A Coruña will be the first European city to welcome the international regatta organised to celebrate the centenary of the Juan Sebastián de Elcano training ship. From 28 May to 1 June 2027, the city's docks will host an international fleet of tall ships from Latin America, accompanying the renowned vessel of the Spanish Navy on its commemorative voyage marking the centenary of its launch.
The A Coruña stopover will be one of the highlights of this international celebration, which will bring together training ships from Spain, Portugal, Italy, and various Latin American countries, including Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico.
The commemorative cruise will begin between 19 and 23 February from El Callao, Peru, and will visit different ports in Latin America before crossing the Atlantic to Europe. A Coruña will be the first stop on the European continent before the fleet continues to Lisbon, Cádiz, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, eventually returning to the Americas.
This initiative is part of the centenary commemoration project for the Juan Sebastián de Elcano, organised by a follow-up committee chaired by His Majesty the King, which includes A Coruña's mayor, Inés Rey García, and the president of the Port Authority of A Coruña, Martín Fernández Prado.
The official presentation of the centenary celebrations took place on 29 September at the Teatro Real in Madrid, attended by the mayor and the president of the Port Authority. The event highlighted the aim of the centenary commemoration, which seeks to honour the legacy of the Juan Sebastián de Elcano, the oldest training ship still in service and a major symbol of Spain's maritime history.
Throughout its history, approximately 20,000 crew members have sailed aboard this ship, which has accumulated around 15,500 days at sea, completed eleven circumnavigations of the globe, and visited 73 countries and 205 different ports, making a total of 1,277 stops.
During the presentation, the mayor emphasised that the arrival of the Elcano will be a significant milestone for tourism in 2027, stating, "Seeing the most beautiful and spectacular ships in the world docked together in our port will be a unique opportunity in the history of our city, which is so closely linked to major nautical events." She added that the event will not only provide a significant boost to tourism but will also attract the numerous Latin American communities residing in A Coruña.
The Juan Sebastián de Elcano has made numerous visits to the A Coruña port, always generating considerable interest and enthusiasm among the local population. The city council aims to ensure that this upcoming visit has a special dimension, becoming a celebration shared by the entire A Coruña community, the wider Galicia region, and the many visitors the city receives.
To this end, the city council has already held several meetings with representatives from the Navy and the Port Authority of A Coruña, discussing both logistical aspects and the institutional, cultural, tourist, and sports programme that will be designed for this stopover. Activities will be available not only for the many crew members from various countries but also for the large public expected to attend. Various proposals have been discussed to enrich the stopover and encourage community participation, including organising a regatta open to all types of sailing boats, as well as various exhibitions, shows, and recreational-sporting activities.
