The hallmark of the Riva brand is its craftsmanship, unmatched quality, innovative and functional design.
With a strong focus on the structural details of the vessels it creates, Riva designs yachts that are the meeting point of historic design and tradition – it’s a refined, elegant and timeless beauty on water, all with state-of-the-art design and performance.
First established in 1842 in Sarnico, Italy – right on the shores of Lake Iseo – the Riva boatyard was born out of a miracle. As the story goes, a large storm came to the area and severely damaged the boats of the local fishermen; and to help them, a young shipbuilder and craftsman who had just moved to the area fixed all of their boats and won the trust of the locals. That young man was Pietro Riva.
Since that day, Riva’s yachts have gained great respect on the global yacht scale; becoming known for their unmatched style and personality. After Pietro was succeeded by his son, Ernesto Riva, the brand was introduced to internal combustion engines, spurring a period where large cargo and passenger boats regularly sailed across Lake Iseo.
It wasn’t until after World War 1 that Serafino Riva, another family member, made Riva a household name – imprinting products to secure branding, transforming yachts from transportation to power boating, and building a fleet of racing boats that have since earned a large number of records and victories in national and international competitions.
