A Visit to Sanlorenzo – Postcards from Italy

When you become an owner of a Sanlorenzo yacht, you become part of something truly special. Six decades of hard work and expertise have been poured into crafting these extraordinary yachts – more than 1000 of which have touched water to date – with the builder having scaled up the ranks to reach second place in the Global Order Book rankings.

Although there are a plethora of reasons behind the company’s success to date, one of these can be found in the relationship with the owner which has remained consistent since the days of Sanlorenzo’s foundation in 1958 in the historic centre of shipmaking in Tuscany, Limite sull’Arno. Whatever the shifting fashions of the day, every Sanlorenzo is crafted to the highest possible quality and with a true haute couture spirit, tailored exactly to the owner’s desires.

What better way to witness this process for yourself than to pay the shipyard a visit? With four Italian production sites separated by a distance of just 50 kilometres, spanning La Spezia, Ameglia, Viareggio and Massa, plus its latest acquisition in Arbatax (Sardinia island) you can take the opportunity to see every detail of the extraordinary workmanship for yourself – before soaking up some of the country’s most sought-after scenic destinations and activities.

New headquarters in Ameglia

Visiting the shipyards

Sanlorenzo’s headquarters can be found in Ameglia on the banks of the river Magra, nestled inside the breathtaking Montemarcello-Magra nature reserve. Now used for the building of three of Sanlorenzo’s yacht ranges (composite vessels, measuring up to 100 feet in length), as well as housing the shipyard’s design, marketing and sales departments, this has represented the beating heart of Sanlorenzo since 1999.

 Sanlorenzo’s superyacht division, where vessels between 44 – 73 metres come to life, is in port city of La Spezia, Liguria. This includes a beautifully renovated historical building dating back to the late 1800s which hosts the Sanlorenzo executive offices, with the whole facility boasting an overall area of 50,000 square metres – including large service areas and more than 500 linear metres of docks.

The yacht division has three additional sites available for visiting, located in Tuscany: Viareggio – home to the longest sandy beaches in Italy – where the assembly and outfitting of composite yachts above 100 feet takes place, Massa in the north, close to the Apuan Alps, where the research centre on composite materials and new models can be found, and the recently-purchased site in Arbatax, Sardinia, where Sanlorenzo’s small composite parts are produced before being distributed to its other yacht business unit facilities.

Whichever facility you choose to see, you are guaranteed a warm welcome from Sanlorenzo’s dedicated team who will be delighted to talk you through the best of the local beauty spots and attractions once you have enjoyed the best of Italian hospitality (including plenty of coffee) at the shipyard.

Exploring Liguria

Cinque Terre

As well as being home to two of Sanlorenzo’s facilities, the crescent-shaped region of Liguria contains a vast number of picture-perfect tourist destinations. The rugged and breathtaking centuries-old UNESCO World Heritage seaside villages of the Cinque Terre need little introduction and are a true must-see – but as is the less well-known old fisherman’s village of Portovenere, which remains under the radar of most visitors.

In addition, the elegant Santa Margherita is a colourful fishing village and coastal resort which has the advantage of being quieter than some of its neighbours on the Rivera, whilst still boasting plenty of sites of historical interest, including its 16th-century castle and the 17th-century Basilica di Santa Margherita.

Despite its small size, Portofino is one of the most popular resort towns on the Italian Riviera and is peppered with fantastic art galleries, boutiques, cafes and restaurants on every corner, as well as offering strong diving and hiking options. Less well-known, and therefore more relaxed, is the charming coastal town of Rapallo – enjoy a cable car ride, exceptional gastronomic experiences and being just half an hour away by car from Portofino.

Hotels to enjoy in the area include: the Grand Hotel Portovenere; The Poet in La Spezia; and Byron in Lerici and Golfo dei Poeti Relais & Spa in Montemarcello. Our top restaurant recommendation is the outstanding La Lucerna di Ferro in the seaside village of Bocca di Magra, which is just a six minute drive from Sanlorenzo’s headquarters.

Exploring Tuscany

Forte dei Marmi

Just a short drive from Sanlorenzo’s Massafacility is the ancient village of Colonnata in the Apuan Alps which is famous for its both spectacular marble quarries and its delicacy of ‘lard’ . For those interested in the best in retail therapy and luxury, a visit to the ‘Queen of the Italian Rivera’ – Forte dei Marmi – is the ideal day out, with high-end boutiques, cocktail bars and beach clubs aplenty. If Colonnata has piqued your interest in marble, you can also stop off at nearby Pietrasanta, which has attracted numerous artists to visit, thanks to its exceptional stone, including Joan Miró, Henry Moore, and Damien Hirst.

With its thousand-year history and reputation as an artistic treasure trove featuring outstanding Romanesque and Gothic churches, no trip to Tuscany would be complete without a stop-off in Pisa to see the iconic, UNESCO World Heritage site, Piazza dei Miracoli and its leaning tower, before losing yourself in the medieval streets. Enjoy living life at new heights on the 11-metre walkway of the Walls and if you wish to continue your boating adventure further, ensure you don’t miss the fascinating and Historical Ships museum which showcases seven boats dating back to the Roman era.

Located on the banks of the River Arno, Florence (or Firenze) is not only the most populated city in Tuscany, but also one of its most popular destinations, thanks to its reputation as the ‘cradle of the Renaissance’. Packed full of masterpieces of Renaissance art and culture and must-see attractions such as the Florence Cathedral (Duomo), the Ponte Vecchio and the Basilica San Miniato al Monte, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to absorb the true magnificence of this city.

Famous as the birthplace of Puccini, the Tuscan gem of Lucca offers a true slice of history. Come and drink in such wonders as the San Michele in Foro church – a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture – before stopping for a well-earned gelato or aperitif in sight of its beautifully-preserved Renaissance walls.

Tuscany is also full to the brim with phenomenal restaurants. To name just a few: Lorenzo, Bistrot, Parco di villa Grey, Lux Lucis, La Magnolia and Franco Mare in Forte dei Marmi; Filippo and Alex in Pietrasanta and Il piccolo principe, Lunasia and Romano in Viareggio.

Hotels to enjoy in the area include: Grand Hotel Imperiale, Principe, Augustus Hotel & Resort and Byron in Forte dei Marmi and the Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte in Viareggio.

Sardinia

Portovenere

The rugged island of Sardinia, lying between Italian Sicily and French Corsica, where Sanlorenzo’s latest facility can be found, is a Mediterranean paradise chock full of glamour, myth, tradition and beautiful scenery. With a quarter of the island designated as either a National Park or other protected reserve territory, come and enjoy its unspoiled beauty at any time of year.

As for accommodation, nestled away in a secluded corner of the Forte Village – the sumptuously decorated Hotel Castello offers a true taste of Sardinian luxury only a few minutes away from white sandy beaches. Furter inland, Il Borgo dell’Arcangelo in Tuili is perfectly placed for visits to numerous archaelogical sites of interest, as well as trips to see the Sardinia’s Giara plateau with its elegant and famous wild horses. Gastronomic treats can be found all over the island, including Il Rifugio in Nuoro, Abbamele Osteria in Mamoiada and Nautilius, Forte della Maddalenetta,

If that hasn’t yet whetted your appetite for Italian travel, other cities which you may wish to see and which are well served by international airports include historic Rome, the achingly stylish Milan, the canals of Venice, the elegant and refined Turin, Shakespeare’s famous Verona, Naples and the stunning islands of Capri and Ischia.