She was built by the Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando shipyard; her keel was laid in July 1891, she was launched in May 1894, and was commissioned in December 1895.

[3] Her propulsion system consisted of a pair of horizontal triple-expansion steam engines, each driving a single screw propeller.

Specific figures for Calatafimi's engine performance have not survived, but the ships of her class had top speeds of 18.1 to 20.8 knots (33.5 to 38.5 km/h; 20.8 to 23.9 mph) at 3,884 to 4,422 indicated horsepower (2,896 to 3,297 kW).

[3] The following year, she was assigned to the 2nd Division of the Permanent Squadron, which included her sister ship Euridice, the ironclad battleship Francesco Morosini, and the protected cruiser Etruria.

The Squadron was based at La Spezia at the time, though Calatafimi was stationed primarily in Taranto and Naples, along with most of the other torpedo cruisers of the Italian fleet.

[5] In November, a small Italian squadron sent to Smyrna to join the fleet in there; Calatafimi was mobilized as part of a larger force in Naples that consisted of the ironclads Francesco Morosini, Lepanto, and Ruggiero di Lauria, the protected cruiser Elba, the torpedo cruiser Folgore, and five torpedo boats.

[7] She remained with the unit the following year, which also included the ironclads Lepanto, Italia, Duilio, Francesco Morosini, and Ruggiero di Lauria, the protected cruisers Lombardia and Calabria, and a pair of torpedo boats.