Not just navigational tools for ships, many of the world’s lighthouses have earned a reputation as beautiful attractions in their own right. From idyllic traditional designs to modern architectural feats, these stunning beacons of light are well-loved parts of the coastlines they adorn – click or scroll through to feast your eyes on the prettiest lighthouses on the planet.

Recognise this quaint little lighthouse? Diamond Head Lighthouse in Oahu, Hawaii was memorialised on a US postage stamp in 2007. Sitting on the southwestern edge of Diamond Head, a 3,520-foot (1,073 m) wide crater formed by a volcanic eruption 300,000 years ago, the lighthouse has stood guard over the coast since 1899, when it was built following two shipwrecks.

Standing at the end of an exposed rocky peninsula between Lough Swilly and Mulroy Bay, Fanad Lighthouse has shone its light over this stretch of the Northern Irish coastline since 1817. The lighthouse’s conception sprang from tragic circumstances, however. In 1811, the HMS Saldanha sank just off the Fanad Peninsula, killing 254 people, so the structure was built to prevent future disasters.

First built in the 16th century when Crete was under Venetian occupation, the Chania Lighthouse that we can see today was rebuilt in 1838 when Crete was occupied by Egyptian troops who were supporting the Ottoman Empire. Located at the end of a long, narrow pier, with its characteristic minaret and illuminated tower, the lighthouse casts a stunning silhouette against the sunset.

Located on the northern edge of Burnham-on Sea, the Low Lighthouse was built in 1832. This “lighthouse on legs” has become a recognisable feature of the Somerset coastline thanks to its unusual, stilted structure and red-and-white stripes. It remains active today, while its neighbour High Lighthouse, situated around 0.3 miles (500m) to the east is now a private home.

Jutting out on a rocky plinth over the north shore of Lake Superior, Split Rock Lighthouse is an iconic Minnesota landmark. Built following a particularly brutal storm in November 1905, which destroyed or badly damaged 18 ships on the western part of the lake, the lighthouse was opened in 1910. Today, thanks to its attractive yellow-brick octagonal tower and unbeatable clifftop location, it’s become an attraction in its own right.

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Perched on the tiny islet of Ynys Lawd just off Anglesey’s western coast, the far-flung South Stack Lighthouse can only be reached by clambering 400 steps down a steep cliff and across a bridge. Constructed in 1809, the conical-shaped tower was largely built from limestone quarried from the islet itself. In this striking aerial shot, the 92-feet (28m) tall lighthouse looks impressively remote.

At Australia’s most eastern point stands the regal-looking, white conical tower of Cape Byron Lighthouse. Towering 387 feet (118m) above sea level, this Victorian-era light was designed in the style of architect James Barnet – its ornate, turreted base is emblematic of his style. Since being erected in 1901, the lighthouse has stood watch over Bryon Bay and become a favourite location for wildlife spotting.

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Precariously perched on top of a stone column which looks almost custom-built, the rocky outcrop which holds Tourlitis Lighthouse was in fact carved out by crashing waves over thousands of years. Located off the city of Andros, on the island of the same name, this dinky 23-foot (7m) tower was originally built in 1887. However, the lighthouse was destroyed in the Second World War and the structure that stands today was rebuilt in the 1990s.

With its far-flung location on the southwestern coast of Kangaroo Island, Cape du Couedic lighthouse wasn’t accessible by land when it was first built. Instead, materials and equipment were transported to the lighthouse by boat and hauled up using a flying fox winching system, which was initially powered by horses. Today, the lighthouse is fully automated and accessible by road.

With Mount Taranaki’s regal peak looming in the background, the location of New Zealand’s Cape Egmont Lighthouse is as spectacular as they come. The lighthouse itself is pretty as a picture, too. Built in London in the mid-1800s, the pieces were shipped to Mana Island, north of Wellington, in 1865 where the lighthouse stood until 1881, when it was moved to its present location at Cape Egmont. With its traditional white conical tower and bright red door, the lighthouse stands out against the rugged countryside in this atmospheric shot.

