Antwerp counts down to The Tall Ships Races
by visit.antwerpen.be 25 Jun 15:01 UTC
11-14 July 2026
Tall Ships Races © visit.antwerpen.be
From 11 to 14 July, the world's most magnificent sailing ships will dock in Antwerp for the 70th edition of The Tall Ships Races. Preparations are in full swing for this spectacular sailing race - the second leg of which will this time run from Antwerp to Norway - and for the extensive public event.
Thirty-six Tall Ships will moor at the Scheldt quays and the docks around the MAS. This is already the eighth time that Antwerp has had the honour of welcoming these impressive vessels. This year's Tall Ships Races consist of three races. First, the ships will sail from Aarhus in Denmark to Harlingen in the Netherlands, before continuing on from Harlingen to Antwerp. The second race sets sail from Antwerp on 14 July, heading for Stavanger in Norway. From there, the ships will return to Denmark for the third race.
Cathedrals of the sea
Everyone is looking forward to the arrival of the participating sailing ships. These 'cathedrals of the sea' are divided into classes, designated by letters from A to D, with A-class ships being the largest. Thirteen of the A-class ships and 23 B-, C- and D-class ships will be on display during the stopover in Antwerp.
We're looking forward to seeing the Belgian participants such as Rupel, Saefthinge, Op Stok 3 and Patricia, but our loyal Dutch neighbours - including Gulden Leeuw, Wylde Swan and Urania - will also be joining us once again. This year, we're delighted to welcome back the Norwegian ships Sorlandet and Statsraad Lemkuhl. For the first time, Vera Cruz, a beautiful Portuguese replica of a caravel, will be calling at Antwerp.
In total, ships from 13 different countries are taking part, and each ship tells its own story. The crew and trainees will be delighted to tell you more about their ship, their adventures at sea and how taking part in The Tall Ships Races has had an impact on their personal development.
Extensive programme
As the 'host port' for The Tall Ships Races, the City of Antwerp and Port of Antwerp-Bruges are organising a major, four-day public event. Visitors can not only explore impressive ships but also meet young people from all over the world, sample a variety of food and drink, and take part in numerous activities. With a carefully curated mix of performances, activities and entertainment for all ages, Sailor's Boulevard takes visitors from one wonder to the next across three event zones.
- On Friday 10 July, Antwerp expects the largest number of ships to arrive during the Sail In. To be the first to welcome them, everyone can follow them via the website of Sail Training International.
- On Saturday 11 July, everyone can visit most of the ships from 12 noon to 6 pm.
- On Sunday 12 July, the ships will be open to visitors from 10 am. Between 10 am and 1 pm, sports and games competitions are planned for the ships' trainees. There will also be a Crew Parade, setting off from Zuidpark at 2.30 pm and arriving at 3.45 pm at the Zuid event zone on the Scheldt quays, followed by an awards ceremony. A magical fireworks display will bring the day to a close at 10.15 pm.
- On Monday 13 July, the ships will also be open to visitors from 10 am to 6 pm.
- On Tuesday afternoon, 14 July, we will bid farewell to the ships during the Sail Out, starting at 4.30 pm on the Scheldt.
For three days, from 2 pm each day, everyone can enjoy musical performances across three event zones. An overview of the programme can be found here.