The First Journey Around The World

Unravelling the complicated history, science and consequences of the first ever expedition around the world

In collaboration with the National Commission for the Commemoration of the V Centenary of the First Journey Around the World of Fernão de Magalhães and Juan Sebastián Elcano and

Acción Cultural Española, AC/EArchivos EstatalesSeville City CouncilFundación Elkano
and 9 more collections

What do you need to sail around the world?

And don't forget your nerves of steel...

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea."Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Retrace the route

Follow the steps of the expedition in this interactive map

The Route of Magellan and Elcano (1519–1522)

Travelling used to be very different without the speed and convenience of airplanes...

How long did the first journey around the world take?
Almost 3 years
The expedition route

Juan Sebastián Elcano

Discover the epic story of the Basque sailor who proved that the world was round.

“To drown in the abyss-heaven or hell, who cares? Through the unknown, we'll find the new...”Charles Baudelaire

A pinch of clove and nutmeg

How the spices motivated maritime voyages to undiscovered lands

Why Were Spices So Important?

Imagine what supper would be like without any seasoning...

Pushing the boats out

Join the illustrator Arturo Redondo on a journey around the departure ports

“Keep Ithaca always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for”.Constantine Peter Cavafy

Discover More About The Expedition

The details of the journey

The world before 1520

What could we find in the maps before the Magellan-Elcano expedition?

Marine Navigation Chart

Take a tour through this chart made by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller in 1516

When was the Strait of Magellan first sailed?
In 1521
Map of Strait of Magellan (Jodocus Hondius)

The art of sailing

How the art of navigation underwent a series of profound changes.

"There are not foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign."Robert Louis Stevenson

Discover More About The Exploration

The encounter with the unknown

"What we should value most highly is that we have traveled around the entire circumference of the world, setting off to the west and returning from the east."Juan Sebastián Elcano
What are the Spice Islands now known as?
The Moluccas Islands
Spices in wooden bowls

The Suez Canal: A new sea route

A direct and easy route between Europe and Asia

Discover More About The Transformation

A new connected world

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