Oldest Spanish ship in Istanbul
One of the oldest ships in Spain, a vessel used to train the country’s future navy admirals, will anchor in Istanbul early Saturday in its first trip to Turkey since the 1940s.
Named after a notable 16th-century sailor, the Juan Sebastian de Elcano is one of the most familiar ships in Spain and one of the largest and oldest sailing vessels still in use.
It will dock in Istanbul from Jan. 22 to 26 and be open to public visits from Jan. 23 to 25.
The ship typically sails across the Atlantic and drops anchor in North America as part of a six-month training program for young Spanish navy officers.
“This year, we chose Turkey because the ship is more than 70 years old and will be taken to a shipyard in Istanbul,” a Spanish Embassy official said.
“It could not afford a long journey across the Atlantic and this year’s training will be less than six months as well.”