Tourlitis Lighthouse

Lighthouse perched on a sea rock off the coast of Andros town

The Tourlitis Lighthouse is one of the most photographed sights in the Cyclades — a small automated lighthouse perched on a solitary sea rock just off the coast of Andros town. You can see it clearly from the castle promontory and from the terrace of the Museum of Modern Art, particularly striking at sunset when the light comes on.

The lighthouse is not accessible to visitors (the only approach is by boat and climbing), but its isolated position on the bare rock, with waves breaking around the base, makes it a compelling subject from a distance. It appears on countless postcards of the island.

things to do sight landmark
A story
The original Tourlitis lighthouse was built in 1897 and became iconic for its setting on a bare sea rock accessible only by rope ladder. It was destroyed by a storm in 1943 and rebuilt in 1994 by Chrysanthi Goulandris — the same family that founded the island's museum — making it the only lighthouse in Greece rebuilt by a private individual.