9 lighthouses in Europe that you must visit

1. Swinoujscie, Poland

Interestingly, there are two lighthouses in the Polish resort town of Swinoujscie. The first one is called Stava Mlyny and is 10 meters high. Its peculiarity is that it is built in the form of a windmill. The lighthouse is famous for its popularity among tourists. 

The second lighthouse is the full namesake of the city - also called Świnoujście. This lighthouse is the highest in Poland. Świnoujście was built in the middle of the 19th century. It has a total height of 65 meters. In order to climb to the top, you will have to overcome 300 steps. But at the very top of the lighthouse, you will have a stunning view of the beach, the harbor and Stavu Mlyny. The advantage of these two lighthouses is that both are located relatively close to the marina, where there are up to 300 places.

2. Porer, Croatia

Croatia is famous for its lighthouses not only among sailors and yachtsmen, but also among tourists. Along the coast of Croatia there are about 70 amazing lighthouses, almost every one of which deserves attention. Among them is Porer - a lighthouse built on a small island of the same name. It will take you no more than a couple of minutes to go around the entire island. 

If the view from the side of the boat is not enough for you, then you can land on the shore using three small piers. However, we remind inveterate sea wolves about local strong currents. 

At the lighthouse, you can even book a room for an overnight stay. The lighthouse has a height of 35 meters - amazing views are guaranteed. Tourists rightly call this lighthouse one of the most interesting places in Croatia.

3. Fare de Corduan, France  

Corduan has a long and interesting history. Many call this lighthouse the "Maritime Versailles" or the "King of Lighthouses". The lighthouse was built back in 1611, and in 2021 the building was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

The lighthouse is interesting because it is not located in the sea - it is located almost 7 kilometers from it - but in the so-called. estuaries of the Gironde. An estuary is a funnel-shaped mouth of a river that widens towards the sea. 

The lighthouse is 67.5 meters high. Corduan is the 10th tallest traditional lighthouse and is also the oldest lighthouse in France. The lighthouse impresses with its architecture by Louis de Foix. There are several interesting floors inside the building. The lighthouse housed a hall of the Girondins, a small chapel with stained-glass windows, and even the king's apartments! 

Is it worth talking about the view that opens from the very top of the lighthouse? The only thing worth warning about is that if you are going to the lighthouse, then you need to warn the caretaker in advance and pay for the entrance. On average, the price ranges from 7 to 15 euros per person. Such a “price fork” is explained by the dependence of the ticket price on the season. 

4. Tajer, Sister Vela, Croatia

Among the great number of lighthouses in Croatia, I would like to highlight Tadzher, which is located on the northeastern outskirts of the Kornati archipelago. The lighthouse was erected in 1876. 

Of its interesting features - this is the only metal lighthouse in all of Croatia! The whole lighthouse is more like a construction set for adults. Its individual parts were bought in France, and the individual parts were assembled together already in Croatia. Assembling, by the way, took several months. 

The metal tower is connected to a large old stone building. Inside there are apartments for relaxation. 

5. Turlitis, Cyclades, Greece

The Cyclades are famous for the complexity of sailing and navigation in it. Despite this, many experienced yachtsmen find it attractive and interesting. Among the attractions of the Cyclades is Turlitis - a lighthouse on a rock.

Even at the design stage, the lighthouse looked quite ambitious. The building is located 200 meters from the shore and has become the only such building in Europe on a rock. The construction of the lighthouse took 10 years. Interestingly, the builders were even able to carve a staircase out of the stone of the rock. 

In 1897, the construction of this unusual lighthouse was completed. As a result, Turlitis became the first automatic lighthouse in Greece. Alas, the lighthouse was destroyed during the Second World War, but in the 1990s it was restored in all its former splendor. 

The lighthouse is closed to the public, but no one forbids sailing around it. 

6. Torre de Hercules, La Coruña, Spain

Torre de Hercules - translated Tower of Hercules - the oldest of all surviving lighthouses. The tower was erected in the 1st century AD. (i.e. back in the days of Ancient Rome). 

The lighthouse is located on a peninsula, literally 2.4 kilometers from the city of La Coruña in Galicia (northwest Spain). The Tower of Hercules is 55 meters high. From the top there is a stunning view of the North Atlantic coast of Spain. Once Torre de Hercules was a regular stop for the warships of the crusaders. A visit to the lighthouse is a must if you are traveling in Spain.

7. Bengtscher, Finland 

There is an interesting legend about Bengtscher Island. It is said that once upon a time Captain Bengt and his ship were shipwrecked on a deserted beach of a nameless island. Miraculously, Bengt and the team managed to survive. As a result, they were found by local residents and the captain was very happy with them. Alas, the joy was short-lived - the locals killed the entire team and stole property. Since then, the island has been called Bengtscher. 

Despite the relative bloodiness of the legend, one of the brightest sights of the island is the lighthouse. The lighthouse tower has a height of 51 meters, which makes the lighthouse the tallest in all of Scandinavia. The lighthouse has recently been refurbished. Now inside there are living quarters, a restaurant, a museum, a chapel and a small souvenir shop. 

To the great regret of cruisers, the lighthouse can only be viewed from the boat - the berths are reserved for cruise ships and official vehicles. No separate berth for guests was also found. However, it is possible to visit here in the summer in quiet and calm weather. The rocks are not sheer, you can carefully climb the island without any problems. 

8. Chania, Crete

The lighthouse of Chania is also called "Egyptian". But in fact, the lighthouse is quite a European one - it was erected by the Venetians in 1595-1601. Alas, during the Turkish occupation of the island of Crete, the lighthouse was abandoned, and in 1830 it was rebuilt in the form of a minaret, but already by the Egyptian occupiers. 

In 2006, it was carefully restored in the original Venetian style, but the general Egyptian style is still visible. Now, alas, the lighthouse is closed and not in use. However, this does not hurt to admire it in the rays of the setting sun. 

9. Rubjerg Knude, Denmark

One of the most interesting lighthouses in terms of geography is the lighthouse of Rubjerg Knude. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it slowly ... disappears! The lighthouse was built in 1900 and was 23 meters high. Once it towered over the sea at a height of as much as 60 meters and was located on top of the Lønstrup Klint cliff, which is 200 meters from the coast. 

At some point, winds began to rage near the lighthouse, bringing tons of sand with them. As a result of the constant increase in the amount of sand, the lighthouse has been used as a museum since the 1980s, but new layers of sand regularly blocked the doorways. 

The local authorities took serious measures - they took and literally transported the entire lighthouse 70 meters deep into the island on special rails. This, unfortunately, is not the end of the epic. In the next 20-60 years, the wind will blow enough sand so that the lighthouse has to be moved again. But today the lighthouse is again visible from the sea!

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13.12.2022