• 9.49166776.3216671 Alappuzha lighthouse. This lighthouse was built in 1862. Alappuzha was one of the major trading centers and active ports in Kerala.  
• 11.975.42 Kannur lighthouse (Cannanore lighthouse). Located in Kannur, Kerala (state); this active lighthouse is near the Arabian Sea.  
• 13.039680.27953 Lighthouse, Chennai (Madras Lighthouse). This lighthouse was built in 1977 replacing the older one. It is on the east coast near Chennai in the Bay of Bengal. It is open to visitors.  

• 46.018885143.4140774 Aniva Lighthouse. Built in 1939, when southern Sakhalin was under Japanese rule, and abandoned in 1990, this is an atmospheric lighthouse perched on an outcrop off the southeastern cape of the island. While in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, ask around for a tour which involves an overland trip to the village of Novikovo, and a transfer to a boat there.  

• 36.2191830.409675 Gelidonya Lighthouse (Gelidonya Feneri). On a remote cape south of Antalya, this may be Turkey's most dramatically-sited lighthouse, overlooking an uninhabited Mediterranean archipelago. The only access is via the Lycian Way hiking trail.  
• 41.02111129.0041676 Maiden's Tower, Salacak, Istanbul. Gelidonya might be the Turkish lighthouse with the most dramatic views, but the loveliest is certainly the Maiden's Tower, an ancient structure on a Bosphorus islet that has served as a lighthouse along with its many other functions throughout the centuries.  

• 58.91596822.27 Kõpu lighthouse, ☏ +372 5299 162, info@tuletornikohvik.ee. 1 May–15 September 10:00–20:00. Built in the 16th century, the Kõpu lighthouse is one of the oldest lighthouses still in use, globally. It is situated on land in Hiiumaa, quite far from the shore, with restaurant and other tourist amenities close by. The newer Ristna lighthouse, built in 1874, is at the outer end of the Kõpu peninsula in the west towards the Baltic Sea proper. Also Tahkuna lighthouse is nearby, to the north, towards the Gulf of Finland. €2/1, the three €5/2. (updated Aug 2016)

Listings from east to north:

• 60.47277826.9458 Lightship Kemi (at Maritime Centre Vellamo, Kotka). Open in the summer season. Finland's last lightship, which served until 1974 and is restored to more or less her condition in the 1960s and 1970s, when she served off Kemi. Built 1900–1901. (updated Feb 2024)
• 60.108925.40919 Söderskär (tours from Helsinki or Sipoo), ☏ +358 400-502-771, majakka@soderskar.fi. tours May–Sept. An old secluded lighthouse island in Gulf of Finland, in the outer archipelago in the middle of a bird reserve (in the nesting season only tours are permitted, arriving by own boat is allowed from August, check dates). Day trips from Helsinki or Sipoo with an hour or two on the island.  
• 59.72322.49910 Bengtskär, ☏ +358 2 466-7227. May–September. Skerry in the outer archipelago by the mouth of Gulf of Finland, with the tallest lighthouse in the Nordic countries. Tours from Kasnäs in Kimitoön and from Hangö. By own boat day visits are possible in calm weather. Restaurant, sauna, accommodation etc.  
• 59.78333321.36666711 Utö. Island reachable year round. Utö lighhouse marks the entrance to the fairways through the Archipelago Sea to the main ports of south-western Finland 80 km away. It stands on the southernmost year-round inhabited island in Finland, of less than 1 km² and a few dozen inhabitants. When the original lighthouse was built here in 1753 it was the first in Finland. Guided tours in the lighthouse daily in summer. Hotel, ferry connection and marina.  
• 60.300619.131612 Märket. June–August Tu–Th 09:00 or by request. Lighthouse in the Sea of Åland, on a tiny skerry, a DXCC entity of its own (Market reef) and the smallest sea island shared by two countries. Trips of 4–5 hours (one hour each way) arranged by the Käringsund guest harbour in Eckerö. Guided tour, coffee and seal watching. Proper clothes and footwear needed. Cancelled in bad weather or with few customers (unless specially arranged). Hard to visit by own boat. (updated Dec 2015)
• 60.720621.031613 Isokari (Enskär) (tours from Uusikaupunki and Kustavi). The lighthouse, built 1833, tallest in the Gulf of Bothnia at 49.4 m, is on an island in Bothnian Sea National Park (also Kylmäpihlaja and Säppi are in the park). It was built at the entrance of a fairway through the Archipelago Sea from the Bothnian Sea to the Baltic Sea proper, avoiding the Swedish coast (Finland was part of the Russian Empire). Quite large island, also used as pasture. Guest harbour. (updated Aug 2016)
• 65.040124.560614 Marjaniemi (in Hailuoto). Lighthouse from 1872 at the Hailuoto Island on the Gulf of Bothnia. A wind turbine park nearby. (updated May 2024)

