The lighthouses of Puerto Rico

Ordered by every profile at once · 11 sights

In the 19th century Spain ringed Puerto Rico with lighthouses, many of them still standing on headlands with some of the best views on the coast. Some have been restored as museums or visitor centres; others are ruins at the end of a dirt track, or on cays you can only reach by boat.

This ranking orders them by every profile of places of interest at once: significance, appeal, access, learning, peace and comfort. Lighthouses on cliffs are exposed to wind and sun: bring water and keep away from the edge.

See them on the map

1
Faro de Las Cabezas de San Juan
82/100
Lighthouse · Fajardo · East coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
A neoclassical lighthouse from 1882 on the northeastern tip of Puerto Rico, visited on guided tours of the reserve, with views of the cays off Fajardo.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
2
Faro de Punta Higüero
63/100
Lighthouse · Rincón · West coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
A lighthouse from 1892, rebuilt in 1922, in the El Faro park of Rincón, on the point where surfers ride the waves of Domes and humpback whales pass in winter. One of the best sunsets on the west coast.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
3
Faro de Punta Tuna
60/100
Lighthouse · Maunabo · South coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
An 1892 lighthouse on a point of Maunabo between two wild beaches, still active, with grounds open as a small park.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
4
Faro Los Morrillos
59/100
Lighthouse · Cabo Rojo · West coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
An 1882 lighthouse on white limestone cliffs at the southwestern tip of the island, above Playa Sucia. One of the most photographed views of Puerto Rico.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
5
Faro de Punta Mulas
56/100
Lighthouse · ViequesNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
A small lighthouse from 1896 at the entrance to the harbour of Isabel II, in Vieques, with views over the ferry pier and the north coast.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
6
Faro de Isla Caja de Muertos
49/100
Lighthouse · Ponce · South coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
A lighthouse from 1887 at the top of the Caja de Muertos island, reached by a trail through the dry forest with views over the Caribbean and the south coast.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
7
Faro de Punta Figuras
45/100
Lighthouse · Arroyo · South coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
A lighthouse first lit in 1893 on the coast of Arroyo, abandoned since the 1960s and damaged by Hurricane Maria: the interior is closed, but the building can be seen from outside.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
8
Faro de Culebrita
44/100
Lighthouse · CulebraNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
The ruins of an 1886 lighthouse at the top of Culebrita, an uninhabited islet off Culebra reached by water taxi or kayak, with views over the Virgin Islands and wild beaches below.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
9
Faro de Isla de Mona
44/100
Lighthouse · Mayagüez · West coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
An iron lighthouse from 1900 on the eastern plateau of Mona Island, reached on a long hike across the island from the camping areas.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
10
Ruinas del Faro de Guánica
43/100
Lighthouse · Guánica · South coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
The ruins of a 19th-century lighthouse above the entrance to Guánica Bay, among cacti and dry forest.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning
11
Faro de Puerto Ferro
41/100
Lighthouse · ViequesNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.
The ruins of a late 19th-century lighthouse on a hill of the Vieques refuge, reached by a short trail.
- Significance
- Appeal
- Learning

How this ranking is made

Every place has a score from 1 to 5 for each criterion, following a public rubric, and the score out of 100 combines them with the weights of the profile. Most scores are estimates from public sources; places marked “Verified” have been checked in person.

Read the methodology