Cabo de Palos Lighthouse

The light was first lit in January 1865 and reaches 24 miles out to sea. The tower sits on a broad pedestal at the tip of the headland, with cliffs below and open Mediterranean beyond them. The view runs along the coast and across to La Manga. Guided visits cover the history of the building; without a guide the site is a viewpoint and not much more. Information boards for the Cabo de Palos – Islas Hormigas marine reserve stand a few metres from the tower, and the water they describe is the water under the cliffs.

• Coach tours stop here. While they are on the headland it fills; at other times the site stays quiet.
• The tower is not always open. Building work has kept visitors from going up. Check visitaelfaro.com before making the trip.
• Marine reserve below. The Cabo de Palos – Islas Hormigas reserve is signed beside the lighthouse. The water is clear and used for snorkelling and kayaking.
• Food is down in the village. Restaurants and cafés are in Cabo de Palos, back along the road from the headland.

A road climbs from Cabo de Palos village to the lighthouse, and cars reach the headland itself. The nearest car park lies about 140 metres from the tower, a walk of two or three minutes. It is small and fills quickly. The next car park is about a kilometre back down the road, which adds a walk of some fifteen minutes. Roadside spaces are the other option when the lot is full.

Better: the hour before sunset, when the low light is on the cliffs and the sea.

Avoid: February and March if you have a dog — caterpillars are out in numbers on the ground here.

The headland is quieter than most viewpoints on this coast, though tour groups arrive through the day and take up the space around the tower while they are there.