Sleeping in the lighthouse

Finis Terrae, ‘land’s end’, and beyond this the unknown. Finisterre, in the Galician province of A Coruña, for the Romans was the frontier between the known and the mysteries beyond. Finisterre, on the Costa de la Muerte [Coast of Death], is one of the most impressive points of the Spanish Atlantic coast. Its spectacular geography and the force of the sea at this point of the Atlantic have filled Finisterre with stories and legends. It is said that its stormy seas have sunk hundreds of maritime catastrophes and even a city destroyed by a god’s anger.

It is possible to imagine the fury of this god or the sailors fighting against the rough seas at Finisterre at any time, even while you sleep to the sound of the waves. You can do all of this from the Lighthouse, an important guide for the ships and, for several years, possibly one of the smallest hotels in the world.

With just five bedrooms, Finisterre Lighthouse has become a pleasant hotel that recreates the experience of living in a lighthouse. Obviously this includes hearing the siren warning the ships of the nearby coastline. Its buzzing is compensated by impressive views and night falls, set out as early as the first century by the Roman historian Lucio Aneo Floro.

But if our budget does not allow us to become a full-time lighthouse keeper, we can do so for a few hours. The Lighthouse has a cafe and restaurant from which we can see the end of the world with a Galician recipe before us.

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