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May 1-4 La Clásica sailing event in San Javier
The Royal Regatta Club of Santiago de la Ribera will host this famous maritime event
From May 1 to 4, the usually calm waters of the Mar Menor will come alive with tradition as the Royal Regatta Club of Santiago de la Ribera in San Javier hosts the 8th edition of La Clásica, one of Spain’s most iconic classic sailing events.
First held in 2009, La Clásica has grown into a major fixture on the national sailing calendar. This year, around thirty beautifully preserved boats, considered true “gems of the sea”, will gather once again to honour the rich heritage of classic and Latin sailing.
Many of the vessels will arrive from across the Region of Murcia, including historic Latin-rigged boats from Cartagena and the Mar Menor, as well as from further afield, with participants travelling from Catalonia, the Valencian Community and the Basque Country.
Among the highlights are vessels like La Conchita from Santiago de la Ribera, Joven Josefa and Santa Eulalia from San Pedro del Pinatar and La Asunción from Los Alcázares. These boats, often handed down through generations of fishing families, will transform the docks into a floating museum, offering visitors the chance to admire their craftsmanship up close and watch them sail gracefully through the Mar Menor.
Past editions have welcomed iconic boats such as Gypsy, Isla Ebusitana and Saint Christophe and the 2025 edition promises to be no less spectacular.
Andrés Sánchez, who has promoted and directed La Clásica since its creation, officially launched this year’s edition at the Royal Regatta Club. He emphasised the cultural value of Latin sailing, which has already been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) in Spain. There’s now a push to have this unique maritime tradition recognised as UNESCO World Heritage.
San Javier’s mayor, José Miguel Luengo, joined the presentation alongside local officials and praised the event for preserving and showcasing a vital part of the Mar Menor’s identity. The regatta is backed by the Town Council of San Javier, in collaboration with the neighbouring municipalities of San Pedro del Pinatar, Los Alcázares and Cartagena, as well as the Tourism Institute of the Region of Murcia, the General Directorate of Sports, the Port Authority of Cartagena and the Regional Sailing Federation.
For the first time, the Royal Regatta Club of Santiago de la Ribera will serve as the official host of La Clásica, an honour they welcome with great enthusiasm. According to the club’s president, Juan José Camarasa, this marks a proud moment in the Club’s history.
For more local information go to the home page of San Javier Today
Image: Ayuntamiento de San Javier
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Address
Calle Padre Juan. Centro Cultural Principe de Asturias 30720 SAN JAVIERTel: 968 571 704
Oficina de Turismo de San Javier
The municipality of San Javier has three main offices giving tourist information to visitors, as well as two information points. The tourist offices are located in Santiago de la Ribera, on the ground floor of the town hall in San Javier and at the start of La Manga. There is also a summer tourist information point located on the seafront in Santiago de la Ribera as well as one at kilometre 12-13 of La Manga del Mar Menor next to Playa Mistral.
Due to its location on the fringes of the Mar Menor and Mediterranean, San Javier has a period of intense summer tourism activity during the peak summer months, although it is popular with retirees of all nationalities out of peak season.
Tickets for the annual San Javier Jazz Festival can be purchased at the Festival office in San Javier Town Hall, Plaza de España.
Timetables summer 2024:
Tourist office Santiago de la Ribera (Calle Padre Juan 30720, Santiago de la Ribera)
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 21.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.00 to 13.00
Telephone: 661 572285
Email: turismo@sanjavier.es
La Manga del Mar Menor (Gran Vía Km. 0 30380, La Manga del Mar Menor):
May 1 to September 30:
Weekdays 10.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 19.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.30 to 13.00
Telephone 968 128955 ext. 2
Tourist information point of San Javier (Plaza de España, 30730 San Javier):
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00
968 573 700 ext #5351
Email: concejaliadeturismo@sanjavier.es
Tourist information point of Santiago de la Ribera (Paseo Colón on the seafront)
Weekdays 9.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 to 21.00
Weekends and public holidays 10.00 to 13.00
Tourist information point of La Manga del Mar Menor (Playa Mistral, km 12)
Weekdays 11.00 to 18.00
Weekends and public holidays 11.00 to 14.00