The Bodie Island Light Station that stands today is actually the third lighthouse to grace this spot. The first, built in 1847, was so poorly constructed that it began to lean over just two years after completion, and was torn down in 1859. A second tower was quickly erected but was blown up by Confederate troops in 1861. The current incarnation, built between 1871 and 1872, has a striking black-and-white striped design and it’s one of the few lighthouses that still uses an original Fresnel lens.

It’s no wonder that artists including Matisse, André Derain and Georges Braque were inspired to paint the 17th-century Notre-Dame-des-Anges Lighthouse. Looking out over the seaside town of Collioure, the tower was taken out of use as a lighthouse in the late 17th century, but rather than falling into disrepair, it was given a new lease of life as a church. Today, the attractive conical stone tower is a beloved part of the town’s landscape.

South Devon’s chiselled shores make a stunning location for Start Point Lighthouse. Standing on one of the most exposed peninsulas in the UK, which runs for almost a mile (1.6km) into the sea from the southern side of Start Bay, the remote 92-foot (28m) tall tower took 40 men two years to build and was completed in 1836. Today, the charming white building, with its Gothic-style battlemented parapet and cast-iron lantern, is an iconic part of the coastline.

Sitting in the middle of the stormy waters of Lynn Canal, Eldred Rock Lighthouse was created after a series of shipwrecks in the late 1800s. The oldest Alaskan lighthouse that still stands, the octagonal-framed, pyramid-roofed building was designed to withstand stormy weather. Backdropped by snow-capped mountains, it’s a remarkable sight.

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Portland Head Lighthouse has been a recognisable part of the Portland Harbor area since 1791. The historic lighthouse, which stands on a steep rocky promontory at the entrance of a shipping channel into Casco Bay, offers panoramic views of the scenic coastline and surrounding Fort Williams Park.

The whimsical, carnivalesque red-and-white striped lighthouse at South Head in Sydney National Park, built in 1858, is surrounded by majestic views. To the east, there’s Sydney Harbour; Middle Head and North Head lie to the north; and eastwards faces towards the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. It also happens to be a prime spot for whale watching.

Constructed from the same pink granite rock which lines the coast, Ploumanac'h Lighthouse blends in seamlessly with its surroundings. Situated in the commune of Perros-Guirec, in the Côtes-d'Armor, the lighthouse was first built in 1860, but after being destroyed in the Second World War, it was rebuilt in 1946.

You couldn’t ask for a more stunning location for a lighthouse than Beagle Channel, a strait in the Terra del Fuego archipelago backdropped by Patagonian peaks. Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse has stood watch over these waters since 1920. Today, the 33-foot (10m) tall structure is operated by remote control, emitting a light every 10 seconds, while its electricity comes from solar power.

Perched on a small islet at the entrance to the Bosphorus Strait, Maiden’s Tower Lighthouse, also known as Kizkulesi Tower, has an intricate history. The earliest presence of a structure on the site dates to the 12th century when Byzantine Emperor Manuel Komnenos ordered a tower to be built. The present-day building was constructed in 1763 and heavily restored during the 19th century. Since then it’s served as a tax collection centre, a defence tower, a quarantine site during the 1830 cholera epidemic, and a radio station – as well as, of course, a lighthouse.

Cast in a golden ray of evening sunlight in this striking photograph, Lindau Lighthouse, pictured opposite the Bavarian Lion statue, is Germany’s southernmost lighthouse. Located in the town of Lindau on Lake Constance, it was first lit on 4 October 1856 and was electrified in 1936, before being automated in the 1990s. Today, ships use radio signals to light the lighthouse on-demand.

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At an impressive height of 230 feet (70m) tall, Punta Penna Lighthouse is considered the eighth tallest traditional lighthouse in the world. Located in the city of Vasto on Italy’s Adriatic Coast, the tower was built in 1906 but was partially destroyed during the Second World War, so it was reconstructed between 1946 and 1948. The lighthouse comprises a two-storey brick building at the base, topped by a tall tower which contains a 307-step spiral staircase to the summit.

