If you're still thinking where to go on holiday this summer and you have and adventurous spirit, then how about this...

Today you don't need to have any special requirements to become a crew member or a trainee sailor. You can join the experienced crew and get exploring under the sail, led by the wind power. If you have an adventurous spirit, you love the sea, wind, and sun- this adventure is a right fit for you. I've done it once and I am hooked ever since. If not my house renovation right now- this is where I'd be spending my summer time. I love active holidays and happy to share some ideas of what I consider worth of exploring and experiencing. Every year Tall Ship Races take its place in different locations, and that’s a cool thing as it gives you another reason to visit unique places annually. This year the Tall Ship Races take place in the Baltic Sea. Have you ever been to Sweden, Finland, Lithuania or Poland? It's an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries into a lifetime journey that you'll remember for many years. A Tall Ship Festival is an international event and it is ideal time to visit countries or towns for the first time.

Things to do: Sailing with the Pro

A lifetime experience and a chance to live and breathe a true sailor's life. It's the world of an adventure and challenge- both physical and emotional, you get to learn new skills, you make new friends, you dissolve in tranquility. The best part of it is that there are many vessels to choose from. Here you can find useful information how to choose the right vessel and much more about the event.

Things to do: the Tall Ship Festival

Okay, may be sailing sounds cool but still prefer to have a ground under your feet? Plan a holiday to one of the countries that host Tall Ship Festival as part of the Tall Ship Races. This year the festival is taking place in five towns of the four Baltic counties.

HALMSTAD - Sweden 30 June 2017 - 3 July 2017

KOTKA - Finland13 July 2017 - 16 July 2017

TURKU - Finland20 July 2017 - 23 July 2017

KLAIPėDA - Lithuania29 July 2017 - 1 August 2017

SZCZECIN - Poland5 August 2017 - 8 August 2017

Festival is a three-day event, so it's a great idea for a weekend getaway. The atmosphere of the festival is incredible- plenty of pop-up bars with the bands playing, street food and you also get exploring vessels from different countries – most of the ship are open to the public during the festival, so you can get a glimpse of life on board without ever leaving the ground. A Tall Ship Festival is also an educational event, by visiting the ship you learn a lot about life on board and their exciting lifestyle, and it's perfect for family holidays. Kids love that kind of stuff. At the same time, you have a fantastic opportunity to explore new town and country you've never visited before.

How to get there

That obviously depends on the location of the festival and your proximity to it. Usually, events are taking place in locations with a good transport link- let it be plane, car or other public transport. Of course, sometimes it requires a bit more of the planning, but that gives you a great excuse to make a holiday longer and explore more on the way! Last year, as part of tall ship races I've visited Antwerp in Belgium (direct flights from London were so convenient) and then we sailed to Brest in France on the second largest tall ship in the world. On the way back to London, we had to get to Paris first, as there were no direct flights from Brest. But it's all doable and is definitely worth it! Festivals in both countries were incredible but very different in scale. Every city creates the festival in its very own style and it's so interesting to see and experience the difference.