USS CONSTITUTION
Charlestown, Massachusetts
Launched in 1797 after a three-year construction period, the three-masted frigate USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy, and the oldest warship afloat. It served off the Barbary Coast of North Africa, countering piracy, and famously defeated four British frigates during three engagements in the war of 1812, earning it the nickname “Old Ironsides”, due to the apparent inability of enemy ships to penetrate its 22in-thick oak hull.
The USS Constitution (navy.mil/ uss-constitution) is open from 10am-4pm, Wednesday to Sunday; entry is free. The Residence Inn by Marriott Boston Harbor on Tudor Wharf (00 1 617 242 9000; marriott.co.uk) has double rooms from £261 a night
MIKASA Yokosuka, Japan
The Japanese battleship Mikasa is the only surviving pre-dreadnought battleship in the world. Built for the imperial Japanese navy in 1899 by Vickers Shipbuilding, the Mikasa is also the last example of a British-built battleship. It famously served as the flagship of Admiral Togo Heihachiro, often referred to as the “Nelson of the East”, including at the battle of Tsushima, where the Japanese fleet destroyed its Russian counterpart. There are numerous exhibits and tours available.
The Mikasa (kinenkan-mikasa.or.jp) is open daily, 9am-5.30pm, and entry costs £4. Hotel Yokosuka (00 81 46 820 1111; hotelnewyokosuka.co.jp) has double rooms from £62 a night
CRUISER AURORA St Petersburg, Russia
Another veteran of the battle of Tsushima, the Aurora – built between 1897 and 1900 in St Petersburg – served as part of the Russian Baltic fleet. In 1917, as the main training vessel for the fleet, the Aurora fired a blank towards the Winter Palace, which acted as a signal for the sailors, soldiers and workers of the city to storm the building, as part of the Bolshevik revolution. It is free to visit, but for an extra fee, big kids with an interest in mechanics can request to tour the engine room, too.
The Cruiser Aurora is open to visit 11am-6pm, but closed on Mondays and Fridays. Admission is free. The Aristocrat Boutique hotel (00 7 812 313 8232; abhotel.ru) has double rooms from £36 a night
Overseas travel is currently subject to restrictions. See Page 3