The+50th+Anniversary+Tall+Ships+Races+2006+With+ARTEH

When+you+come+to+Lisbon+to+see+this+mythical+nautical+event+take+some+time+to+visit+the+city+and+stay+in+a+charming+and+different+Hotel.++The+History+of+the+event++This+Nautical+Event+has+a+particular+significance+for+the+City+of+Lisbon+and+for+Portugal%2C+as+it+commemorates+not+only+the+50th+Anniversary+of+the+First+Tall+Ships%27+Race%2C+but+also+the+fact+of+these+Races+being+idealized%2C+in+1954%2C+by+the+Portuguese+Ambassador+to+the+United+Kingdom+and+the+London+Solicitor+Bernard+Morgan%2C+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%2C+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%2C+these+two+seafarers%2C+together+with+other+influent+people+of+the+nautical+world%2C+formed+a+Commission+to+start+to+organize+the+Race%2C+which+was+to+be+launched+in+1956%2C+with+the+participation+of+20+large+and+medium+Sailing+Ships%2C+amongst+which+were+the+old+Sail+Training+Ship+%27Sagres%27%2C+now+in+Hamburg%2C+and+the+yacht+%27Bellatrix%27%2C+property+of+the+Ambassador%2C+already+dismantled.++The+success+of+this+event+was+such+that%2C+since+that+date%2C+the+Races+never+ceased+to+happen%2C+first%2C+every+two+years+and+after+1964%2C+annually%2C+accompanying+the+refitting+and+the+construction+of+more+and+more+new+ones%2C+the+number+of+Training+Ships+participating+in+these+Races+increased+to+100+or+120+units%2C+representing+countries+from+Europe%2C+North+and+South+Americas%2C+Asia+and+Oceania.++Since+1956%2C+the+City+of+Lisbon+has+been+connected+to+the+Tall+Ships%27+Races%2C+having+received+the+Sailing+Ships+and+their+crews+participating+in+the+Races+from+1964+to+1998+coinciding+with+the+World+Expo+98+in+Lisbon%2C+as+well+as+the+City+of+Porto%2C+which+received+this+Race+in+1994.++The+Race++With+about+80+Sailing+Ships+of+various+classes+involved%2C+amongst+them+some+of+the+most+impressive+Sailing+Ships+of+the+world+and+the+splendid+Mir%2C+built+for+the+Russian+Sail+Training+Association+in+Poland%27s+Gdansk+Shipyard+in+1988%2C+with+2%2C4+tons+and+109+meters+long%2C+and+a+2%2C7+square+meter+sail+count.++This+race+will+start+with+the+meeting+of+the+Sailing+Ships+at+St.+Malo%2C+France%2C+from+the+6th+to+the+9th+July%2C+from+there+leaving+for+the+First+Race%2C+with+the+starting+line+off+Torbay%2C+in+the+South+of+England%2C+and+the+finishing+line+in+Lisbon%2C+thus+replicating+the+original+course+of+the+1956+Race.++The+fleet+of+the+participating+ships%2C+which+is+foreseen+to+start+to+enter+the+Tagus+River+as+from+the+17th+July%2C+will+be+offered+an+Official+Program+in+Lisbon%2C+from+the+20th+to+the+23rd+July%2C+closing+on+this+last+day%2C+with+a+Sail+Parade+along+the+Tagus+River.++Then%2C+the+Sailing+Ships+will+follow+in+cruise+to+Cadiz+in+Spain%2C+staying+in+this+port+from+26th+to+the+29th+July%2C+and+from+Cadiz%2C+still+in+cruise%2C+to+La+Coruna+also+in+Spain%2C+where+they+will+stay+from+the+7th+to+the+9th+August.++Finally%2C+on+the+10th+of+August%2C+the+fleet+will+depart+from+La+Coruna+for+the+Second+Race%2C+finishing+at+Antwerp+in+Belgium%2C+where+they+will+stay+from+19th+to+the+22nd+August%2C+participating+in+the+final+celebration+of+this+important+nautical+event.++The+Lisbon+Programme++As+from+the+15th+of+July%2C+expanding+to+the+20th+and+thru+the+23rd+of+July%2C+the+Alcantara+Dockyard%2C+receiving+this+Race%2C+will+be+transformed+in+a+place+of+constant+animation%2C+offering+Amusement%2C+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%2C+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%2C+incorporating+three+towers%2C+on+a+forty+meter+boulder+over+the+most+ancient+moor+and+roman+walls+in+the+city.+In+1640%2C+the+construction+of+a+terrace+and+five+classical+facades+served+to+augment+the+Palace.+From+the+terraces+you+can+also+watch+the+nautical+event.