The lighthouses along the Spanish Atlantic coastline are unquestionably amongst the finest in the world, both from an aesthetic and a functional perspective, although we should qualify this judgement by saying that there are no rock lighthouses amongst them. The coastline is dramatic along its entire length, as would be expected of a shore that has seen countless years of exposure to pulverising eastern Atlantic breakers. Even though much of this coastline faces north along a remarkably constant east-west latitude, there is little discernible difference between these seaboards and those to the north of Portugal that face west into the full fury of the waves.

The lighthouses of the north and north-west coast occupy locations in four regions: Pais Vasco (commonly referred to in English as the Basque Country), which runs from the French border, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. The last of these has a truly magnificent collection of structures, although the others should by no means be neglected. In the south of Spain, the region of Andalucia has a significant length of rugged coastline, even before the Straits of Gibraltar are reached, but unlike the northern coasts, there are many sandy beaches. The Spanish lighthouses bordering the Atlantic are all allocated numbers in Volume D of the Royal Navy Admiralty List of Lights. Those on the Mediterranean coast are allocated numbers from Volume E.

The story we shall tell is remarkable for here is a major European country with an inventory of first class lighthouses that is almost totally unknown outside of Spain. The Spanish authorities underestimate the heritage value of their lighthouse engineering. Almost all lighthouses are closed to the public, even though a number are inhabited. One aim of these pages is to bring the wonderful Spanish lighthouses to a wider audience.  The latent popular interest and the scope for developing proper lighthouse tourist centres is clear when one visits the fabulous Torre de Hercules (D1704), shown above, or Cabo Fistera (D1742), both of which receive thousands of visitors each day in high summer. In balance, it should also be remarked that few non-Spanish tourists find their way to northern Spain, compared with the coastline of the south. In Britain at least, the perception of a Spanish holiday is of one spent on the beaches of the Costa del Sol or the Costa Blanca – not in the wonderful surroundings of Galicia where the summer climate is actually more comfortable for those used to British weather.

The lighthouse enthusiast in Spain will amply rewarded, but he must plan routes well in advance, allow plenty of time for each visit, and be prepared to scrabble endlessly around tiny roads and lanes looking for that unusual angle of view. Do not expect any assistance from local publications or the authorities. There are more wonderful sites to visit than we have reported here, and, in every sense, it is virgin lighthouse territory.