The Faro de Cabo de Palos stands on the last hill of the cape, a square two-storey keepers’ building with a tapering tower of grey stone rising from its centre. Work began in 1862 and the light was first lit on 31 January 1865. The tower is 51 metres high and its lantern stands about 80 metres above the sea; the light is visible more than 20 nautical miles away.
It replaced a sixteenth-century watchtower, built to warn of Barbary corsairs, whose stone was reused in the new building. The lighthouse was declared a Site of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural) in 2002 and is still an active aid to navigation run by the port authority of Cartagena.
For most visitors the lighthouse is a walk and a view rather than a museum. The esplanade at its foot is open at all hours and free.
Top things to do: Cabo de Palos Lighthouse
Walk up for the view
From the harbour it is ten to fifteen minutes on foot up the road to the lighthouse. From the top you look north along the whole of La Manga with a sea on each side, east to the Hormigas islets, and south-west along the cliffs towards Calblanque.
Come for sunrise or sunset
The cape faces east, so sunrise comes straight out of the Mediterranean. At sunset the light falls on the tower and on the Mar Menor behind La Manga. After dark the beam — two flashes every ten seconds — sweeps over the village.
Swim in the coves below
Paths and steps lead down from the lighthouse road to Cala Fría and other small rocky coves with some of the clearest water on the cape. See the coves guide.
Follow the coastal path
A path runs around the headland linking the coves on the north and south sides of the lighthouse — an easy half-hour circuit with constant sea views. Wear proper shoes; the rock is sharp.
Ask about visits inside
For most of its history the tower was closed to the public. Guided visits to the interior have been organised in recent years in small groups and on limited dates; arrangements have changed more than once. Ask at the tourist office or check the port authority’s announcements before you plan around it.
How to get to Cabo de Palos Lighthouse
- The lighthouse is at the eastern end of the village; follow signs for “Faro”. There is a small car park just below it that fills early in summer. In July and August it is easier to leave the car at the edge of the village and walk.
- The final approach is a short, steep road and a flight of steps. The esplanade is exposed: on days of strong levante (east wind) hold on to hats and small children.
Insider tips
- There is no shade. Go early or late in summer.
- The classic photograph is from the south side, from the path above Cala Fría, with the tower against the sea.
- Do not climb over the walls around the lighthouse building: it is a working installation.
- On clear winter days you can pick out the lighthouse on the Hormigas, four kilometres offshore.
Best tours: Cabo de Palos Lighthouse
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Cabo de Palos Lighthouse:
Guided e-bike tour from €39 Cabo de Palos & La Manga E-Bike Experience
An easy guided ride by electric bike around Cabo de Palos and the first stretch of La Manga, with stops at coves and viewpoints over both the Mediterranean and the Mar Menor. A new listing with no reviews yet when we checked, so treat it as unproven.
- Electric bike and local guide
- Coves, the lighthouse and two seas
- Sunset departures available
Guided kayak tour from €35 Cabo de Palos: Kayak Sightseeing Tour with Snorkeling
The most-reviewed Cabo de Palos activity on GetYourGuide. A guide leads you by kayak along the coves and cliffs of the cape, then you stop to snorkel over the posidonia meadows and rocky reefs of the Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas Marine Reserve. No previous kayaking experience is needed in calm conditions.
- Paddle below the cliffs and the lighthouse
- Snorkel stop over the reserve’s seabed
- Kayak, paddle and snorkel gear provided
Day trip from €55 From Murcia: Cabo de Palos and Cartagena with Entry to the Roman Theater
The only bookable day trip that actually brings you to Cabo de Palos from elsewhere: a coach excursion from Murcia that combines Cartagena, including the Roman Theatre, with time by the sea in Cabo de Palos. A new listing without reviews when we checked.
- Transport from Murcia city
- Roman Theatre entry included
- Free time in Cabo de Palos
