Formentor lighthouse at the tip of Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, Spain

© Lasse Eklöf/DEEPOL by plainpictur

Meeting point of the winds

We're at the northernmost tip of Mallorca's rugged Cap de Formentor, a seven-mile-long slab of rock that's home to one of the most picturesque lighthouses on the Mediterranean. Built on this Spanish island in 1863 at 689ft above sea level, the beacon still shines (by solar power now), protecting ships from the rocky coastline below.

The wild and rugged Cap de Formentor, sometimes called the meeting point of the winds, is accessible by a twisty road that offers great views along the way, including of several beautiful beaches and, since 1929, the Hotel Formentor, a glamorous icon for Mediterranean jetsetters. During its heyday in the mid-20th century, the hotel was a destination for writers and celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and the Prince of Monaco. Today, the cape is better known for protecting and conserving its natural beauty.