In Mallorca there are 13 lighthouses, each one more different than the last. They all share the same function, which is nothing more nor less than to warn the navigator of the proximity of the coast, and almost all were designed by the same engineer, Emilio Pou; but each one is diametrically opposed to the other. They look almost nothing alike and the landscapes they contemplate are totally different. There are some crowded with tourists and others where almost no one arrives. There are those located on high cliffs and others almost at water level. Here are the four most extreme lighthouses in Mallorca.
| Lighthouse of Formentor. © El Playólogo/Maremecum.
To the NW of Mallorca
Faro de Formentor, the highest and most popular lighthouse in the Balearic Islands
They began to build the lighthouse in 1857 and 200 men were employed and it took them two years to finish the work, even though they worked until Sundays. In fact, the bishop gave the workers a dispensation so that they could work on the Lord's Day in exchange for the construction of an altar. Instead of stopping mid-morning for lunch, they had to stop for mass....
Near the lighthouse, on the cliffs of Les Moles (which are almost vertical) there was a winch with which the huge stones were lifted up to 159 m high, but this thanks to the strength of 40 men. Imagine: some stones weighed several tons... Then they were taken to the construction site on rails, in wagons. These stones came by boat from the small port of Barcarés (located on the other side of the bay of Pollença) as the stones were extracted from the quarries of Sa Pobla.
| Lighthouse of Formentor. © El Playólogo/Maremecum.
When the lighthouse was built there was still no road to reach the end of the cape, so the supplies had to be carried on foot, for which there were three options: either to disembark in the (a small cove relatively close to the lighthouse but very dangerous), in Cala n'Gossalba (relatively close and safer but through the mountain, through the rocks and without any path) or in Cala Murta, from where a very expensive, very safe but very long path had been traced.
The Torreros suffered isolation and it was a lighthouse where almost nobody wanted to serve. The life they led was very hard, as they often ran out of supplies and made the whole way to Pollença by themselves, more than 30 km along a goat path. The material was disembarked from the nearest cove, the Moll del Patronet, for which they had to climb 272 steps, but as soon as the easterly wind picked up they had to leave everything and leave quickly to avoid damaging the boat. This beachless cove has a staircase carved into the cliff that climbs up to 100 m high, and then a path of about 2 km that climbs the last 100 m left to reach the lighthouse. It is a short route but physically very hard. And evidently, with no guarantee of success. Nowadays it is still possible to go down from the lighthouse, but it is something I do not recommend you...
| Moll del Patronet at the foot of the cliff. © El Playólogo/Maremecum.
When this happened they preferred to disembark in cala En Gossalba rather than in cala Murta, and to make the route on foot between the rocks, without any marked path. The engineers of the Camino Viejo del Faro (it is still possible to do it) insisted on making as many zig zags as possible to reduce the slope, so they ended up making a path 17 km long, and that the distance in a straight line to the lighthouse was only 3.2 km. Imagine the number of turns the road takes to overcome the difference in elevation.
They went through a lot of hunger and hardship, until the road to the lighthouse was inaugurated in 1951. In 1962 it was electrified. Before that it was powered by olive oil, petroleum, etc. And speaking of electricity, you should know that the lighthouse has been struck by lightning. Nowadays it works with generators since the lightnings disable the electric line.
| Lighthouse and cape of Formentor. © El Playólogo/Maremecum
- Appearance: Fl(4)W 20s. 24 M. 210 m. Lighthouse located at 210 m height that emits four isolated white flashes every 20 seconds visible at 24 miles. If you notice it is the same appearance as the lighthouse at Cala Figuera cape. This is possible as long as it is impossible to see both lighthouses at the same time from the sea. This way there is no confusion.
- Lighthouses in sight: Punta Nati, Artruch and Sa Farola de Ciutadella, in Menorca.
- Accessible by car: Yes, but the road to the lighthouse of Formentor is closed to traffic from the Port de Pollença exit from mid-June to mid-September, between 10 am and 10:30 pm, and it is only allowed to reach the lighthouse by bus. Private vehicles are allowed to pass with prior authorization of owners, guests of owners and their staff (if you are caught the fine is 200 €). In the summer of 2022 the DGT opened more than 50,000 sanctioning files...
- Walking distance: 0 m.
- Panoramic views: 5 stars.
- Occupancy level: Very high.
- My personal rating: 5 stars.
- How to get there: As I told you before, if you go in summer you have no choice but to leave the car in Port de Pollença, as the road is closed to traffic. In winter you just have to follow the popular road and stop at its famous viewpoints.
NE of Mallorca
Lighthouse of Capdepera, the guardian of Menorca
| Lighthouse of Capdepera. © El Playólogo/Maremecum
It is located at the NE end of the island, next to the port of Cala Ratjada, in the place where you can see the sunrise of Mallorca before. From the lighthouse it is easy to see Menorca on clear days. It was inaugurated in 1861 and cost 491,500 reales. It was probably the least expensive lighthouse to build, due to its proximity to the town and its location, in a relatively accessible area. This does not mean that the location is not extreme, since this coastal strip is very affected by the winds and seas, which forced to change the original roof for the current roof due to the filtrations, both by the rain and by the storm waves that reached the house. During the second half of the XIX century there were many occasions in which the lighthouse keepers of this lighthouse had to help the victims of the shipwrecks occurred in its vicinity, being decorated in 1869 with the Cross of Beneficence by the Government of Spain, as a result of a strong storm that caused several misfortunes in the area.
| Lighthouse of Capdepera. © El Playólogo/Maremecum
- Appearance: Fl(2+3)W 20s 20M 76m. Lighthouse located at 76 m height that emits a group of white flashes (2+3) every 20 seconds, visible at 20 miles.
