The Italians do it better when it comes to throwing a party, judging by the three-day celebration the Ferretti Group put together for Ferretti Yachts’ 50th anniversary in Venice. The event brought Ferretti Yachts owners from the world over for a glamorous weekend that included a showcase of its magnificent fleet, along with an appreciation for the artistic and architectural wonders of the city built on water.

The celebration kicked off with a gala dinner at the Palazzo Ducale, but not before guests were treated to a spectacular fly-past by the Italian Air Force's Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team painting the sky in Italian colours, while the entire Ferretti Yachts fleet took pride of place on the waters of the San Marco basin. Guests later adjourned to the palace’s magnificent Sala del Maggior Consiglio, which is home to Paradise, the largest Tintoretto canvas in the world. What a treat it was for everyone as this was the first gala dinner held here since the 18th century. 

The festivities rolled over to the Arsenale di Venezia, a complex of former shipyards and armouries, where 11 yachts, including the new Ferretti Yachts 670 making its world premiere, were moored within the Darsena Nuovissima. The Venice Arsenal also played host to a dinner the next evening, where guests enjoyed a four-course meal prepared by Cipriani, the Venetian name in fine dining, before Italian star Umberto Tozzi wrapped up the celebration on a high with his greatest hits.