🌍 At The Sun Places, luxury is also found in history and culture.
That's why we invite you to discover the Magellan and Elcano Route, an expedition that changed the world and has its starting point and return in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
The First Circumnavigation of the Globe, completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano in 1522, is the pride of a city that today keeps its memory alive through the Círculo de Artesanos, a century-old organisation that has made this feat its hallmark.
With The Sun Places, we want this experience to be part of your luxury stay, offering you the chance to walk the same paths as those brave sailors and to understand why Sanlúcar de Barrameda is the starting point and return of the greatest adventure in history.
On 20 September 1519, five ships and 250 men set sail from the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda under the command of Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator in the service of the Crown of Castile.
Three years later, on 6 September 1522, only one ship, the Victoria, and 18 men, under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano, returned to the same port, completing the First Circumnavigation of the Earth.
This feat, which forever changed the history of humanity, has a privileged place in Sanlúcar.
Today, the Círculo de Artesanos, an association founded in 1904, keeps the memory of this achievement alive, raising awareness among citizens of the importance of having been the starting point and return of the expedition.
The Magellan and Elcano Route, The story that changed the world, a journey that began in Sanlúcar de Barrameda
The First Circumnavigation of the Globe was not a whim, but a commercial necessity. The objective was to find a route to the Spice Islands (the Moluccas) avoiding Portuguese control over Africa.
It was then that Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese veteran of Africa and India, arrived in Seville in 1517 with an ambitious project: to find a passage south of America and reach the "South Sea" that Balboa had discovered in Panama.
After being rejected by the King of Portugal, he found support at the court of Charles I. On 22 March 1518, the capitulations were signed in Valladolid.
Magellan, already naturalised Castilian, was appointed commander of the expedition, governor and adelantado of the lands he would discover.
The fleet, called the "Armada of the Moluccas", consisted of five ships: the Trinidad (flagship), the San Antonio, the Concepción (where Juan Sebastián Elcano served as boatswain), the Victoria and the Santiago.
After months of preparations, the expedition left Seville on 10 August 1519, sailing down the Guadalquivir until reaching Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
There they finalised their supplies, and on 20 September, the fleet set out into the Atlantic, beginning the Magellan and Elcano Route.
The crossing of the Magellan and Elcano Route: mutinies, giants and the longed-for passage
After crossing the Atlantic and sailing along the coast of Brazil, the expedition reached the Río de la Plata, which they mistook for the longed-for passage. Upon realising it was freshwater, they continued south, skirting the vastness of Patagonia.
On 31 March 1520, in San Julián Bay, a mutiny broke out led by Juan de Cartagena.
Magellan suppressed it with a firm hand: Captain Gaspar de Quesada was beheaded and his body quartered. Elcano, for his worth as a sailor, was pardoned.
In that place, the explorers encountered the natives, the Patagonians, who reached them waist-high, and whom they called "Patagâon" (big foot), from which the name Patagonia derives.
On 1 November, after a long search, they found the passage: a labyrinth of channels and fjords that Magellan called the "Strait of All Saints", now known as the Strait of Magellan.
During the navigation, the San Antonio deserted and returned to Spain. On 27 November, the three remaining ships sailed into the ocean that Magellan named the "Pacific" for its apparent calm.
Then began the hardest crossing: 110 days without sighting land, with rotten provisions, yellowish water, rats as a delicacy and scurvy decimating the crew.
On 6 March 1521 they arrived at the Marianas, and on 16 March they sighted the Philippines, thus continuing the Magellan and Elcano Route.
The death of Magellan and Elcano's return
In the Philippines, Magellan became involved in local conflicts and died in the Battle of Mactan on 27 April 1521.
After his death, the expedition was decimated. Only 114 men survived to command three ships, so they burned the Concepción and continued towards the Moluccas on the Trinidad and the Victoria.
In Tidore, they loaded spices, but the Trinidad had to stay for repairs. The Victoria, under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano, undertook the return to Spain via the Indian Ocean, completing the Magellan and Elcano Route.
After rounding the Cape of Good Hope and making a stopover in Cape Verde (where 13 men were taken prisoner by the Portuguese), the Victoria arrived at Sanlúcar de Barrameda on 6 September 1522.
Only 18 men returned home. They had circumnavigated the world in three years and covered 78,000 kilometres.
The Círculo de Artesanos: guardians of the memory of the Magellan and Elcano Route
The Círculo de Artesanos of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, founded in 1904, is an association that has kept the memory of this feat alive.
For 121 years, it has been an open and plural cultural centre, with almost 300 members. In 2010, they created the "Fernando de Magallanes and Juan Sebastián Elcano Awards" to raise awareness among citizens of the historical importance of Sanlúcar.