- Lighthouses in sight: Punta Nati, Artruch and Sa Farola de Ciutadella, in Menorca.
- Accessible by car: Yes.
- Walking distance: 0 m.
- Panoramic views: 3 stars.
- Level of occupation: High.
- My personal rating: 4 stars.
- How to get there: You can walk from the port of Cala Ratjada along a beautiful promenade or park your car right next to it.
SE of Majorca
Lighthouse of Cap de Salines, the first with wind and solar energy
| Lighthouse of Cap de Salines. © El Playólogo/ Maremecum
Located in the south end of Mallorca, just in front of the freo between the main island and Cabrera, it is the only one from which the lighthouses of Dragonera and Cabrera can be seen. It was erected between 1850 and 1870, and had its original location at the same point, but because it was flooded by storms they decided to build the definitive lighthouse 60 m. away from the shore. In 1958 the tower was increased by 6.5 m. in order to extend its luminous range and in 1983 it was the first lighthouse in Spain to be illuminated by solar panels. Even before that (in 1957) a wind turbine was installed, but it was unsuccessful partly due to the lack of wind.
| Lighthouse of Cap de ses Salines. © El Playólogo/Maremecum
- Appearance: Fl(2+1)W 20s 11M 17m. Lighthouse located at 17 m height that emits a group of white flashes (2+1) every 20 seconds visible from 11 miles away.
- Lighthouses in sight: Na Foradada (Cabrera), Llebeig (Dragonera), Cap de Cala Figuera and Cap Blanc (Mallorca).
- Accessible by car: Yes.
- Walking distance: 0 m.
- Panoramic views: 3 stars.
- Level of occupation: High.
- My personal rating: 4 stars.
- How to get there: Following the road to the lighthouse and cape from Ses Salines.
SW of Majorca
Punta de Cala Figuera Lighthouse, the gateway to Palma
The lighthouse of Cala Figuera is located on the SW coast of Mallorca, on the point that limits the bay of Palma on the W, and has always been a point of great strategic value because it is the place of passage of all the navigation that goes to the city from Valencia and the rest of the ports of the peninsular Mediterranean. The cape of Cala Figuera is also a protected military zone (currently dismantled and very popular among hikers) that hides among its overflowing naturethe remains of a coastal battery that had 3 Vickers cannons of 30.5 cm in diameter, bunkers, trenches, secret passages.... Exploring the military zone is as worthwhile as visiting the lighthouse.
| Lighthouse of the Cape of Cala Figuera. © El Playólogo/Maremecum.
It was projected by the engineer Emilio Pou (as almost all the lighthouses of Mallorca) and the works of construction of the lighthouse went out to auction in 1857, being deserted in two consecutive occasions until the budget was increased to 328.208 reals. It was inaugurated in 1860 just when a sailor warned from the top with a flag of the proximity of the steamer "Lepanto" of the Navy, where the royal family was coming.
| Lighthouse and tower of the cape of Cala Figuera. © El Playólogo/Maremecum.
Initially its light was only visible 12 miles from the coast, it was served by two lighthouse keepers and used an olive oil lamp. Over the years, it was upgraded to an acetylene lamp and a range of 16 miles. In 1951 it was replaced by an oil lamp and the tower had to be raised 10 m more to gain range. In 1962 the old lantern was replaced by an aeromaritime lantern (the only one in Mallorca) and an electric siren with electromagnetic vibrators and 5 miles of range was added to prevent possible accidents in foggy weather, such as the one that had happened to the Ciudad de Palma in 1953, which ran aground at the tip of the cape due to lack of visibility.
In 1970, the radio beacon installed there (today DGPS Differential GPS) began to operate. It is currently automated and has no permanent staff. Next to the lighthouse there is an old watchtower.
| Lighthouse of the cape of Cala Figuera. © El Playólogo/Maremecum
- Appearance: Fl(4)W 20s. Four white flashes every 20 seconds. If you notice it is the same appearance as the lighthouse of Cabo Formentor. This can be given as long as it is impossible to see both lighthouses at the same time from the sea. So there is no confusion.
- Accessible by car: Yes.
- Distance on foot: About 2.900 m.
- Panoramic views: 3 stars.
- Occupancy level: Low.
- My personal rating: 5 stars.
- How to get there: You have to go to the beach of Portals Vells until you see on the right a wall with the name "Portals Vells Costa de Calviá" written on it. There you will see the gate that closes the access by car to the clay pigeon shooting range. From here there are several trails that go through the abandoned military base and the track that leads to the lighthouse. I recommend that you park here and start walking.
