vespucci, and many guests took home a bottle of wine as a memento of the emotion of seeing the most beautiful ship in the world.

During the event, our CEO had the privilege of sharing the story of Swirl’s Barolo Rivetto with Defence Minister Crosetto (a native of Piedmont), Japan’s Minister of the Environment Shintaro Ito, and Member of the House of Representatives Nobuhide Minorikawa. As part of “Sistema Italia” (the network of people, institutions and companies that promote Italian products and lifestyle around the world), it was an unforgettable experience that reaffirmed the journey of our company.

[Dates] 26 to 30 August 2024 (five days)
[Venue] Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, “Villaggio Italia”

About the Amerigo Vespucci

The Amerigo Vespucci is a training sailing ship of the Italian Navy, launched in 1931 at Castellammare di Stabia in southern Italy. Her home port is La Spezia. A three-masted sailing ship, she measures about 101 metres in overall length including the bowsprit, with her tallest mast reaching roughly 54 metres, and she carries 26 sails totalling some 2,824 square metres of canvas.

Her nickname, “the most beautiful ship in the world,” dates back to 1962, when the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Independence signalled, “You are the most beautiful ship in the world.” In 2022, the carrier USS George H. W. Bush echoed the tribute: “After 60 years, you are still the most beautiful ship in the world.” She carried the Olympic torch for the 1960 Rome Games, and from 2023 to 2025 she undertook this memorable world tour.

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