Portugal’s 28 lighthouses were opened to tourists in 2011, and their popularity grew steadily every year. But in 2018, the tourist flow increased so much that the Maritime Administration decided to tell the public about it. With an average annual growth rate of 7-8 thousand people, the figure of 28 thousand really looks impressive.
The leader in terms of attendance is the 62-meter Farol da Barra lighthouse of the 19th century in Aveiro, the tallest in Portugal and the second on the Iberian Peninsula. At the time of construction, it was the 6th tallest in the world! It is not surprising that tourists are so eager to visit its observation deck, they are not afraid of even the spiral staircase of 271 steps. You can visit the lighthouse on Wednesdays from 14:00 to 17:00.
Of all the lighthouses available for viewing, 4 are located in the Algarve.
The second most popular is the 14-meter-high Ponta do Pargo in Madeira. It stands on a 350-meter-high cliff, so it seems like a real end of the world. In third place is Farol Ponta do Arnel in the Azores, its height is 15 m. A steep 500-meter climb leads to it, during which beautiful views open up, including a waterfall.
Also interesting: 10 most beautiful cities on the coast of Portugal
Portugal is often called the country of lighthouses – there are about 50 of them.
