[2] After Italy requisitioned the first four Vifor-class ships — the only four of the planned 12 ever constructed — the Italians completed them as scout cruisers to modified designs.

The power plant consisted of a pair of Tosi steam turbines and five Thornycroft boilers, generating a designed output of 40,000 shaft horsepower (29,828 kW) powering two shafts, which gave each ship a designed top speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph), although the ships actually achieved between 35 and 38 knots (65 and 70 km/h; 40 and 44 mph), depending on the vessel.

[3][5] To conceal the transfer, Italy did not make it official until January 1939, and the Spanish Nationalists took steps to confuse observers as to her identity: Her modifications at Castellammare di Stabia included the installation of a dummy fourth funnel to give her a greater resemblance to the four-funneled Velasco, and the Nationalists initially referred to her by the name "Velasco-C" rather than as Ceuta.

[12][13] The flotilla was assigned to convoy escort duties, support to ground operations, the interdiction of merchant ships of the Spanish Republican faction, and antisubmarine patrols.

Capitán de fragata (Frigate Captain) Francisco Regalado Rodríguez, a future admiral and Minister of the Navy, took command of the flotilla on 5 December 1937.

[8] On 7 January 1938, Ceuta got underway from Palma de Mallorca with Canarias and Melilla to rendezvous with the Republican merchant ship SAC-5, whose officers wanted to surrender to the Nationalists, but did not find SAC-5.

[9] After 15 hours of communication between the French destroyers and Melilla, Prado managed to escape and make port at Republican-controlled Barcelona.

[9] Ceuta, Canarias, Almirante Cervera, the heavy cruiser Baleares, and the gunboat Eduardo Dato got underway from Palma de Mallorca on 31 January 1938 to escort a convoy made up of the tanker Campas, the merchant ships Ferrolano, Mar Negro, and Uribitarte, and the captured American tanker Nantucket Chief to Cádiz.

[8] Canarias arrived on the scene and also opened fire on José Luis Díez, seriously damaging her and forcing her to abandon her attempt to reach Cartagena and take refuge at Gibraltar.

[8][9] At the beginning of October 1938, Ceuta and Melilla were based at Cádiz, and Ceuta′s machinery was inspected at the Arsenal de La Carraca.

[8] On 29 December 1938, Ceuta departed Palma de Mallorca with part of the nationalist squadron, proceeding to Motril to oppose a possible Republican amphibious landing there.

[8] Ceuta′s transfer to the Spanish Nationalists became official and overt on 6 January 1939 when the Regia Marina struck her from the Italian navy list.

[8] Ceuta and Melilla took part in a naval review before General Francisco Franco at Salou in northeastern Spain on 22 February 1939.

The Spanish Navy viewed them as lacking the mechanical reliability and fighting value to serve in combat and assigned them to training duties with the Naval Military Academy.