If you are taking a walk through the Balearic Islands, a tour that is worth doing is the lighthouses in Menorca. The island is surrounded by seven of these towers, each one with a particular story and offering different landscapes of the horizon, in fact the sunset in some of They are one of the best things to enjoy on the entire island.
The island of Menorca is part of the archipelago of the Balearic Islands, in fact it is the second largest that are part of this autonomous community and the seventh of all Spain. Its name is due to how the Romans had baptized it, “Minorca” because it is smaller than Mallorca, which had been called” Maiorica “.
It is an island that has attractions that can be enjoyed every day of the year, whether related to nature, history, or culture, there is something for all options and a tour of the 7 lighthouses of Menorca is something that you cannot miss if you have the time to do it on your next visit to the island.
These are the 7 lighthouses in Menorca
We present you the 7 lighthouses that surround the island of Menorca, from those that offer the opportunity to see an unbeatable sunset to what used to be the highest in the entire archipelago. They are arranged in a way continue according to its location, so you can start with the one you want and work your way around the island.
Favàritx Lighthouse
The Favàritx lighthouse, or Favarich, is located on the cape that bears the same name and of the lighthouses of Menorca it is probably the most popular. In fact, when touring the island it is one of those places that you cannot miss, to enjoy the landscape from 28 meters high.
The construction of this tower began in the year 1917, but it was only completed in the year 1922. One of the main reasons for this five-year delay in completing it was lack of funds. Currently its light can be seen from a distance of up to 16 nautical miles, through the flashes that it emits every 15 seconds that alternate between one and two. This is done from 47 meters above sea level.
There are three major lighthouses in Menorca that cover the northern region of the island, Favàritx being the third and the most famous as well. It is located less than 17 kilometers from Mahón and one of the most practical ways to get there is by private vehicle.
Cavalleria Lighthouse
The Cavalleria lighthouse is characterized by being a white tower located at the tip of the homonymous cape, at the northernmost point of the island. It is one of the best places to watch the sunset , mainly in the summer months. It is 15 meters high and its light can be seen from a distance of about 22 nautical miles, with 2 flashes every 10 seconds.
It is one of the lighthouses of Menorca that is open to the public and can be visited between the months of May to October. This tower was inaugurated in 1857 in order to reduce the number of shipwrecks that occurred, although although the situation improved, two more were needed to significantly reduce the number, these were the Favàritx lighthouse and the Punta Nati.
The Cavalleria lighthouse is located on one of the highest cliffs on the entire island of Menorca, and also one of the most impressive of it. Its light illuminates from 94 meters above sea level and it was the last tower in all the Balearic Islands to use oil to function. Its location is about 13 kilometers from Es Mercadal and 15 from Fornells.
Punta Nati Lighthouse
The Punta Nati lighthouse is located in the homonymous place, and are the cliffs found in the northwest region of this island. In this case, the tower is located about 6 kilometers from Ciutadella. Its inauguration took place in the year 1913, and next to the Favàritx and Cavalleria lighthouses is responsible for lighting the entire north coast of Menorca.
The site where the lighthouse is located is characterized by having two rectangular buildings made of masonry and independent, next to the hexagonal tower. It has a height of 19 meters and is located about 42 meters above sea level. The light it emits can be seen from a distance of 16 nautical miles, in groups of 3 and 1 flashes every 20 seconds.
The Punta Nati Lighthouse is one of the lighthouses in Menorca that is worth visiting at any time of the day, but at night it is a spectacular place to admire the stars since it is relatively far away of urbanization and light pollution does not reach it. It is easily accessible by bicycle or also by car.
It is worth noting that this lighthouse is one of the lighthouses in Menorca that has been powered by solar energy since 2020.
Sa Farola Lighthouse
The Sa Farola lighthouse is another of Menorca’s lighthouses that is located near Ciutadella, in fact it is also known as “Ciutadella lighthouse” or “Punta de Sa Farola lighthouse”. It is characterized by having vertical black and white stripes and is 13 meters high.