They have organised the historical re-enactment of 6 September and collaborated in international congresses.
In addition, they promoted the city's candidacy for "Spanish Gastronomy Capital" in 2022, which was a success.
The Círculo de Artesanos has received recognitions such as the Medal of the Province of Cádiz in 2025, the Gold Insignia of the city in 2014 and the Award for Cultural Excellence from Publicaciones del Sur in 2023.
The Month of the Circumnavigation: September 2026
Every September, Sanlúcar de Barrameda relives the feat of the Magellan and Elcano Route with a month full of cultural activities commemorating the departure and return of the expedition.
Organised by the Círculo de Artesanos, the Month of the Circumnavigation transforms the city into a living stage of history.
The highlight is 6 September, the day of the Victoria's arrival, with a historical re-enactment that runs through the city streets from the landing to the Castle of Santiago, followed by the traditional "Dinner with Elcano".
But the programme extends throughout the month with a unique cultural offering.
The Auditorio Manolo Sanlúcar, located in the old church of the Convent of La Merced in the Barrio Alto, hosts some of the most outstanding concerts of the cycle, including the revival of "Medea", the masterpiece that the brilliant guitarist composed for the National Ballet and adapted for guitar.
The Manolo Sanlúcar Museum, dedicated to the life and work of the guitarist, also participates in this celebration with special exhibitions and activities.
The 2026 programme includes a variety of events for all audiences:
- Music and flamenco: from flamenco concerts at the Peña "Puerto Lucero" to shows such as "The Magellan-Elcano Crossing" at the Auditorio Manolo Sanlúcar and the series "The Guitar: Elcano of flamenco" at the Bajo Guía.
- Forums and conferences: The XI Forum "Sanlúcar and the Oceans" addresses topics such as the historical re-enactment of 6 September and the cosmology of the Sphere.
- Historical re-enactments: In addition to 6 September, the 20 September (the day the expedition departed) is celebrated with a medieval market in Plaza de la Paz.
- Gastronomy and tastings: Pairings of Victoria beers and manzanillas, with musical and equestrian performances.
- Activities for everyone: Cultural tours, 2 CV car rally, sea baptism and guided tours of the Castillito.
All activities are free or have limited capacity, and tickets can be purchased at the Círculo de Artesanos headquarters (calle San Juan, 11) or at the different points of sale indicated.
What this history represents for Sanlúcar and The Sun Places
The Magellan and Elcano Route and the Círculo de Artesanos are two pillars of the identity of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
The former represents bravery and the spirit of exploration; the latter, memory and culture.
For
The Sun Places, this story is much more than a tale of the past: it is an inspiration to offer unique and authentic experiences, and also a commitment to the dissemination of an unrepeatable historical event such as the
Magellan and Elcano Route. Thanks to the work and effort of the
Círculo de Artesanos, this feat is destined to become a benchmark for
Sanlúcar, on a par with the
Sanlúcar de Barrameda Horse Races.
Our Luxury Apartments in Sanlúcar de Barrameda are the starting point to follow in the footsteps of those sailors and understand why Sanlúcar is the beginning and the end of the greatest adventure in history.
CEO's word: At The Sun Places, the Magellan and Elcano Route fascinates us because it represents the courage to explore the unknown. That same spirit is what drives us to offer unique and authentic experiences. I encourage you to discover Sanlúcar de Barrameda, to follow in the footsteps of those who changed the world and to learn about the work of the Círculo de Artesanos.
The perfect plan with The Sun Places to experience the Month of the Circumnavigation
Friday: Arrival and first impressions
Saturday: Historical re-enactment and concert
- Afternoon: Attendance at the historical re-enactment of 6 September and the Renaissance Market of the First Circumnavigation
- Night: Concert at the Auditorio Manolo Sanlúcar
Sunday: Gastronomy and farewell
- Morning: Wine tasting in the Patio de Columnas of the City Hall
- Lunch: Farewell at the Chiringuito La Orilla, on the seafront promenade of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, with wood-grilled sardines that give off the aroma of the sea and the embers, accompanied by a glass of manzanilla from Barbadillo Winery. The perfect finishing touch to an unforgettable experience
Ready to experience history with The Sun Places?
📞 Contact us and let us organise your luxury experience: private visits, exclusive pairings and a concierge service at your disposal.
If you want to continue discovering Spain hand in hand with The Sun Places, don't miss our Luxury Apartments in Barcelona, Luxury Apartments in Seville, Luxury Apartments in Cádiz, and of course, our Luxury Accommodation in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
Acknowledgements to José Hernandez for the photography
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