• 54.6797913.43226215 Museum im Leuchtturm (Museum in lighthouse), Kap Arkona, Baltic Sea. Three different styles of lighthouse  
• 47.542929.6835816 Lindau Lighthouse, Lindau, Lake Constance. Climb the lighthouse (33 m) built in 1856. Views are great from that height.  
• 54.37348.6399217 Westerheversand lighthouse. A lighthouse on the Eiderstedt peninsula (near St. Peter Ording) in the well-known red-white striped color scheme that has been used in TV advertisements. (updated Jan 2019)

• 57.98257.04666718 Lindesnes Lighthouse (Lindesnes). Operational lighthouse on a high cliff at the southern tip of Norway, at the entry to Skagerrak. Museum and visitor centre.  

• 43.385833-8.40638919 Tower of Hercules (Torre de Hércules) (A Coruña). Built in the 2nd century, this is probably the oldest lighthouse still in use. (updated Aug 2016)

• 56.19611116.39861120 Ölands Södra Udde (Långe Jan) (Ottenby, Öland). Sweden's most visited lighthouse, with an ornithological station. 

It's no surprise that so many lighthouses are dotted around the coast of Britain. An island nation that was one of the first countries to industrialise, and to develop overseas colonies, its need for safe sea trade was pressing. Britain sought to "rule the waves" but this claim was challenged: there were continual wars with France, the English Channel was often unsafe for merchant shipping, and if you did chance it by hugging the shore, the Eddystone Rocks lay in wait. Vessels for the Atlantic might prefer to sail the long way round via the tip of Scotland, but this, as the Spanish Armada had discovered, was also dangerous. So lighthouses were essential, which forced the technology to enable their construction: cement that would set underwater made possible the second Eddystone lighthouse of 1755. The great name was Robert Stevenson (1772–1850), who built his first lighthouse at 19, and oversaw fifty years of their construction. So when we think of lighthouses, we think of his classic design, those tapering white or hooped towers flashing from a headland. As iconic as they were practical, they became as symbolic of island Britain as the fluted marble column is symbolic of Ancient Greece.

England

edit

Trinity House operate all lighthouses and lightships in England, Wales and the Channel Isles. See their website for details of access, operational closures, and self-catering accommodation within lighthouses.

• Roman Lighthouse (in Dover Castle, Dover (England)). Last standing Roman Lighthouse in Britain. 
• 50.36441-4.1418321 Smeaton's Tower (on The Hoe in Plymouth). Originally the third Eddystone Light, but in the 19th century it was relocated to the mainland (replacing an obelisk daymark), as the rocks on which it stood on had been undermined by erosion, causing it to shake from side to side whenever large waves hit, a less than ideal proposition for a reliable "light". The "fourth" Eddystone light built on firmer foundations, is still operational (and in 1982 was one of the first automated by Trinity House). (updated Jan 2019)
• 49.9602-5.2020622 Lizard Lighthouse Heritage Centre Lizard Lighthouse Heritage Centre (Lizard, Cornwall). Maritime museum and visitor centre based at the Lizard lighthouse.  
• 50.514281-2.45639623 Portland Bill, Isle of Portland (Isle of Portland, Dorset).  
• 51.13991.3723724 South Foreland Lighthouse (Dover), ☏ +44 1304 852463, southforeland@nationaltrust.org.uk.  
• 54.116397-0.08255325 Flamborough Head Lighthouse, Flamborough Scarborough.  
• 54.967999-1.3612426 Souter Lighthouse and The Leas, South Tyneside. Lighthouse which was in use until 1988, now run by the National Trust. The lighthouse opened in 1871, and was the first in the world to use a.c. electric current. The lighthouse used arc lamps and had its own generator.  
• 55.643781-1.61086927 Longstone Lighthouse (aka Outer Farne). This light house is on the Farne Islands, a set of islands in the North Sea. It's best known for its association with Grace Darling, who under atrocious conditions, rescued 9 passengers from the angry sea. The Longstone Lighthouse visitor centre is part of a more general tour of the Farne Islands. Owing to its location, access understandably depends on conditions and the discretion of tour boat operators.  
• Ellesmere Port lighthouse is on shore, joined with the harbourmaster's office. Often called Whitby lighthouse but not to be confused with that town in Yorkshire.

Scotland

edit

The Northern Lighthouse board operates all lighthouses around Scotland and the Isle of Man. See their website for access details, operational closures, and self-catering accommodation within lighthouses.

