Cap de Barbaria Lighthouse

How to reach Cap de Barbaria Lighthouse

To get to the Cap de Barbaria Lighthouse you have to go through the town of Sant Francesc and take the detour towards Cala Saona and Cap de Barbaria.
Once on this road you must always stay on the main road without taking any detour.
After the detour towards Cala Saona, the road becomes very narrow, so we recommend that you drive slowly and with caution, stepping to the side when you cross another vehicle.

In the summer, the last kilometer of road is cut off by cars and motorcycles and can only be accessed on foot or by bicycle.

History and characteristics

The Cap de Barbaria lighthouse is a relatively modern lighthouse and does not have the history and charm of its cousin the La Mola lighthouse, since it has never needed a lighthouse keeper living there to manage its operation.
It was built in 1971 and since 1995 it has been powered exclusively by photovoltaic energy.

Cap de Barbaria: Environment

The surroundings of the lighthouse are truly special as it is a large expanse of land, stones and low scrub, with the pointed and luminous silhouette of the lighthouse waiting for you at the end of the downhill slope that marks the narrow road.
Since the entry into force of the limitation of motor vehicle access in the summer season, the area of ​​Es Cap de Barbaria has gained in tranquility, silence and human pressure and, really, the kilometer and little that separates the parking area from the lighthouse is very easy to access and in no case should you stop visiting it.
In any case, if you can, avoid the hottest hours, or even better, choose the sunset because you can enjoy an excellent vantage point from which to enjoy the sunset and the walk will be cooler.

Es Cap de Barbaria´s cave

A short distance from the lighthouse and walking to the right, you will find a hole in the ground that is the opening of a cave that runs towards the cliffs and that opens to them with a large balcony.
Finding the access hole is easy because it is marked with stakes and rope around it. Not to impede their passage but to prevent someone from falling without realizing it.

Normally there is something similar to a wooden ladder to facilitate access, so you will see that it is very easy and, another curiosity, look at how smooth the rock is where you place your hands just before going down. Completely polished and fine from so many hands that have brushed it when going down.

Lucia y el Sexo

In 2001 Julio Medem directed the film “Lucia y el sexo” set in Formentera and where the Cap de Barbaria Lighthouse was the background of the image chosen to promote the film.

That photo became an icon and for many years, visitors asked residents about “Lucia’s lighthouse and sex” and although many of us scratched our ears with the name, we told them how to get to the Lighthouse of It’s Cap.
It was the years after 2001 and by then the use of the internet was much less common than now and it was still a long time before the appearance of Google Maps and today’s smartphones, before people used technology much less and asked to get there to the sites ….. so many things change over time.