A UNIQUE replica of legendary Spanish galleons has returned to Southend Pier today after its stopover last year saw visitor numbers soar.

The Galeón Andalucía is an impressive replica of the Spanish galleons which sailed through the world during the 16th to 18th centuries. An imposing ship of 55 meters in length, six decks, made of iroko and pine wood, and almost a thousand square meters of sail area in its seven sails, built with careful historical rigor.

The replica galleon was welcomed at Southend Pier this afternoon where it will be docked and open to the public from tomorrow up until Tuesday, August 27.

During it stay in Southend, visitors will be able to get on board, tour El Galeon's five decks and learn about her details, how she sails, what life was like on board and the history of these ships.

Often hailed a true "floating museum" of Spanish maritime culture, the vessel has already sailed more than 55,000 nautical miles across oceans and seas around the world, visiting ports on four continents, such as Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, New York or Quebec, spreading its history.

Adults can tour the vessel for £12 while children hop onboard for £6. Book your tickets at tickets.velacuadra.es.

Thanks largely to El Galeon's visit last year, Southend Pier broke its record for Whitsun week in 2023, as May half-term saw 50,890 visitors to the pier.

This was a huge increase in visitor numbers compared to the same week in 2022, with 19,369 visitors recorded.