The 28 Portuguese lighthouses open to the public, four of which are in the Algarve, received, in 2018, a total of 101,613 visitors, which is a new all-time high.
In relation to the year 2017, there was an increase of 27,721 visitors.
According to the Maritime Authority, which manages Portugal’s lighthouses, since 2011, the average annual growth in visitors was of around 7,600 people, but 2018 smashed that benchmark, having registered close to 28,000 more visitors than 2017.
The most visited lighthouse was in Aveiro, followed by Ponta do Pargo lighthouse in Madeira and Arnel lighthouse on São Miguel Island, in the Azores.
Known locally as ‘Farol da Barra’, the lighthouse in Aveiro rises 66 meters above sea level, being the largest in Portugal and the second highest on the Iberian Peninsula.
It was built in the 19th century, between 1885 and 1893, and at the time of its construction was the sixth largest in the world in stone masonry. It was electrified in 1936.
The four lighthouses in the Algarve that are open to the public are Cabo de São Vicente lighthouse in Vila do Bispo, Alfanzina lighthouse in Carvoeiro, Santa Maria lighthouse on Culatra Island, and Vila Real de Santo António lighthouse, in Vila Real de Santo António.