Regatta: Tall Ships’ Race returns to Lisbon

19-07-2012

The Tall Ships’ Race returns to Lisbon on 19 July for four days after a six-year gap. Thursday, the Portuguese capital welcomes 60 “tall ships” and 5,000 crew who are mostly youths representing 49 different countries. The boats will sail along the Tagus river near Santa Apolónia and Praça do Comércio.

The four-day festival includes visits onboard the ships, nautical workshops, concerts, lectures and a crew parade in Rua Augusta on Friday. Admission is free.

The group sail down the Tagus on Sunday morning is the highlight of the event. It is also the starting point for the next stage of the race that will see the tall ships sail to Cádiz, Spain.

The Tall Ships Race 2012 is designed to get young people interested in sailing as over 50% of each ship’s crew must be made up of youths. The regatta is held annually in Europe, and this year’s event includes three races and a cruise in company starting in St Malo, France then stopping at Lisbon before sailing on to Cádiz and A Coruna in Spain, and finishing in Dublin, Ireland.