Fanad Head Lighthouse

Overall, the whole visit was fantastic. The visitor centre is lovely, the coffee is genuinely delicious, and the shop is full of beautiful gifts that are hard to resist. The lighthouse itself is incredible — really well maintained, spotless, and full of authentic details that make it feel like a real piece of history rather than just a display. If you get the chance to stay overnight, the accommodation is a brilliant experience too. Out of all the lighthouse visits I’ve done, Fanad Lighthouse is easily the best so far. It felt interesting, immersive, and surprisingly wholesome — the kind of place that stays with you long after you’ve left.

Brilliant way to spend your morning. Lots of interesting historical information about the area with stories of shipwrecks and gold! The staff at the lighthouse were really welcoming and accommodating for my wife and daughter. We also had our dog with us, even though he wasn’t allowed in the lighthouse, he enjoyed some birdwatching whilst my wife and daughter learned some history during the tour. There’s a small gift shop and cafe too to keep you going. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Lovely working lighthouse. It was great to be able to get to the top and hear about how it works from very knowledgeable guides. Lovely building, fantastic panoramic views and history of the sea wrecks and lost lives and gold. Lovely big waves from the north Atlantic crashing in.

This was a wonderful experience my boyfriend and I experienced on a Monday. We arrived without knowing what to do, we popped into the visitor centre/gift shop/café. We waited a couple of minutes to see a member of staff that informed us that we could make the 2:30pm talking tour (which was 7 minutes away) but managed to walk to the lighthouse and get there on time for the tour. We both found the tour very interesting, informative and enjoyable. The young woman who talked and took us up the lighthouse was very good, knowledgeable and kept her audience intrigued. I've wanted to see the lighthouse for years so it was wonderful to learn more about it and other lighthouses too. I enjoyed the interactive elements to the talk, getting to see old library book loans, holding the "gold" brick and seeing the different flag meanings for communicating between lighthouses. I would highly recommend the tour, especially to learn more about what you've come to see and also to get to the top to see the views which are breathtaking. To learn what the lighthouse keepers did 200 years ago and having some historical items on display was really great to see. I'd definitely go back and hopefully have more time there.

A great tour well worth going to see, the guide was very knowledgable about the lighthouse and other lighthouses. It’s a fine view from the very top. The guide explained lots of details on how the light and the mechanism had changed overtime. Originally it was a huge weight, cranked up and as it lowered in the lighthouse it rotated the light. As it had to be cranked up many times throughout the night. Also, the guide explained about how the light itself had changed over the years and now it is LEDs. You can see the LEDs in the photo, super bright.

A truly magical stay! If you want a complete switch off, then a visit and possibly a stay at Fanad lighthouse is a must. We stayed for three nights and loved every moment of it. The staff at Fanad were so helpful and informative. However, a simple visit and tour of the lighthouse is a step back in time, well worth the journey. Could not recommend this attraction enough.

Well worth a visit if even just to soak in the drive there. The girls doing the tour of the lighthouse were highly knowledgable of the history and there was no rush to get out. You can actually go up the stairs into the lighthouse housing.

A very special Christmas. Myself and my sister stayed for three nights over Christmas. Such a beautiful place to be, loved the accommodation which was so immaculate, cosy and warm with incredible views of the ocean. The hosts were so helpful and lovely to deal with. Even had a gorgeous Christmas tree lit up for us. The lighthouse tour was such a treat. Loved everything about this magical gem. Can't wait to come back. Go raibh míle maith agat

Definite must stop when you are touring the northern coast of stunning county Donegal, the most beautiful place on earth. We paid a fee to tour the lighthouse. We got to walk tp the top via a winding staircase as the tour guide told us stories of ship wrecks and smugglers. It was a bright, beautiful day and the view was incredible. There are a few food trucks parked in the parking lot in the summer, or you can bring a picnic, and enjoying eating outdoors. We had a blast and enjoyed every minute!!

The Fanad Head Lighthouse is a popular destination along the Wild Atlantic Way. I was with a group and we had walked about a mile from our lunch location. We were waiting in the small parking lot for the person with the tickets and noticed a number of folks jumping a nearby fence to sseemingly avoid paying the entrance fee. But it wasn't possible to get to the actual lighthouse that way. The views were pretty amazing. Once inside the lighthouse, a guide will provide a history of the lighthouse -- and there is a lot of original memoribilia to ask about. Especially the wooden box labeled Carnegie Library System of Ireland. Apparently the lighthouse keepers were avid readers and Carnegie Library had rotating boxes of books that got shared. It is possible to await your turn to walk to the top -- I did not do so, but those who did remarked on the view from the top. The grounds include a guesthouse where you can lodge.