Christopher Columbus' Nao Santa María to dock in Shoreham

The Nao Santa María, a replica of the flagship of Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the Americas in 1492, will dock in Shoreham Port from July 1 to 12 as part of its 2026 historical outreach tour.

The original ship, which set sail alongside the Pinta and Niña ships from Palos de la Frontera in Spain, was Columbus’ largest vessel and carried him across the Atlantic to the New World.

Built by the Nao Victoria Foundation in Punta Umbría, Spain, the replica invites visitors to step aboard and experience 15th-century maritime life first-hand.

The ship will also dock in Premier Marina Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne from June 18 to June 28, marking its first ever visit to the Sussex coast.

The vessel carried Christopher Columbus to the Americas in 1492 (Image: Vela Cuadra Producciones)

The vessel will be open to visitors daily from 10am to 8pm.

Tickets purchased online are priced at £10 for adults, £5 for children aged five to 10, and £25 for families.

Children under five can visit for free when accompanied by an adult.

On-the-day tickets will be more expensive at £12 for adults, £6 for children and £30 for families.

Organisers are recommending booking in advance, as online ticket holders will be prioritised, and no further tickets will be available at the box office once online sales reach capacity.

More than 200,000 people visited the ship during its North American tour in 2019, which included stops along the east coast of the United States and Canada as part of the Tall Ships Challenge Great Lakes 2019 event.

The ship's first major voyage in 2018 marked the 525th anniversary of the original journey and took it to 17 ports across Spain and France before it crossed the Atlantic to Puerto Rico and the United States.

In 1492, after 33 days at sea, the Santa María and its crew reached the Americas.

However it later ran aground that same year and sank.