The Lighthouses of North West Spain

The light marks the entrance to the Bahía de Pasajes, a narrow water gap in a steep mountain ridge. Located at the end of a short jetty on the east side of the entrance, about 4 km north of Pasai Donibane.

Photo courtesy Jesus Jiminez [Flickr]

East side of entrance to harbor at Pasaia.  This light and the one above clearly fail the definition of LightHouse, but they are fixed aids to navigation.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

West side of entrance to Bahía de Pasajes. The Basque translates as "Small Bay of the hollow".

Photo courtesy Alberto Martinez Subtil [Flickr]

Island in mouth of Bahía de la Concha. The island is accessible by passenger ferry during the summer.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Northern end of peninsula north of Guetaria.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Located at the end of a massive, curving breakwater (completed in 1927) that protects the west side of the entrance to the Río Urola estuary.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

On cape NW of Bermeo. Built in 1852, replaced in 1909.

Photo courtesy Hans van Reenen [Flickr]

It was built as part of the Plan de Señales Marítimas 1985-89, a national plan to upgrade coastal aids to navigation. Note: not to be confused with another Cabo Villano lighthouse in Galicia. Located atop a steep slope on Monte Ermua, about 5 km (3 mi) north of Górliz. Accessible by a winding mountain road, the site offers magnificent views of the sea.

Photo courtesy "Gorliz" [Flickr]

The Contradique de Algorta, 1148 m long, was built between 1893 and 1901 to provide a sheltered harbor at Getxo, the port of the city of Bilbao. Located at the end of the breakwater, guarding the narrow entrance to the inner harbor.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Santurtzi piers are on the west side of the harbor, northwest (outside) the Contradique de Algorta. Located at the easternmost corner of the piers.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

This lighthouse was built in a notch cut in the side of Monte Buciero, a near-vertical mountainside. 682 steps, a very challenging descent, lead down to the lighthouse.  Located on an east-facing headland on the north side of the entrance to the Ría de Treto and the harbor of Santoña. Apparently accessible with some difficulty.  (Don't confuse this with SP100)

Photo courtesy Solabre [librodefaros]

This handsome modern tower, designed by Fernando Rodríguez Pérez, was one of the first new lighthouses built under the Plan de Señales Marítimas 1985-89. Located at the northernmost point of the Cantabrian coastline, about 8 km (5 mi) north of Ajo.

Photo courtesy Jorge Ordás [Flickr]

Eastern tip of Península de la Magdalena.

Photo courtesy WendyPan [Flickr]

This lighthouse is built on the site of the medieval fortress of San Martín de la Arena. End of peninsula north of Suances, Cantabria.

Photo courtesy Orlok [Flickr]

Photo courtesy JL Keszler [Flickr]

On breakwater at east side of Ría de Ribadesella on the River Sella.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Located atop a steep headland about 6 km north of Colunga and 40 km east of Gijón.

Photo courtesy Dirk van der Eecken [Flickr]

Located on a sharp headland marking the western entrance to the harbor of Gijón.

Photo courtesy Autoridad Portuaria de Gijón [Rowlett]

Located above the headland of Punta del Cuerno about 1.2 km north of the Carreño waterfront.

Photos courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

North side of entrance to harbor at Avilés, western Asturias.

Photo courtesy Jorge Martinez [Flickr]

Elbow of breakwater, on the west side of the entrance to the Río Nalón at San Esteban de Pravia.

Photos courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Cabo Vidio is a prominent cape that projects about 3 km into the Atlantic roughly 8 km west of Cudillero. Located on the point of the cape.

Photo courtesy Saúl Granda [Flickr]

Located on the promontory at the eastern entrance to the Ría de Luarca, the open embayment that includes the harbor of Luarca.

Photo courtesy reNET [Flickr]

NW of Navia, western Asturias. Looks to me like the light has been names for the church right next door.

Photo courtesy bambino [Flickr]

Photo courtesy Mary Carmen López González [Flickr]

Isla Pancha is a small, rocky island at the northwestern entrance to the harbor of Ribadeo. A bridge connects the island to the mainland (see photo below).  Located about 4 km north of Ribadeo.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Located on a rocky ledge about 800m off the fishing port of Burela. Accessible only by boat, but there should be distant views from the shore.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

The island is a huge wedge of stone a short distance off the coast 5 km northeast of O Vicedo. Located on the highest point of the island.

