07.05.2026
Persefoni Yacht: How a 2023 Refit Transformed This Iconic 53.8m Mariotti Into the Aegean's Most Complete Superyacht
In a superyacht market that moves quickly and ages vessels fast, the Persefoni yacht stands as a compelling argument for the enduring value of intelligent investment. This 53.8-metre motor yacht — built by the storied Mariotti Yachts shipyard in Genoa in 2012 and unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show as part of one of the Italian yard's most celebrated series — completed a comprehensive refit programme in 2023 that has positioned her firmly among the finest vessels operating in the Greek islands today. Under the management of Emperio Yachting Alliance, she continues to set a standard that few vessels of any age in the 50-55m class can match.
The Mariotti Yachts shipyard, founded in Genoa in 1928, is one of Italy's most respected names in serious yacht construction. The Persefoni yacht's Lloyds-classified steel hull and aluminium superstructure reflect the structural rigour that the shipyard has maintained across nearly a century of building vessels for demanding maritime environments. Her twin Caterpillar engines deliver a top speed of 17 knots and a reliable passage-making pace of 14 knots, with a range of 5,000 nautical miles that opens the entire Greek island archipelago — from the Saronic Gulf to the Cyclades, the Ionian Islands, and the Dodecanese — without operational constraint.
The 2023 refit programme, overseen by Emperio Yachting Alliance, was comprehensive in scope. Mechanical systems were updated throughout. Guest spaces were brought fully in line with contemporary luxury standards. On-deck amenities were refreshed and enhanced. At-anchor stabilisers, rated to zero speed, were confirmed operational to the highest standard — ensuring that Persefoni remains completely stable in the exposed roadsteads and open anchorages that characterise much of the Aegean's most spectacular cruising ground. The result is a vessel whose infrastructure is entirely current, whose finishes are immaculate, and whose operational systems deliver the reliability that serious superyacht use demands.
The design language that makes Persefoni so immediately recognisable — both on the water and at anchor — is the work of Luca Dini Design & Architecture, the celebrated Florentine studio responsible for both interior and exterior. Luca Dini's approach is one of restraint, proportion, and the deep intelligence of natural light — a philosophy that has produced, across Persefoni's thirteen seasons of Mediterranean use, an aesthetic that has aged with remarkable grace. Although not a new vessel, the Persefoni yacht's Italian DNA and timeless design continue to compete with the very best of the contemporary 50-55m class.
The master suite's hydraulic balconies — which extend outward directly over the water — remain one of the most architecturally distinctive features available in the 50-55m class. They transform the experience of waking up in a Greek island anchorage into something genuinely extraordinary, framing the Aegean light and the surrounding landscape in a way that no fixed window can replicate. An additional balcony from the main deck foyer extends this philosophy of connection between interior and exterior throughout the vessel. Six staterooms accommodate 12 guests in spaces of genuine quality and warmth.
A professional crew of 13 — selected and maintained to the standards that define Emperio Yachting Alliance's management philosophy — ensures that the Persefoni yacht delivers a consistently exceptional experience across a Greek islands season that runs from May through mid-October. The vessel's Michelin-trained Athenian chef crafts daily menus from the finest produce of whichever Greek coastline Persefoni is currently exploring, bringing to the table a genuine, instinctive understanding of Greek cuisine as a living, regional, and seasonal tradition.
From the volcanic coves of the Cyclades to the lush, sheltered passages of the Ionian Islands, the Persefoni yacht explores Greece with the confidence and completeness of a vessel that has been built, refitted, and managed with a single standard in mind: the best.