Cabo de Gata Lighthouse, Maritime lighthouse in Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, Spain

Cabo de Gata Lighthouse is a white cylindrical tower standing 50 meters above sea level at the southeastern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It sits in a landscape of salt flats and rocky outcrops that frame the Mediterranean coastline at this strategic location.

Construction began in 1863 on the ruins of the San Francisco de Paula fortress, converting a military defense site into a navigation aid for ships. The structure became essential for guiding vessels safely past this treacherous stretch of coast.

The lighthouse stands beside the Laja del Cabo, a reef one nautical mile offshore that caused many shipwrecks. The best known is the Czech freighter Arna, which sank there in 1928 carrying iron ore; the wreck now shelters fish and is a site for divers.

The lighthouse stands at the end of a road from San José, within the Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park, and is managed by the port authority of Almería. Its beam reaches about 45 kilometres, and a foghorn warns ships on days of thick fog. The site is exposed on a 50-metre cliff, so expect wind and little shade.

The tower functions as a monitoring point for migratory birds that use the adjacent salt flats during different seasons. Birdwatchers often visit to observe the movement patterns of various species passing through the region.