Chipiona Lighthouse

Chipiona Lighthouse (Faro de Chipiona) is the tallest lighthouse in Spain: a 62 m stone tower on Punta del Perro, at the end of the Playa de Regla in Chipiona, about 6 km south-west of the mouth of the Guadalquivir. It is still working, and you can climb its spiral staircase to the gallery at the top, but only on a visit booked through Chipiona’s tourist office; the listed price is 5 €. It suits anyone who likes a view and does not mind several hundred steps; skip the climb if you have knee or heart trouble, and enjoy it from the seafront lookouts instead.

Quick facts

• Names: Faro de Chipiona; in English also the Punta del Perro Light.
• Where: Avenida del Faro 42, Chipiona (Cádiz province), on Punta del Perro between the Playa de Regla and the Playa de las Canteras.
• Coordinates: 36.7379, -6.4421.
• Height: tower 62 m; about 69 m including the 7 m building it stands on (Andalusia tourism board).
• Built: 1863–1867, designed by the engineer Jaime Font; first lit on 28 November 1867.
• Light: one white flash every 10 seconds, visible for 25 nautical miles (about 45 km); also an aero-marine light for aircraft since 1963.
• Owner: Port Authority of Seville, since 1 January 1993.
• Visits: by booking only, 5 €, children under 7 free (checked November 2026, Andalusia tourism board).

Access and parking

On foot: the lighthouse stands on the seafront at the west end of town. OpenStreetMap shows the Castillo de Chipiona, with a tourist information point beside it, about 540 m to the north-east along the coast.

By bus: the nearest town bus stop on OpenStreetMap is Plaza San Sebastián–Av. Faro, about 300 m east.

By car: OpenStreetMap shows a small car park about 240 m north-east, near the Playa de las Canteras, and an underground car park about 400 m away. In summer the beach streets fill early.

What to expect

A slightly tapering round tower that the Spanish Wikipedia compares to a Roman commemorative column, built in sandstone ashlar and piedra ostionera, the local shelly stone, set on a square base beside the white keeper’s house (Wikipedia). Inside, a spiral staircase runs up the hollow tower. The Andalusia tourism board gives 322 steps; the English Wikipedia gives 344 to the balcony below the lantern. Either way, it is a long climb.

At the top, the outside gallery gives a 360-degree view over the sea, the town and the land around the river mouth. The tourism board points out that this is unusual: most working lighthouses in Spain and Europe do not let visitors up to the lantern. In the covered courtyard at the entrance a small exhibition of panels explains how lighthouses and sea signals work, why this one matters for ships sailing up the Guadalquivir, and the work of the Port of Seville (Andalusia tourism board).

The history goes back much further than the tower. In 140 BC the Roman proconsul Quintus Servilius Caepio had a lighthouse built here so that ships heading up the river, then the Baetis, would avoid the Salmedina reef. Its name, Turris Caepionis, is traditionally taken as the origin of the name Chipiona (Wikipedia). The present light is a landfall light: ships bound for Seville head towards it. It has been switched off only twice, in 1898 during the war with the United States over Cuba, and from 1936 for almost three years during the Civil War.

On the shore below, look out for Chipiona’s corrales, semicircular walls of stone almost 1.5 m high built just off the beach to trap fish at low tide; the tourism board describes them as a fishing technique still used in the town (Andalusia tourism board).

Prices and booking

From the Andalusia tourism board listing, checked November 2026:

• General ticket: 5 €. Children under 7: free.
• Visits only on request and subject to availability; booking at the Chipiona tourist office is required.
• The listing gives no fixed opening days or hours, so ask the tourist office when you book: +34 956 929 065, turismo@aytochipiona.es.

We could not open the town’s tourism website (turismodechipiona.com) while checking. The English Wikipedia says tours run five days a week in summer and less often in other months; treat that as a guide only.

Accessibility and safety

Best time to visit

Book a few days ahead in summer, when demand is highest. For the view, pick a clear day; the light at sunset over the sea is the classic sight from the seafront. Come at low tide if you want to see the corrales out of the water.

Nearby alternatives

• Chipiona town guide, 0.6 km away: the beaches, the Santuario de Regla and the town centre.
• Sanlúcar de Barrameda town guide, 9.1 km away: the town at the mouth of the Guadalquivir.
• Rota town guide, 14.6 km away: the next beach town south along the coast.
• Puerto Sherry, 24.1 km away: the marina at El Puerto de Santa María.
• Castle of San Marcos, 24.8 km away: a 13th-century church-fortress with sherry tours in El Puerto de Santa María.

Distances are in a straight line from the lighthouse.

FAQ

Can you climb Chipiona Lighthouse?

Yes, on a visit booked through Chipiona’s tourist office. You climb a spiral staircase of 322 to 344 steps, depending on the source, to the gallery at the top.

How much does it cost?

5 €, with free entry for children under 7, according to the Andalusia tourism board in November 2026.

How tall is Chipiona Lighthouse?

The tower is 62 m tall, about 69 m with the building at its base, which makes it the tallest lighthouse in Spain.

Is Chipiona Lighthouse still working?

Yes. It flashes once every 10 seconds with a range of 25 nautical miles and guides ships into the Guadalquivir towards Seville.

Is there parking near Chipiona Lighthouse?

OpenStreetMap shows a small car park about 240 m north-east and an underground car park about 400 m away; in summer, arrive early.

Sources and freshness