Lindau Lighthouse, Germany
Lindau Lighthouse is located on Lake Constance in Lindau, Germany, in the southernmost part of the country. It was completed in 1856 in the medieval style. The 33-meter-high structure is distinguished from other lighthouses by its giant clock, which can be seen from the city. The lighthouse was converted to electricity in 1936, and became automated in the early 1990s.
The lighthouse is now open to visitors, providing information about the local natural environment and the city's shipping industry.
Hercules Lighthouse, Spain
The Hercules Lighthouse sits atop a 57-meter-high rock jutting into the Atlantic Ocean at the entrance to the port of La Coruña in Galicia, northwestern Spain. In use since the late 1st century AD, it is the world's oldest surviving lighthouse, still in use today for navigational signals. The Hercules Lighthouse is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Maspalomas Lighthouse, Gran Canaria, Spain
If you are planning a trip to the Canary Islands, don’t forget to include the island’s largest lighthouse on your list. It is the Maspalomas Lighthouse, located at the southern tip of Gran Canaria. It was built in 1890 and has become one of the island’s most popular attractions. You can enjoy lunch and a view of the sea at the restaurant inside the Maspalomas Lighthouse.
Fanad Lighthouse, Ireland
This beautiful tower is located in a very poetic location in County Donegal, Ireland. After a large ship sank in 1804, the residents of the Fanad Peninsula requested that a lighthouse be built on the mainland. In 1818, the 90-foot-tall lighthouse was completed and lit. In 1909, a new light was installed, powered by a clockwork mechanism, so the light flashes 6 times every 15 seconds. This system worked until 1975, when electric lighting replaced it. Not only is this lighthouse famous for its beauty, but Donegal was also voted one of the best destinations on the planet in 2017.
Low Lighthouse, Somerset, England
You will find something completely different about this attractive lighthouse. Not all lighthouses are set in a beautiful, high position, but Low Lighthouse on the beach in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, is different. Although not as beautiful as the others, it is very attractive. Low is located on the sandy beach of Bridgewater Bay, is square in shape, was built in 1832 and is a Grade II listed Heritage structure. Today, Low is the only working lighthouse on Burnham Beach.
This small, pretty wooden lighthouse has become a favorite photo spot for tourists thanks to its nine lovely “wooden legs”.
Cape Byron Bay Lighthouse, New South Wales, Australia
Located in New South Wales, the Cape Byron Lighthouse is the most remote lighthouse in eastern Australia. The Cape Byron Lighthouse stands 22.5 metres tall and features a beautiful colonial-era design, built in 1899 and currently maintained by the Cape Byron Conservation Trust. Standing atop the lighthouse, you can enjoy stunning ocean views, whale and dolphin watching. The refurbished lower building is available for rent right next to the lighthouse. When you’re not whale watching or taking beautiful photos of the ocean, you can sit and sip a drink in the lighthouse cafe.
Kovalam Coast Lighthouse, India
Vizhinjam Lighthouse, also known as Kovalam Beach Lighthouse, is located on a rocky outcrop with a row of coconut trees, overlooking the golden sands of the Kerala coast in southern India. The lighthouse is made of stone and painted in red and white, with a magnificent view of the ocean. To reach this lighthouse, you need to climb 144 steps and stairs, so children and the elderly are advised not to come here. If you do not mind the climb and do not come here during the rainy season, you will be treated to a beautiful sunset as the sun sets into the blue waters of Poovar Island and the Beemapalli Mosque will also be in sight.
Chania Lighthouse, Greece
The Chania Lighthouse, built in the Egyptian style in the late 16th century, is located opposite the Firkas fortress in the old port of the Greek town of Chania. It was destroyed during the Turkish occupation and rebuilt between 1824 and 1832 on the same site. It is one of the oldest lighthouses not only in Greece but in the entire Mediterranean. Although the lighthouse is no longer in operation, it is still a tourist attraction with its magnificent architecture, creating a picturesque scene at night. Although it is not allowed inside the lighthouse, visitors can still walk along the harbor and climb the outside stairs for a great view of the Cretan sea.
Tourlitis Lighthouse, Greece
Perhaps the most unique lighthouse in the world, perched atop a narrow rock tower jutting out into the Aegean Sea off the Greek island of Andros, it looks like a scene straight out of a cartoon.The Little MermaidWalt Disney's Lighthouse. Built in 1897, this lighthouse was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt on the rock in the early 1990s, retaining the original beautiful design. There is also a winding carved stone staircase that connects to the Tourlitis Lighthouse.
Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse, Denmark
The Rubjerg Knude lighthouse is surrounded by a contrast of yellow and blue sand and sea. In the 1900s, when the lighthouse was built, it was surrounded by lush greenery and Rubjerg Knude was quite far from the sea. Over time, erosion brought the tower closer to the sea, and the sea wind blew sand across the coastal surface, burying the once-green color.
Kjeungskjaer Lighthouse, Norway
Norway's only octagonal lighthouse, 20.7 m high, has a very special operating time. From May 16 to July 21 every year, this place is considered the "white night" area because people can still see the sun at midnight. So, the lighthouse will be "rested" during this time. During the rest of the year, the lighthouse operates normally, with a mysterious red, white and green flashing light every 6 seconds.
Eldred Rock Lighthouse, Alaska, USA
The Eldred Rock Lighthouse is an octagonal structure located on Eldred Rock, a small island in southwest Alaska. It was built between 1902 and 1905 to monitor ships and several tragic shipwrecks nearby. The lighthouse was first lit in 1906 and decommissioned in 1973.
Eldred Rock is also the oldest original lighthouse in Alaska and is located in one of the most remote places in North America, amidst stunning mountain scenery.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse, California, USA
One of the tallest lighthouses in the United States, Pigeon Point – standing at 115 feet – is part of a State Historic Park located 50 miles south of San Francisco. First lit on November 15, 1872, the lighthouse remains an active maritime rescue facility for the United States Coast Guard.
If you want to start the day with stunning views of the lighthouse and the Pacific Ocean, book a room at the Hostelling International Pigeon Point Lighthouse, located right next to the lighthouse.
Big Red Lighthouse in Dutch Harbor, Michigan, USA
Michigan's state lighthouse, also known as the Big Red Dutch Harbor Lighthouse, is located on the south side of the canal that connects Lake Michigan with Lake Macatawa and was built in 1907. With its redwood exterior, the lighthouse is one of the most photographed tourist destinations in the state. However, visiting hours are limited to early morning to late afternoon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today, the Big Red is maintained by the Dutch Harbor Lighthouse Historical Society.
Portland Head Light, Maine, USA
Coming to Portland, visitors can choose to visit more than 60 lighthouses scattered across the Maine coast, of which Portland Head Light is the most famous. This historic lighthouse is located at the entrance to Portland Harbor in the town of Cape Elizabeth. Completed in 1791, this is the oldest lighthouse in Maine and one of the oldest lighthouses in the United States. Since its construction and many renovations, the lighthouse located on a rocky headland now stands 24 meters above ground and 31 meters above sea level. As an ancient structure of more than 200 years, the oldest of the remaining 7 lighthouses, Head Light lighthouse has become a legendary symbol of Maine. This work became a National Historic Landmark in 1973, currently managed by the US Coast Guard.
Yaquina Lighthouse, Oregon, USA
This beautiful tower is said to be the oldest building in Newport, Oregon, and is located on the shores of Yaquina Bay. The Yaquina Lighthouse was completed in 1871. But after only 3 years, it was decommissioned after a new lighthouse was built.
In 1946, it was slated for demolition, but the Lincoln County Historical Society raised money to preserve it. In 1951, the Yaquina Lighthouse was designated a historic landmark, serving as a county museum for 18 years. In 1970, the lighthouse became a National Historic Landmark and was restored under the Historic Preservation Act. In 1996, after more than 100 years of inactivity, the lighthouse was relit and opened to the public.
Boston Lighthouse, Massachusetts, USA
This is the oldest lighthouse in the United States, located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, built in 1716, when America was still a British colony. Since the development of the global positioning system using satellite technology, the US Coast Guard has applied automation to the other 278 federal lighthouses, except for Boston Lighthouse, which is still regularly manned. Boston Lighthouse is a beacon that has guided sailors for 3 centuries and is called "America's iconic lighthouse" by locals and visitors.
Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, Argentina
Located in the Beagle Channel, off the town of Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina and quite close to Antarctica, this lighthouse was put into service in 1920 and is decorated with red and white stripes. Les Eclaireurs is located on a small island surrounded by the beautiful snow-capped mountains of Tierra del Fuego. Visitors cannot directly enter the lighthouse, but can only visit it from afar via boat tours. Not only famous for its unique location, Les Eclaireurs lighthouse is also a regular "resort" for penguins and sea lions.
