La Farola de Málaga

The Farola, in Malaga

The Farola is the emblematic lighthouse of Malaga, a round tower of thirty-seven metres completed in 1817, at the entrance of the port, a little icon of the Costa del Sol. The Malaga audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this landmark dear to the people of Malaga, that long guided the sailors returning to port and gave its name to the neighbouring promenade and district.

The lighthouse that watches at the entrance of the port

There, just by crossing at the pedestrian crossing, cast a quick glance on your left. A little icon of the Costa del Sol, the Farola, that means lantern or street lamp in Spanish, is a recurring element of the Malaga iconography. Completed in 1817, this round tower of thirty-seven metres high has known several alterations over the centuries, linked to damages or enlargements. Naturally destined to guide the sailors returning to port, the Farola was however, during the civil war, entirely camouflaged with dark paint and extinguished by the republican army, in order not to be spotted by the enemy navy. Today whiter than ever, the building, that knew its last keeper in 1993 before being automated, remains a place of tourist interest and one of the symbols of the town. A notable fact, it is one of the rare lighthouses of Spain to bear a feminine name, la Farola, where most of the others are faros in the masculine, which adds to its singular and endearing character. Standing at the entrance of the port, between the sea and the town, it still watches over the gulf and marks the beginning of the fine promenade that bears its name, the Paseo de la Farola, a link between the calm of the Mediterranean and the animation of the town. Over the decades, it has become a true emblem of Malaga, reproduced on quantities of images and souvenirs. A historic lighthouse and an icon of the town, the Farola is a fine stop of the discovery of Malaga.

What to see

Here you admire the emblematic lighthouse of Malaga, a round tower of thirty-seven metres completed in 1817 at the entrance of the port, several times altered and even camouflaged and extinguished during the civil war; one of the rare lighthouses of Spain to bear a feminine name, the Farola watches over the gulf and marks the beginning of the Paseo de la Farola, between sea and town. The Farola is an icon of Malaga. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Farola lies at the entrance of the port of Malaga, in the Malagueta district, at the start of the Paseo de la Farola, reachable on foot. It is a lighthouse in activity that you admire from the outside, from the promenade; it cannot be visited, but remains a fine landmark of the seafront. You discover it during a walk between the port and the beach.

What is particular about the Farola of Malaga?

Completed in 1817, this round tower of thirty-seven metres at the entrance of the port is one of the rare lighthouses of Spain to bear a feminine name, la Farola; it long guided the sailors, was camouflaged and extinguished during the civil war, knew its last keeper in 1993, and remains today an icon of the town and the start of the Paseo de la Farola.

Where is the Farola in Malaga?

At the entrance of the port of Malaga, in the Malagueta district, at the start of the Paseo de la Farola, in Spain.