St Katharine Docks London Archives

July 4 2026

Full Scale Replica of Magellan’s Ship has Docked at St Katharine Docks – Nao Victoria

Urban Adventurer Exhibition, Experience on the go, Historical Places, Summer, Things to Do, Unique Experience Ferdinand Magellan, Floating Museum, History Enthusiast, History Lover, Magellan, Nao Victoria, Replica Ship, Ship Museum, St Katharine Docks, St Katharine Docks London 0

Nao Victoria is a full scale replica of Magellan’s ship that circumnavigated the globe, and you can board and walk around.

@urbanadventurerldn

[BLOG POST IN BIO] 🌊⚓️ 𝙉𝙖𝙤 𝙑𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙖 is a full scale replica of Magellan’s ship that circumnavigated the globe, and you can now board and walk around Nao Victoria Foundation built the replica of the Victoria in 1991 and in 2004 it embarked on the same ambitions journey as Magellan in 1519: to circumnavigated the globe 🌏 The ship sailed 26,894 miles and visited 17 countries before returning to Seville, Spain in 2006. Thus, Nao Victoria became the first replica ship to circumnavigate the globe. 📍 Where St Katharine Docks’ central basin (Nearest station is Towel Hill) 🗓️ When 30th June – 12th July 2026 The ship is open between 10am – 8pm daily. 🎟️ Tickets Tickets are available online or on the spot Adult ticket: £10 Child ticket: £8

♬ The Epic Adventure – SoundGrenade

Nao Victoria – A Floating Museum

Nao Victoria in London

Photo: Urban Adventurer

In 1519 Ferdinand Magellan and five ships, including the Victoria, left Seville to reach the Spice Islands and open a new trade route for Spain. This was the first recorded trip around the globe opening a new chapter in the rise of global trade.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

During the voyage, four of the five ships was lost or returned to Spain early. Only Victora completed its journey. Victoria left Seville in 1519 with 243 crew members and returned to Spain in 1522 with only 18.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Magellan never returned from this voyage as he was killed by local warriors at the Philippines on the 27^th April 1521. He got a poisoned arrow to his leg before the warriors surrounded him and stabbed him to death.

Left without a captain, Victora was commanded back to Spain by Juan Sebastian Elcano.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Nao Victoria Foundation built the replica of the Victoria in 1991. The long process was carried out by ship designer and builder, Ignacio Fernández Vial who used original documentary sources, chronicles, iconography and nautical treaties from the 16^th century to rebuild the ship as accurately as possible.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

The ship was named Nao Victoria (the word ‘nao’ is an old-fashioned Spanish word for large sailing ship or vessel) and embarked on the same journey in 2004 as Magellan’s Victoria in 1519.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Starting from Seville, Nao Victoria circumnavigated the globe, sailed 26, 894 miles and visited 17 countries before returning to the same city in 2006. Thus, Nao Victoria became the first replica ship to circumnavigate the globe.

Since 2007, Nao Victoria has been carrying out its own project as a floating museum, training ship and Ambassador of the First World Tour, symbol of the Spanish maritime history.

Practical Info

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Address

St Katharine Docks’ central basin

(Nearest station is Towel Hill)

Opening Times

30^th June – 12^th July 2026

The ship is open between 10am – 8pm daily.

Tickets

Tickets are available online or on the spot

Adult ticket: £10

Child ticket: £8

Ready for your next adventure? If you’re interested in history, you’ll love this hidden museum. Museum of the Order of St John tells the story of an ancient order established by knights and still operating today under the same logo. Make sure you not just visit the free museum but also book one of their walking tours because you’ll get access to a crypt, the beautiful St John Priory Church, the Council Chamber and more.

May 30 2025

Christopher Columbus’ Santa María has Dropped Anchor at St. Katharine Docks

Urban Adventurer Cool Activities, Exhibition, Experience on the go, Historical Places, Instagrammable Places, Museums, Pop Up, Things to Do, Unique Experience Christopher Columbus, Columbus, Floating Museum, History, Nao Santa Maria, Nao Victoria Foundation, Santa Maria, St Katharine Docks, St Katharine Docks London 0

A full-scale replica of Christopher Columbus’ Nao Santa María has docked at St. Katherine Docks on the 28^th May and is open for visitors from 29^th May – 8^th June.

@urbanadventurerldn

[BLOG POST IN BIO] A full-scale replica of Christopher Columbus’ Nao Santa María has docked at St. Katherine Docks on the 28th May and is open for visitors from 29th May – 8th June 🌊⚓️🌎 🎟️ Adult tckets are £10 and can be booked on the website of Nao Victoria Foundation or purchased on the spot #santamaria #christophercolumbus #columbus #HistoryTime #historytok #historytiktok #1492 #stkatherinesdock #weekendtrip

♬ The music of entering Paradise – 🅿🆂🆈🅲🅷🅾🅻🅾🅶🅸🅴 🌌

Nao Santa María

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Nao Santa María was constructed by the Nao Victoria Foundation in 2018 by shipwrights, rope makers and maritime craftsmen under the guidance of historians and engineers. The ship is the exact copy of the vessel Columbus made his historic voyage with in 1492.

The ship is 93ft and acts as a floating museum giving visitors a rare opportunity to get hands-on experience on how crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the 15^th century would have been.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Since it’s first set sail, the Nao Santa María visited almost 100 ports around the globe and sailed across the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Southern China Sea and the Caribbean Sea among many others.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

The ship arrived in London on 28^th May, sailed under the Tower Bridge and dropped anchor at St. Katherine Docks, but only for a very limited time.

Ticket Info

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Visitors can purchase ticket on Nao Victoria Foundation’s website or on the spot and board to explore the ship from 29^th May – 8^th June.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

The visit consists of a self-guided tour through all the four decks of the Santa María. You will have a chance to explore the captain’s cabin, admire ornamental elements, talk to the crew and learn more about how Spanish sailors lived 500 years ago.

A Few Interesting Facts About the Discovery of America

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Christopher Columbus set sail with 90 men and three ships: the Santa María, the Nina and the Pinta in August 1492; and on 12^th October in the same year, Santa María landed in the ‘New World’. This has become one of the most important historical milestones of all time which changed the course of universal history.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Columbus set foot on an island – which is now part of the Bahamas – and named it San Salvador. However, Columbus didn’t know he actually discovered a new continent. He believed he had found a shorter route to India. This is why he called the natives he met Indians.

Photo: Urban Adventurer

Christopher Columbus had four voyages to the American continent and died without ever knowing his huge discovery.

The continent was named after Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer and Florentine navigator who discovered that the land Columbus had landed in was not India but a completely new continent, a ‘New World’. In 1507, America was named after him.

The country of Columbia was named after Christopher Columbus.

Ready for your next adventure? Board on a pirate ship for a Rum cocktail or two in the heart of Soho. Ahoy mateys, and welcome aboard of London’s first pirate-themed cocktail bar, The Rhum Tavern that looks exactly like the hull of a 17^th century vessel.