Replica of Christopher Columbus' famous flagship sails into Portsmouth
The Nao Santa Maria will be docked at Gunwharf Quays
The Nao Santa María is sailing to Portsmouth this weekend where will be docked at Gunwharf Quays Marina.
It will be open to the public for visits from today (20 September) until the 28 September.
This is the first time the historic ship visits the town and marks one of the ports of call on its grand European tour, which will take it to several ports in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and the Netherlands.
This ship is a replica of Christopher Columbus's famous flagship, built by the Nao Victoria Foundation in 2018 to commemorate the 525th Anniversary of the Encounter Between Two Worlds.
It is a faithful, full-scale historical reproduction—200 tons, 29 meters long, and 8 meters wide, with four masts, five sails, and five decks. It was constructed in Punta Umbría (Spain), with exquisite craftsmanship using iroko and pine wood by master shipwrights. Today, it sails as a floating museum of its own story and the Spanish maritime heritage.
Since its launch, the ship has toured ports across Europe, Mexico, and the United States, recently returning to Spain.
During its stay in Portsmouth, visitors will be able to board the ship and explore its decks to learn more about this famous 1492 flagship of Christopher Columbus—its features, rigging, navigation, the stories it tells, and how the crew lived on board under harsh conditions.