Faro de Corrubedo

Faro de Corrubedo is a historic lighthouse perched on a rocky headland near the town of Ribeira, in the province of A Coruña, Galicia. The tower marks the southern entrance to the Ría de Muros and has guided ships along this stretch of Atlantic coastline for more than a century and a half.

How do you get to Faro de Corrubedo?

The lighthouse sits at the tip of the Corrubedo peninsula, within the parish of the same name, part of the municipality of Ribeira. By car, a local road runs through the fishing village of Corrubedo, leaving only a short stretch of coastal road to reach the lighthouse itself. The surrounding area belongs to the Corrubedo Dunes Natural Park, so it's worth treating the final approach as a walk rather than a drive straight to the door.

What does the lighthouse look like, and what's its history?

Faro de Corrubedo was built in 1853 to a design by engineer Celedonio Uribe, with the light first switched on in 1854. The building has an unusual shape: circular on the side facing the sea, rectangular on the other. That design was meant to reduce the impact of wind and storm waves, which hit this part of the coast particularly hard. The tower itself stands around 14 metres tall, and the light sits roughly 32 metres above sea level, making it visible from a considerable distance out at sea.

The lighthouse hasn't always worked without issues. Because its signal was easily confused with the nearby lighthouse on Sálvora Island, several navigation errors led to shipping accidents over the years. That prompted a reform of the lighthouse in 1921, aimed at reducing the risk of crews misreading the signal.

What will you see on site?

Faro de Corrubedo stands on granite rocks that drop straight into the Atlantic, making it one of the more photogenic spots in this part of Galicia. From around the lighthouse, the view opens onto the neighbouring natural park and its dune system, one of the most visited natural areas in the region. It's worth pairing a visit to the lighthouse with a short walk along the park's trails, which give views of the coastline in both directions — toward the Ría de Muros and out toward the open ocean.

When is the best time to visit?

Given its exposed position on a clifftop, the lighthouse is a place where weather conditions are felt intensely — strong wind and surf are the norm here rather than the exception, especially in autumn and winter. For calmer sightseeing and walks through the dunes, a day with good visibility and moderate wind is your best bet, which is most common during the summer months. Visitors who want to see the ocean at its most dramatic can deliberately time a visit around a stronger storm — the lighthouse and the rocks around it make it obvious why this stretch of coast has always needed a navigational warning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Faro de Corrubedo located? At the tip of the Corrubedo peninsula, in the municipality of Ribeira, province of A Coruña, Galicia, at the southern entrance to the Ría de Muros.

When was the lighthouse built? It was built in 1853 and first lit in 1854. In 1921 it underwent a reform aimed at reducing navigational confusion with the neighbouring lighthouse on Sálvora Island.

Can you go inside the lighthouse? The lighthouse is an active maritime aid operated by the coastal authorities, so visits are usually limited to the surrounding grounds and the clifftop views rather than entry into the tower itself.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The lighthouse borders the Corrubedo Dunes Natural Park, one of the most distinctive natural areas in this part of Galicia, and a good spot for a walk after visiting the lighthouse.