Standing on the rugged Hook Peninsula, located in County Wexford on Ireland’s south coast, Hook Lighthouse is surrounded by unparalleled natural beauty. Built in the 13th century by the knight William Templar to develop the shipping trade, the black-and-white striped tower is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world. It was electrified in 1972 and automated in 1996, and the lighthouse remains fully operational today.

One of the youngest lighthouses in our round-up, Enoshima Sea Candle was constructed in 2003 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Enoshima Electric Railway. Standing over Sagami Bay in central Japan, the 197-foot (60m) tall glass and steel structure looks most spectacular by night, when it’s illuminated in different colours depending on the season: green for spring, blue for summer, orange and yellow for autumn, and purple (as pictured here) for winter.

This dinky 41-foot (12.5m) tall lighthouse, perching on a tiny rocky outcrop known as Nubble Island off the coast of York Beach in Maine, has been in operation since 1879. With its attractive Victorian keeper’s house, recognisable red light and cast-iron railings, it’s no wonder this New England gem has inspired generations of photographers.

A striking, utilitarian structure on the northeast coast of Tenerife opened in 1994, Punta Del Hidalgo Lighthouse is anything but traditional. The angular, 160-foot (50m) tower is made up of irregular stacked pillars of increasing heights on a triangular base, making it resemble a steep vertical staircase heading into the skies.

Dating back to Roman times, the Tower of Hercules Lighthouse is likely to have been built during the reign of Trajan in AD 98-117 and it’s the only Roman-era lighthouse still in use today. The exceptionally well-preserved structure consists of a four-sided tower topped with two smaller octagonal towers, which were added by architect Eustaquio Giannini in the 18th century. Presiding over the entrance of the historic city of A Coruña in northwestern Spain, the statuesque lighthouse’s beauty is only heightened by the surrounding craggy cliffs.

Swept up in a mesmerising swirl of sand in this atmospheric photograph, the stark Rubjerg Knude lighthouse perfectly echoes the elemental beauty of its natural surroundings. Situated in Denmark’s North Jutland, facing out to the North Sea, the lighthouse has stood here since 1900. Except it hasn’t stayed in exactly the same spot: due to coastal erosion of the surrounding cliffs, in October 2019 it was moved 230 feet (70m) inland to prevent it toppling into the sea.  

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With its glimmering rock pools and bird-thronged wetlands, the St. Mary’s Island Nature Reserve is an idyllic location for this pristine white lighthouse. Constructed in 1898 to protect ships navigating the hazardous stretch of coastline just north of Whitby Bay, the tower is located on a tidal island. It went out of operation in 1984 but remains a recognisable landmark, offering panoramic views of England's northeast coastline.

An Orthodox church which doubles up as a lighthouse thanks to a gilded ball at the top which emits light signals, St. Nicholas’ Church Lighthouse certainly isn’t your usual lighthouse – or church, for that matter. Built in 2004, it has an icon of St Nicholas on its eastern side, without the usual gold or silver features of most Orthodox icons. The 197-foot (60m) tower also has a memorial and museum in its basement, dedicated to those who have died in the nearby waters. 

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Standing about 541 feet (165m) from the towering chalk cliffs of Beachy Head near Eastbourne, East Sussex, this traditional lighthouse was constructed in 1902. Its predecessor, the Belle Tout lighthouse, was built on the headland in 1828, but was abandoned in 1899 due to concerns about the cliff collapsing. Today, the jaunty red-and-white striped tower has earned a place in the hearts of visitors to this iconic stretch of coastline.

The tapered, octagonal-shaped lighthouse at Peggy’s Point in Nova Scotia is among the most photographed in the world. First built in 1868, it was replaced by the present tower in 1915, which stands 50 feet (15m) high and looks out over the east side of the entrance to St. Margaret’s Bay. Set on a barren rock outcrop jutting out to sea, the lighthouse has withstood endless crashing waves from the North Atlantic during the province's harsh winters.

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