The ‘Rafael Verdera’ will link La Ràpita and Sóller on the ‘La Ruta dels Poetes’

La Ràpita (Tarragona) and Sóller will once again be connected by sea from April 24th to 30th, 2026, thanks to the ‘La Ruta dels Poetes’, an initiative promoted by the Mare Mar Foundation through the MED-Milla 0 project. The proposal is a voyage of twinning, culture, and blue economy aboard the Rafael Verdera, regarded as the oldest operational vessel in Spain.

The expedition, organized by Delta Ebre Port with the support of the town councils of La Ràpita and Sóller, sets out a maritime route linking the two Mediterranean territories through a program that combines heritage, gastronomy, historical memory, outreach, and coastal promotion. Under the motto of a journey of “poetry, history, and fishing,” the crossing aims to strengthen the ties between the Ebro Delta and Mallorca, highlighting their shared seafaring culture.

The program will begin on Friday, April 24th, with the departure of the Rafael Verdera for the Ebro Delta. A day later, on Saturday the 25th, the sailing vessel will arrive at La Ràpita’s commercial quay, where it may be visited free of charge on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday morning and afternoon. The day will also include a visit to the Ebro Delta Natural Park and an event at the Museu de la Mar de l’Ebre, where the twinning between the Col·lectiu de Cuina La Ràpita and the Acadèmia de Cuina de Palma will be celebrated, followed by a gastronomic experience featuring products from the Delta and the Balearic Islands.

Activities in La Ràpita will continue on Sunday, April 26th, with a visit to the port facilities and a reception hosted by the Confraria de Pescadors Verge del Carme. This will be followed by a trip around Badia dels Alfacs aboard traditional boats, during which amphorae of Mallorcan wine aged underwater in the waters of Alfacs will be retrieved. The day will conclude with a visit to Musclarium. On Monday the 27th, the Rafael Verdera will set course for Sóller.

Arrival is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28th, with an institutional reception at Sóller Town Hall and a twinning lunch at the military base in Port de Sóller. In the afternoon, a new twinning event will take place between the Museu de la Mar de l’Ebre and the Museu de Sóller, accompanied by a lecture from the directors of both museums and a round table on the La Ruta dels Poetes itself and the MED-Milla 0 project. The day will conclude with an offering at the Oratory of Sant Ramon, with the collaboration of DO Terra Alta.

On Wednesday, April 29th, the program includes a visit by the research committee to the Monestir de la Real, the inauguration of Passeig de la Ràpita, and a guided tour of Sóller led by the local council’s heritage officer. Finally, on Thursday, April 30th, the expedition will travel to Palma to take part in the Saló Nàutic, where the La Ruta dels Poetes will be officially presented at the Catalonia stand, followed by a guided visit around the venue and the closing of the journey.

Beyond the crossing itself, the initiative is part of MED-Milla 0, a strategic project linked to the blue economy in the Ebro Delta, and brings together the collaboration of institutional, cultural, port, gastronomic, and museum entities from both territories. In this way, the La Ruta dels Poetes aims to establish itself as a unique proposal capable of bringing together sea, identity, and Mediterranean cooperation aboard a vessel of great heritage value.

The full program can be consulted on the foundation’s social media: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXYjNXujByd/?igsh=MWtqdTFoajZ5NHJibA==.