Faro de Orchilla
Faro de Punta Orchilla
The 'end of the old world' in Europe, once the site of the Prime Meridian. A white lighthouse stands in a barren volcanic landscape.
Orchilla Point lies at the island's southwesternmost tip. Before the Greenwich meridian was established, many European maps from Ptolemy onward used the El Hierro meridian as zero longitude, so this place is known as the end of the old world, and a meridian monument now stands here. The white lighthouse, built in 1933, rises among black and red lava and volcanic cones, a bleak scene that is especially lovely at sunset. The final stretch of road is gravel and requires slow driving. There are no facilities nearby, so bring plenty of water. It can be combined in a day trip with the Sabinar and the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de los Reyes.
Opening hours
All day (lighthouse not open to the public)
Nearby sights
- Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de los Reyes
- Playa del Verodal
- El Sabinar
- Pozo de la Salud
- Parque Cultural El Julan
- Charco Azul
- El Golfo Valley
- Cala de Tacorón