• 56.554588-2.58644728 Arbroath Signal Tower Museum, Arbroath. Museum in a building built in 1813 as the shore base for the Bell Rock Lighthouse. (updated Apr 2020)
• 57.6976-2.006129 Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, Fraserburgh. Lighthouse museum in Kinnaird Head Lighthouse which was the first lighthouse in mainland Scotland (built in 1787) inside the castle which dates from 1570. (updated Aug 2016)
• 59.27741-2.3758730 Start Point Lighthouse, Sanday. Operational, limited access. (updated Aug 2016)
• 59.3897-2.3813331 North Ronaldsay Lighthouse, Orkney. Operational, limited access. (updated Aug 2016)
• 59.8539-1.274732 Sumburgh head Lighthouse, Sumburgh, Shetland. Operational, limited access. (updated Aug 2016)
• 56.7271-6.2260233 Ardnamurchan Lighthouse on Ardnamurchan Peninsula is operational and you can ascend the tower.
• 56.44926-6.8936334 Skerryvore Lighthouse Museum, Tiree. Shore station for a lighthouse built between 1838 and 1844. The lighthouse is on some rocks 12 miles away. There is an exhibition on the building of the lighthouse. Free, but donation appreciated.  
• 54.6349-4.8571935 Mull of Galloway, lighthouse, Drummore. Operational, limited access. (updated Aug 2016)

Wales

edit

And see Trinity House link above.

• 53.306673-4.69950236 South Stack Lighthouse, South Stack, Anglesey. Built in 1809 and still operational, it stands impressively on a rocky island just off the coast. Reached by steep steps and bridge.  

• 51.400848-3.55211737 Nash Point Lighthouse, Glamorgan. Operational and open weekends in summer, this was the last manned lighthouse in Wales.  

• "Hello sailor!" - You can't enter, but a special mention must go to surely the world's campest navigational markers, in Tramore, County Waterford and Rosses Point, County Sligo. Both known as "The Metal Man", they're identical 3 m statues of a sailor in Georgian garb, who points (more like minces) towards the safe navigation channel.

• 12.613756-70.05142238 California Lighthouse (Faro), Northwest tip of the island of Aruba. Built in 1916. (updated Jun 2023)
• 12.5178-70.035739 Willem III Toren (Fort Zoutman). Built in 1866-1868. (updated Jun 2023)

• Faro Punta Langosta on Cozumel island, Quintana Roo - Popular landmark near the cruise ship piers in San Miguel
• Punta Molas Faro on the north end of Cozumel island, take a boat from the docks in San Miguel
• 23.1813-106.425440 Faro Mazatlán, Mazatlán, Sinaloa.  - the lighthouse is utilitarian ugly, but sits atop Cerro Creston, a high hilltop with the best views in town. Lands around the lighthouse have been made into a nature park and a glass platform extends out from the hilltop.
• 20.8494-86.875341 Faro de Puerto Morelos, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo. . The famous leaning lighthouse of the Mayan Riviera, knocked askew many years ago by Hurricane Beulah, it takes a lickin' but keeps on tickin'...

• -36.60558174.8973845 Tiritiri Matangi Island Lighthouse, Tiritiri Matangi Island, Auckland Region. Built in 1864, it is one of the oldest in New Zealand and the tallest one easily accessible to the public. It is 21 m tall. The xenon gas lamp installed in 1965 was reputed to be the brightest in the Southern Hemisphere. It has been replaced by a quartz iodine light. The lighthouse is now fully automated. Solar power is used. There is a small museum in the watchtower next the lighthouse which is sometimes open depending on volunteer availability. (updated May 2019)

• -54.871424-68.08324746 Faro Les Éclaireurs (Tierra del Fuego). World's southernmost lighthouse, known as the "Lighthouse at the end of the world". 11 meter high brick structure built in 1920. 

• -12.1234-77.040247 Faro de la Marina (La Marina Lighthouse) (Lima). Peru's most visited lighthouse sits atop a cliff in the Miraflores section of Lima. Though built in 1900, it was relocated to its present site in 1970. The light can be seen 18 miles out to sea. 

• -34.47284-57.8523148 Lighthouse of Colonia del Sacramento (Colonia del Sacramento). For a nominal fee you can go up to the top of the lighthouse and look out over the city and Rio de la Plata. On a clear day probably even Buenos Aires is visible. The lighthouse was built in 1857.  
• -34.9353-56.160649 Punta Carretas lighthouse (Faro de Punta Brava) (Montevideo). On the southernmost peninsula of the city. For a small fee you can get up in the tower. It was erected in 1876. The lighthouse has a height of 21 metres and its light reaches 15 nautical miles (28 km) away. In 1962, the lighthouse became electric. The lighthouse is important for guiding boats into the Banco Inglés, Buceo Port or the entrance of the Santa Lucía River, west of Montevideo city.