Make a splash at exciting events on or near the shore

While our brave sailors at sea experience limited comforts, calling in to one of Europe’s great port cities is sure to be a long-overdue thrill for them. Here are some of the experiences that might await a well-timed shore-leave visit.

Jerez de la Frontera, Spain: This city some 15 miles northeast of Rota is known for its sherry wine, flamenco and Andalusian horses. All three could be experienced by visiting one of the city’s biggest annual events, the Fiestas de la Vendimia, or Grape Harvest Festival.

From Aug. 29 through Sept. 13, this festival held to coincide with the ripening of the Palomino grape variety used to make sherry offers many a happy moment. Festivities kick off in earnest next to the cathedral at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 1 with the Pisado de la Uva, in which four dapper men dressed in white shorts and red sashes stomp the grapes, not barefoot as often supposed, but wearing special studded shoes designed to extract the juice from grapes while leaving the bitter pips intact. Keep an eye out for a special breed of dog, the “Ratonero Bodeguero,” or Andalusian wine cellar rat-catcher, whose job it was to keep vermin at bay in the wine cellars. Arrive in good time for any chance of a place with a view. Online: tinyurl.com/52wbea56

Horse-y types might wish to time their visit to coincide with the European Day of the Horse, held Sept. 12 and 13 in 2026. Jerez de la Frontera celebrates its link to the Andalusian horse, a majestic breed with a gentle disposition, by means of open-door days and special shows at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art and numerous private stables. Online: tinyurl.com/fax3dcb8

Fans of Flamenco can get lost in the music from Sept. 10-13, as the Jerez Fusión-Flamenco Global Experience runs concurrently to the fest. Four days of wine, music, dance and cinema are coordinated to the shades of sherry that mirror how this fortified wine is produced and aged. Online: jerezfusion.com

Trieste, Italy: While visiting the city of coffee culture, Hapsburg architecture and a vibrant literary heritage any time of year is a treat, a particularly wonderful time to visit is during the Barcolana, billed at the largest sailing regatta in the world.

Beginning at 10:30 in the morning of Oct. 11, the azure blue waters of the Gulf of Trieste will be complemented by the colors of the sails of more than 2,000 vessels, captained by weekend warriors rubbing shoulders with Olympic champions. The racers take on a roughly 13-nautical-mile-long course laid out in the shape of a quadrilateral. The route starts between the Barcola neighborhood and the Miramare Castle and finishes in front of the massive Piazza Unità d’Italia. Watching the race from any of the strategic viewpoints along the coast, or even right next to the finish line, is free.

The race itself is the crown jewel in a land-and-sea-based festival running Oct. 2-11. Over these days, some roughly 400,000 visitors will explore the booths of maritime suppliers, feast on food truck offerings, watch nighttime races under the lights of the San Giusto basin, check out historical wooden craft and enjoy evening concerts by the sea. Online: barcolana.it/en

Those who enjoy being in the water might wish to sign up for the Barcolana Nuota, an open-water swimming competition open to amateurs and pros alike. Beginning at 11 a.m. Oct. 4, up to 400 “water babies” will take on the race’s one nautical milelong course, which is entirely visible to the spectators back on shore. Wetsuits are permitted, and athletes with disabilities can take part in a special fin swimming version of the race. Participants must have been born in 2016 or earlier and must register by Sept. 30. The 40-euro entry fee nets a participant a T-shirt, tote bag, water bottle and mandatory swim cap. Online: tinyurl.com/mnmtm6sr

Chania, Crete: A weekend or longer getaway to Chania could blend beach time, dining and remembrance. As sea water temperatures generally remain warm through mid-to-late October, this or a similar itinerary could be enjoyed any time through late autumn.

For a lazy day spent swimming and chilling, Stravros Beach, some 10 miles to the northeast, features a turquoise lagoon backed by a steep mountain. Back in town, those with gourmet tastes can enjoy a leisurely, self-styled grazing tour to sample the mezedes (the Greek equivalent of tapas) of the Old Venetian Harbor, tasting such delights as bread dipped in olive oil, ripe Graviera cheeses, fried lamb bits and Bougatsa sweet pastry. The night could close to the sound of folk songs accompanied by the lyra. Online: chaniatourism.gr/activities

A somber experience, but a must, is a visit to the Souda Bay Commonwealth Cemetery, where some 1,500 of our Commonwealth cousins, many unidentified, have found their final place of rest.