{"id":3694,"date":"2026-10-24T00:00:45","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T23:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/guiailhadamadeira.com\/how-many-lighthouses-are-there-in-madeira-complete-list-map-and-visiting-tips\/"},"modified":"2026-10-24T00:00:45","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T23:00:45","slug":"how-many-lighthouses-are-there-in-madeira-complete-list-map-and-visiting-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/guiailhadamadeira.com\/es\/how-many-lighthouses-are-there-in-madeira-complete-list-map-and-visiting-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many Lighthouses Are There in Madeira? Complete List and Visiting Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are seven official lighthouse installations in the Madeira archipelago, although only three stand on the main island of Madeira and just two are practical visitor stops.<\/strong> In this updated guide: find the complete west-to-east lighthouse list, understand the difference between a lighthouse and a smaller beacon, and plan the best viewpoints by car, hiking trail or boat. You will also learn which sites can be visited inside, and which are visible only from a distance because they stand on protected offshore islands.<\/p>\n

How many lighthouses are there in Madeira?<\/h2>\n

The Portuguese Navy\u2019s lighthouse service counts seven lighthouses in the Madeira autonomous region<\/strong>. They are spread across Madeira Island, Porto Santo, the Desertas and the Selvagens rather than forming a simple road-trip circuit.<\/p>\n

For most visitors, the answer is more straightforward: there are three major lighthouse landmarks on Madeira Island<\/strong>\u2014Ponta do Pargo in the west, S\u00e3o Jorge on the north coast and S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o off the eastern peninsula. Ponta do Pargo and S\u00e3o Jorge can be reached by road; S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o is on an offshore islet and is best viewed while walking PR8.<\/p>\n

The remaining installations make the complete archipelago list more interesting. Porto Santo has the historic Ilh\u00e9u de Cima lighthouse and the smaller light on Ilh\u00e9u de Ferro, while the protected Desertas and Selvagens have remote navigation lights that are not ordinary sightseeing stops.<\/p>\n

Complete Madeira lighthouse map: the seven official sites<\/h2>\n

Use this list as a practical map, beginning on Madeira\u2019s far west, moving around the main island, then continuing to Porto Santo and the outer islands. \u201cView from land\u201d does not necessarily mean that you can enter the lighthouse itself.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Lighthouse<\/th>\nUbicaci\u00f3n<\/th>\nEstablished<\/th>\nBest way to see it<\/th>\nCan visitors enter?<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse<\/td>\nPonta da Vigia, west Madeira<\/td>\n1922<\/td>\nDrive to the lighthouse viewpoint<\/td>\nYes, on designated public-visit sessions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
S\u00e3o Jorge Lighthouse<\/td>\nPonta de S\u00e3o Jorge, north Madeira<\/td>\n1959<\/td>\nDrive via S\u00e3o Jorge village<\/td>\nYes, on designated public-visit sessions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o Lighthouse<\/td>\nIlh\u00e9u de Fora, east of PR8 peninsula<\/td>\n1870<\/td>\nSee it from the Ponta de S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o walk or by sea<\/td>\nNo public land access<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ilh\u00e9u de Cima Lighthouse<\/td>\nOff south-east Porto Santo<\/td>\n1901<\/td>\nBoat view from Porto Santo<\/td>\nNo independent public access<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ilh\u00e9u de Ferro light<\/td>\nOff north-east Porto Santo<\/td>\n1959<\/td>\nBoat view or distant coastal view<\/td>\nNo independent public access<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ilh\u00e9u Ch\u00e3o Lighthouse<\/td>\nNorthern Desertas<\/td>\n1959<\/td>\nSee from an authorised Desertas boat trip<\/td>\nNo general public access<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Selvagem Grande Lighthouse<\/td>\nPico da Atalaia, Selvagens<\/td>\n1977<\/td>\nOnly on authorised expedition or conservation visit<\/td>\nNo casual visitor access<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

There are also smaller farolins<\/em> or beacons around the archipelago, including lights on Bugio and Selvagem Pequena, plus harbour lights. They are important aids to navigation but are not counted among the seven principal lighthouse installations in this guide.<\/p>\n

The two lighthouse stops worth adding to a Madeira road trip<\/h2>\n

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse<\/strong> is the essential stop. It occupies Ponta da Vigia, Madeira\u2019s westernmost cape, on cliffs more than 300 metres above the Atlantic. The white tower is only 14 metres high, but its setting creates the drama: look north towards the cliffs of Achadas da Cruz and west into uninterrupted ocean. There is a small museum space beside the lighthouse, and the viewpoint is an easy addition to a west-island driving day.<\/p>\n

The Portuguese Navy includes Ponta do Pargo among the Madeira lighthouses open for public visits. Standard open sessions are on Wednesdays, excluding public holidays, with free admission during the published visiting period. Operating requirements can change at short notice, so treat entry as a bonus and plan the stop for its scenery rather than solely for an interior visit.<\/p>\n

S\u00e3o Jorge Lighthouse<\/strong> is the quieter alternative. It stands at 271 metres above sea level on the north coast, with a ribbed cylindrical tower and broad views over a much greener, steeper landscape. It is not a major museum-style attraction, but it is a rewarding detour if you are travelling between Santana and S\u00e3o Vicente, or exploring the coast around Faial<\/a>. Like Ponta do Pargo, it is listed for public visiting sessions, but check availability locally before making a special journey.<\/p>\n

S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o, Porto Santo and the remote island lights<\/h2>\n

S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o Lighthouse<\/strong> is Madeira\u2019s oldest lighthouse, first lit in 1870. It sits on Ilh\u00e9u de Fora, the small islet beyond the end of the Ponta de S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o peninsula\u2014not at the end of the footpath itself. You may spot its white tower from higher sections of PR8, especially in clear weather, but you cannot walk across to it. The PR8 route is a protected-area walk, and the entry fee for visitors aged over 12 is \u20ac4.50.<\/p>\n

On Porto Santo, Ilh\u00e9u de Cima Lighthouse<\/strong> is the grander landmark. It has served navigation since 1901 and stands on the protected islet south-east of the main island. It is normally appreciated from the water rather than visited on land. The smaller Ilh\u00e9u de Ferro light<\/strong>, operating since 1959, is likewise on a protected offshore islet and is not a self-guided destination.<\/p>\n

The lighthouse on Ilh\u00e9u Ch\u00e3o<\/strong> and the one on Selvagem Grande<\/strong> belong to protected nature reserves. A boat trip to the Desertas may give you a distant view of Ilh\u00e9u Ch\u00e3o, but landing permissions and routes are tightly managed. Selvagem Grande is much farther south and is visited only through authorised, weather-dependent conservation or expedition arrangements.<\/p>\n

Practical planning and photography tips<\/h2>\n