The Tall Ships Races
The Tall Ships Races takes place Jul 8 - Aug 1, 2027: Bordeaux Jul 8 - 11, A Coruna Jul 16 - 19, Sines Jul 29 - Aug 1 in Aarhus, Denmark. The dress code is Casual and weatherproof for the quaysides; trainees are briefed on shipboard kit by their vessel. Typical cost ranges from 300 to 1800 EUR per person.
An annual series of races and cruises-in-company for large sail-training vessels, crewed largely by young trainees sailing square-riggers between host ports. The 2027 edition runs an Atlantic route through Bordeaux, A Coruna and Sines, replacing the 2026 North Sea circuit that started in Aarhus and finished at Aalborg. Each port call is a free multi-day public festival of ship visits, crew parades and fireworks, and the fleet is genuinely open to people with no sailing background.
- When
- Jul 8 - Aug 1, 2027: Bordeaux Jul 8 - 11, A Coruna Jul 16 - 19, Sines Jul 29 - Aug 1
- Where
- Aarhus, Denmark
- Dress code
- Casual and weatherproof for the quaysides; trainees are briefed on shipboard kit by their vessel
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 300 to 1800 EUR per person.
- Weather
- 20 - 30C on the 2027 Atlantic route, warm and largely dry with a coastal breeze
- When to book
- Book trainee berths directly with a participating ship 6 to 9 months ahead; host-city hotels fill 3 months out
- Getting there
- BOD (Bordeaux), about 30 min to the quays; LCG (A Coruna) and LIS (Lisbon, about 1.5 h to Sines) for the later ports
- Where to stay
- InterContinental Bordeaux Le Grand Hotel, Yndo Hotel Bordeaux, Mama Shelter Bordeaux
- Official site
- https://sailtraininginternational.org/
How to attend
All host-port festivals are free to visit and most ships open their decks to the public for part of the stay. To sail a leg, book a trainee berth directly with a participating vessel or through Sail Training International - no experience is required, minimum ages vary by ship, and a leg typically costs from a few hundred to over a thousand euros. Berths and host-city accommodation both go early, so commit six months or more ahead.
Insider tip
The Parade of Sail on the final afternoon of each port call is the moment to plan around, and the free crew parade through the host city the day before is where the atmosphere actually is.
Get inside The Tall Ships Races
Booking matters here: book trainee berths directly with a participating ship 6 to 9 months ahead; host-city hotels fill 3 months out. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.