The History of the event



This Nautical Event has a particular significance for the City of Lisbon and for Portugal, as it commemorates not only the 50th Anniversary of the First Tall Ships' Race, but also the fact of these Races being idealized, in 1954, by the Portuguese Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the London Solicitor Bernard Morgan, with the aim of gathering together the Tall Ships still operative after the 2nd World War. The other objective was to provide a way for young trainees to embark on these Sailing Ships and thus improve their personal abilities and skills, through the work and life on board and cooperation with youngsters of other nationalities.

Having succeeded to obtain the support of Lord Mountbatten and of the Duke of Edinburgh, these two seafarers, together with other influent people of the nautical world, formed a Commission to start to organize the Race, which was to be launched in 1956, with the participation of 20 large and medium Sailing Ships, amongst which were the old Sail Training Ship 'Sagres', now in Hamburg, and the yacht 'Bellatrix', property of the Ambassador, already dismantled.

The success of this event was such that, since that date, the Races never ceased to happen, first, every two years and after 1964, annually, accompanying the refitting and the construction of more and more new ones, the number of Training Ships participating in these Races increased to 100 or 120 units, representing countries from Europe, North and South Americas, Asia and Oceania.

Since 1956, the City of Lisbon has been connected to the Tall Ships' Races, having received the Sailing Ships and their crews participating in the Races from 1964 to 1998 coinciding with the World Expo 98 in Lisbon, as well as the City of Porto, which received this Race in 1994.

The Race

With about 80 Sailing Ships of various classes involved, amongst them some of the most impressive Sailing Ships of the world and the splendid Mir, built for the Russian Sail Training Association in Poland's Gdansk Shipyard in 1988, with 2,4 tons and 109 meters long, and a 2,7 square meter sail count.

This race will start with the meeting of the Sailing Ships at St. Malo, France, from the 6th to the 9th July, from there leaving for the First Race, with the starting line off Torbay, in the South of England, and the finishing line in Lisbon, thus replicating the original course of the 1956 Race.

The fleet of the participating ships, which is foreseen to start to enter the Tagus River as from the 17th July, will be offered an Official Program in Lisbon, from the 20th to the 23rd July, closing on this last day, with a Sail Parade along the Tagus River.

Then, the Sailing Ships will follow in cruise to Cadiz in Spain, staying in this port from 26th to the 29th July, and from Cadiz, still in cruise, to La Coruna also in Spain, where they will stay from the 7th to the 9th August.

Finally, on the 10th of August, the fleet will depart from La Coruna for the Second Race, finishing at Antwerp in Belgium, where they will stay from 19th to the 22nd August, participating in the final celebration of this important nautical event.

The Lisbon Programme

As from the 15th of July, expanding to the 20th and thru the 23rd of July, the Alcantara Dockyard, receiving this Race, will be transformed in a place of constant animation, offering Amusement, Culture and History thru the intensive contact with the things related with the sea and the nautical-maritime activities that go together with the realization of one of the biggest nautical events in the world.

In the Historical and Cultural Centre of Lisbon near the busy Camoes Square and very close to the Sao Carlos National Theatre in Lisbon you have the luxurious and cosmopolitan Hotel do Bairro Alto, where many renowned European artists stayed during the 19th and 20th centuries. From the Terrace on the upper floor you can taste a drink and watch the Tall Ships Race.

You also suggest Palacio Belmonte. This hotel is set in the historical city centre on the hill of the Sao Jorge Castle. We advise you to visit the Castle. The Palace was built in 1449, incorporating three towers, on a forty meter boulder over the most ancient moor and roman walls in the city. In 1640, the construction of a terrace and five classical facades served to augment the Palace. From the terraces you can also watch the nautical event.