Photo courtesy Solabre [librodefaros]

Located on the west side of the entrance to the Ría del Barquiero about 1.4 km northeast of the Porto de Barqueiro waterfront.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Cabo Ortegal is 12 km west and a little south of Punta de la Estaca de Bares; it is the point where the Spanish coastline changes direction from east-west to northeast-southwest.  Located atop a very steep headland at the tip of the cape, about 5 km north of Cariño.

Photo courtesy radikalbyte [Flickr]

Located on a promontory in the middle of the Ría de Cedeira, about 2.5 km southwest of the town.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Located 14 km northwest of Ferrol and 4 km northwest of Pedreira.

Photo courtesy Jose C. Pappalardo [Flickr]

This lighthouse stands at the end of a peninsula marking the entrance to the Ría de Ferrol and the approach to the harbor of Ferrol. Located 15 km southwest of Ferrol.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Located on the south side of the Ría de Ferrol 700 m east of the front light.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Located on a large quay on the west side of the inner harbor of Ferrol.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

The range guides ships on the initial approach to La Coruña. Located on a headland at the eastern side of the entrance to the Ría de la Coruña, 1.5 km west of Mera.

Photos courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Located in Perillo on or close to the Rúa Miradoiro.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Entrance to harbor at La Coruña.  The fort here, which dates back to the late 1500s, has been a museum since 1964. The museum is open to the public, but the lighthouse tower is not open.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

The Islas Sisargas are rocky islands off Cabo de San Adrián, a prominent and dangerous cape about 35 km west of La Coruña. The islands are a protected wildlife refuge. Located about 5 km northwest of Malpica de Bergantiños. Accessible only by boat, but there is a good view from the point of Cabo de San Adrián.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Coruñesa coast, Ria de Corme y Lage

Photo courtesy Ovillan [Flickr]

This light marks the southern entrance to the Ría de Camariñas. Located on a point of land on the north side of Muxía.  Do not confuse this light with Punto de Barca (in the Azores). 

Photo courtesy Ricard Sentís [Flickr]

Located at the end of the peninsula marking the west entrance to the Ría de Corcubión, about 8 km south of Cée.

Photo courtesy elsusemueve [Flickr]

This lighthouse was completed in 1913, but it was not activated until after the end of World War I. Its light filled in a dark zone between Capes Corrubedo and Finisterre. Located on a headland at Lariño.

Photo courtesy FreeCat [Flickr]

An unusual feature of this lighthouse is a bridge connecting the gallery to the flat roof of the keeper's house. Located on an east-pointing promontory, just off the AC-550 highway about 1 km southeast of Muros, marking the entrance to the harbor of that town.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

Sálvora is a rocky island, about 2 km long, in the center of the entrance to the Ría de Arousa, which leads to the port of Vilagarcía. In 2002, the island was included with several others in a new national park. Located at the southern point of the island. Accessible only by boat; tours of the island can be arranged from Ribeira.

Photo courtesy Tine [phares]

The Isla de Arosa, or Illa de Arousa in Galego, is a substantial island, about 7 km long, on the eastern side of the Ría de Arousa. The island is accessible by a bridge on the PO-307 highway from Vilanova de Arousa. The lighthouse is on the rocky northwestern tip of the island.  (Be careful not to confuse this with SP24)

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]

The Isla de Ons is the largest island of Spain's Atlantic coast, about 7 km long from north to south and located about 8 km west of the entrance to the Ría de Marín. The island is accessible, at least in the summer, by passenger ferry from Sanxenxo. The lighthouse is located at the center of the island, which is also the highest point.

Photo courtesy Alfonso López [Flickr]

Located on a promontory at the southern entrance to the Ría de Pontevedra about 8 km northwest of Cambados.

Photo courtesy Solabre [librodefaros]

Located on the eastern point of the two points of Cabo del Home, about 8 km due west of Cambados and 815 m east southeast of the front light.

Photo courtesy Franes [Flickr]

The Islas Cíes are three steep, rocky islands arranged north to south off the entrance to the Ría de Vigo: Isla Monteagudo on the north, Isla de Faro in the center, and Isla de San Martiño in the south. Each island has a lighthouse, but this one is by far the best known. The lighthouse stands atop a sharp peak and is reached by a steep road having many switchbacks.  The islands are part of a national park, accessible at least in the summer by passenger ferries from Cangas and from Vigo. Located at the highest point of Isla del Faro.

If you look real hard, you can see the light on the top of the mountain on the right.

Photo courtesy Jose Ortigueira [private copy]

Located on a promontory at La Guía, a neighborhood northeast of Vigo on the south side of the Ría de Vigo.

Photo courtesy Solabre [librodefaros]

660 meters ENE of the front light.

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [liteslist]