The construction of this tower began in the year 1861 and was inaugurated on April 30, 1863. It should be noted that was the first lighthouse in the entire Island to have electric lighting, since March 1, 1918, in turn becoming the fourth in all the Balearic Islands. With the passage of time, the tower has undergone several modifications, for example in its height or the wall that was added as protection. The latter was made in order to protect the lighthouse from the blows of the sea, mainly on rainy days.
The light from this lighthouse near Ciutadella flashes every 6 seconds that can be seen from about 14 miles away, and is about 21 meters high. It can be accessed on foot, walking from the port of Ciutadella and is approximately 30 minutes away. To do this, you can take the Sa Farola road directly.
Artrutx Lighthouse
The Artrutx lighthouse is located about 7 kilometers from Ciutadella, located in the southwestern region of the island of Menorca, on the cape that bears the same name. It is another of the lighthouses of Menorca where you can enjoy the sunset in a special way. It was built in 1858 and in 1969 modifications were made to give it more height.
This lighthouse together with the Capdepera lighthouse, located on the island of Mallorca, is responsible for marking the two ends of the strait that is between the two islands that are part of the Balearic Islands . Currently, after its modification, it has a height of 34 meters and is located about 45 meters above sea level. In addition, it is characterized by emitting groups of three flashes every 10 seconds, which are visible from about 19 nautical miles.
It is one of the lighthouses of Menorca that forms part of the island’s historical heritage since 2005, and is characterized by having buttresses that give it a unique appearance throughout the archipelago of Las Balearic Islands. Those who want to visit it can access it by bicycle, private vehicle or also by public transport.
At the Artrutx lighthouse, what used to be the lighthouse keepers’ homes is now a restaurant.
Lighthouse of l’illa de l’Aire
The Isla del Aire lighthouse is located on the highest point of that island, which is a 34-hectare islet located in the extreme southeast of Menorca. It is here, on this uninhabited island, where the highest of Menorca’s lighthouses is found, about 38 meters high, painted with black and white lines.
Its construction was carried out between the years 1857 and 1860, and until 1977 when the Moscarte lighthouse was built r it was the tallest lighthouse not only on this island but on the archipelago of Las Balearic Islands in general. Despite that, it is still the tallest tower that is built in stone and has a spiral staircase that has one hundred and seventy-five steps.
The tower emits a flash of light every five seconds, from a height of 53 meters above sea level and it is visible from a distance of 18 nautical miles. For those who want to visit it, the only way to access it is by sea, following a path that leads directly from the pier to the lighthouse.
Regarding the Isla del Aire, it is an islet that has a great biodiversity with important ecological value although, despite that, it does not have any type of protection
Sant Carles Lighthouse
The Faro de Sant Carles, or San Carlos lighthouse, is located in the southern region of the port of Mahón and within the lighthouses of Menorca, this It has restricted access. This is due to the fact that it is located inside what used to be the castle of Sant Felipe, from the 16th century, of which today only the remains remain. It has a height of 10 meters although it should be noted that the one we know today is not the same one that was built in its beginnings.
The original construction of this tower was inaugurated in the year 1852, but it was demolished in 1917 as it hindered the military practices that were taking place around it. In any case, it was turned off five years earlier, in 1912, and replaced by a mobile lamppost until in 1918 its lighting was electrified about a hundred meters from the old lighthouse.
From about 22 meters above sea level, the black and white striped concrete tower emits groups of lights every six seconds, and is visible from a distance of 12 nautical miles. Despite not being able to enter the lighthouse because it is in a military zone, those who want to observe it from afar can get there by private vehicle, bicycle or public transport.
These are the 7 lighthouses that are found on the island of Menorca, surrounding its coasts and that for a long time to the present help prevent people who sail from getting lost. Some of them can be visited up close, others can be climbed and others can only be seen from a distance but each of them is worth it.
