El Faro: Beach, Nature and History

When planning a trip to El Faro, several interests can be considered side by side: a visit to Playa El Faro – Punta de Calaburras beach, wildlife watching at Punta de Calaburra, and the history of the tower and lighthouse. You can weigh up whether beach time, seasonal birdwatching or the history of the historic structures should take priority during your stay.

Beach and Getting There

Playa El Faro – Punta de Calaburras beach is easy to reach on foot, by car or by bus. This means you are not limited to travelling by car; you can weigh up the three options to suit your travel plans. Coastal works or traffic may affect access conditions, so briefly check the current situation before your visit.

Seabirds and Marine Mammals

Punta de Calaburra is a particularly important place for observing seabirds. Migration and overwintering are highlighted, while the presence of birds varies seasonally. Marine mammals are another interesting subject for observation. For travel planning, there is a distinction: the time of year is explicitly a consideration for seabirds, while marine mammals offer an additional focus for wildlife watching.

Comparing Access and Time of Year

For planning purposes, access and timing can be considered separately: you can reach the beach on foot, by car or by bus; for seabirds, migration and overwintering are the highlighted periods. The information therefore answers two different questions—how to reach the beach and when seasonal birdwatching takes centre stage. Choosing how to get to the beach and choosing a time to travel for birdwatching are therefore separate planning steps.

History of the Tower and Lighthouse

Construction of the Torre de Calaburras was funded in 1574 and completed the following year. The Faro de Calaburras was planned in 1861 and began operating in August 1863. The surviving tower of the Faro was completed in 1928 and is 23 metres high. These dates mark different milestones: funding and completion of construction on the one hand, planning and the start of operations on the other, followed by the later completion of the surviving tower. For a chronological comparison, it is useful to consider completion of construction, the start of operations and completion of a surviving tower as distinct historical stages.

Protected Area Between Calahonda and the Faro de Calaburras

The ZEC area stretches between Calahonda and the Faro de Calaburras. A ZEC area is a European Union protected-area category within the Natura 2000 network. This adds another perspective to observing individual groups of animals: the geographical location of the area and its protection category.

Senda Litoral on the Costa del Sol

The Senda Litoral is a walking and cycling route along the beaches of the Costa del Sol. One section runs from the El Faro restaurant to Fuengirola. The type of route and the section described offer different points of reference when planning to walk or cycle. Check the local route before planning this section, particularly after bad weather or maintenance work.

Discover more destinations: Campo Mijas, La Cala De Mijas, Sitio De Calahonda

Go to the main travel overview: Mijas.