Punta Moscarter Lighthouse is an active lighthouse on the northern coast of Ibiza, near Portinatx in the municipality of Sant Joan de Labritja. Work began in 1975 and the light came into service in November 1978. Its 52-metre concrete tower then became the tallest in the Balearic Islands, overtaking the 38-metre masonry tower of the Illa de l'Aire Lighthouse on Menorca. It stands on cliffs above a rocky shore and is reached only on foot.
Punta Moscarter Lighthouse
Striped 52-metre concrete lighthouse on the cliffs of Ibiza's north coast, reached on foot by a wooded trail.
- Entrance
- Free; there is no ticket. The tower is not open to visitors.
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair-accessible parking or entrance. The lighthouse is reached only on foot, by forest trail and cliff-top path that is rough in places.
- Parking
- Paid parking. The nearest car parks are about 1.1 km and 1.3 km from the lighthouse in a straight line; the farther one is unpaved.
- Difficulty
- Easy walk of 20 to 30 minutes on a woodland trail. The loop from Portinatx adds road walking and a rough descent along the cliffs into a bay; the route is exposed to the sun and the cliff edges are sheer.
- Transport
- Bus stop Portinatx, about 1.5 km away in a straight line.
- Advance booking
- Not needed.
- Hours
- Open at any time.
- Address
- 07810 Sant Joan de Labritja, Balearic Islands, Spain
What makes it special
The striped tower shows through the trees before the trail ends, and it is taller than it looks from a distance: 52 metres of concrete on a cliff of roughly 50, so the light stands about as high again as the rock beneath it. From the cliff top the rocky north coast runs away on both sides, with open sea ahead.
The tower is closed, so the visit is the headland itself: the view, the wind off the water, and in the evening the sun going down over the sea. When it was finished in 1978 it was the tallest lighthouse in the Balearic Islands. The walk is a popular one, and still the headland can sit empty for an hour at a time.
Good to know
- No facilities. There are no toilets or drinking water at the lighthouse, and none nearby. Bring water and proper walking shoes.
- The tower is closed. It is a working lighthouse; you can walk around the base and the cliff top, but you cannot go up.
- Paths are not marked out clearly. Several trails run the same way and all end at the lighthouse; the coastal path out of Portinatx is easy to miss.
- Little shade. The main road route from Portinatx is hot in summer, and the cliff top itself is bare.
- Rough return. Coming back along the cliffs, the descent into the bay is rough and tricky underfoot.
Getting there
The last stretch is always on foot. The nearest car parks lie about 1.1 km and 1.3 km from the lighthouse in a straight line, the farther one on an unpaved surface, and the easy walk through the woods to the tower takes 20 to 30 minutes.
From Portinatx you can walk the whole way. A loop leaves the village by road, turns onto a forest track and finishes on the cliff-top path to the lighthouse, then returns along the cliffs and drops into a bay. The other option is the main road from the village, which is exposed and hot. Beyond the lighthouse the path carries on down to a beach; walking out there and back from Portinatx takes 2 to 3 hours. The nearest bus stop, Portinatx, is about 1.5 km away in a straight line.
Best time to visit
Best: early morning, or late afternoon into sunset, in spring and autumn.
Avoid: the middle of the day in high summer.
The road from Portinatx and the cliff top are open to the sun with no water on the way, while the evening brings cooler air and the sun setting over the sea.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
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Punta Moscarter Lighthouse on the map
The cliffs around the lighthouse drop sheer to the sea and the edge is unfenced. Keep children close and stay well back from the rim, especially in wind.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you go up Punta Moscarter Lighthouse?
No. It is an active lighthouse and the tower is closed to visitors; you can walk around the base and along the cliff top.How long is the walk to the lighthouse?
The easy trail through the woods takes 20 to 30 minutes. A longer walk from Portinatx, continuing past the lighthouse to a beach and back, takes 2 to 3 hours.Where do you park?
The nearest car parks are about 1.1 km and 1.3 km from the lighthouse in a straight line; the farther one is unpaved. From there you continue on foot.Are there toilets or water at the lighthouse?
No. There are no toilets or drinking water at the lighthouse and none nearby, so bring water with you.Is it a good place for sunset?
Yes. The cliff top looks out over the sea and the sun goes down over the water in the evening. Bring a torch for the walk back through the woods.