Lighthouse keeping has always been a challenging profession, suitable only for the more seasoned, for those capable of living in isolated places and under very harsh weather conditions. Nowadays, as the operation of the lighthouses has become more automatic, they have stopped needing personnel living permanently in them and new technologies have also made them less essential in navigation and have lost some prominence.
But they still keep intact their romantic and adventurous aura. That is why the initiative of the Portuguese government to open most of them for visits is highly appreciated. In the Oeste region we currently have only two lighthouses in operation, both very close to each other, one in Cape Carvoeiro in Peniche and the other just in front, in the Berlengas Islands.
But within a short distance to the north we also have those of Aveiro, Mondego (Figueira de Foz) and Penedo da Saudade (Marinha Grande). All of them can be visited every Tuesday, from 2pm to 5pm in summer and from 1.30pm to 4.30pm in winter. Before departing, it is convenient to check the website of the National Maritime Authority to verify that they are not closed for operational reasons or for any works.
And for those who prefer surfing the internet there is also the possibility of a virtual tour of the Bugio lighthouse, located in the middle of the mouth of the Tagus, near Lisbon.
So for those of us who sometimes need a light to guide us and an inspiring and different view of the sea, this could be an excellent plan for Tuesday afternoon. And if we go with children, surely we can imagine with them a great adventure of pirates and smugglers in that evocative environment. Obviously, in the playlist in the car, on our way to the lighthouse, we must not miss I will leave a light on, by Tom Walker.