I do like lighthouses and Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse in particular!
Strange name! It seems that when the first Portuguese sailors and settlers of Madeira Island were sailing around the rocky steep piece of land over the greenish blue sea on the western coast of the island one of them, João Gonçalves Zarco’s son-in-law, caught one of the most common fish in these Atlantic waters, the red porgy.
And so Ponta do Pargo (Red Porgy End) was born on top of an imposing cliff over the sea; it is now a neighbourhood of Calheta municipality on a vast 22kms2 plane. Ponta do Pargo is remarkable for its charme, silence and calm as well as for the hospitality of its around one thousand inhabitants. It is a lovely town where Ponta do Pargo lighthouse stands out amidst the green plane and small towns typical houses.
Located on Ponta da Vigia (Watching End), a 300m sharp tip over the sea, the lighthouse began working in 1922. It has been improved on since then and in 1989 it was electrified with electricity from the Public Power System. Ten years later it was classified as local cultural heritage and since 2001 it houses a small but interesting museum centre.
Go to Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse for a visit. Listen to the wind, smell the fragrance, enjoy the colours.
(Text: João Costa e Silva / Photos: Jorge Tutor)
