Gibraltar, United Kingdom
Gibraltar, a 'British Overseas territory' ceded by the Spanish in 1713, is located at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. To the north is Spain and looking south you can see Africa.
We visited Gibraltar as part of a Mediterranean Cruise. The airport, near the border with Spain has an interesting reputation after having been ranked in a list which covers the most extreme airports in the world to fly into. In addition, there is a road running through the runway which must be closed every time a flight is due to land or take off.
The official language is English but the majority of residents also speak Spanish and the local vernacular unique to Gibraltar of Llanito. The currency was the Gibraltar Pound (different from the UK pound). Visit the official website for Gibraltar here
We had a great day in Gibraltar with pleasant temperatures and a very interesting tour. After leaving the ship we were able to pick up a map of Gibraltar as well as find a group of other people who were interested in going on a private tour of Gibraltar in a van. The points of call were the Pillars of Hercules, St Michael’s Cave, the Barbary Macaques on top of the rock and the Great Siege Tunnels with a dramatic view over the airport. Our knowledgeable guide was Rachel who was originally from the UK and has lived in Gibraltar for almost 44 years.
The first stop on the private van tour, was the Pillars of Hercules with its views over 2 continents (Europe and Africa) and 3 countries (Gibraltar, Spain and Morocco). On the way there we saw the rare Gibraltar Partridge on the side of the road, which was only the third time that Rachel had seen one during her years living in Gibraltar. There was also a view of the tip of the famous Gibraltar Lighthouse at Europa Point as well as the top of the Mosque of the Two Holy Custodians. The path to the Mediterranean Steps up the rock could also be seen from the Pillars of Hercules.
The next stop was the St Michael’s Cave which is a stunning complex of stalactites and stalagmites. It would be amazing to be there when it is being used for a concert or performance. It is very beautiful and the lights that have been installed create an awesome atmosphere inside it. There are many places within it to view the stalactites and stalagmites. We found there were two ways out of the Cave by splitting up and following different paths. The first followed the exit while the second followed more steps down through the cave but wound back to the starting point.
The third stop was for the Barbary Macaques (Apes) on top of the Rock of Gibraltar, a narrow strip of land with a one way road which you need to have a special licence to be able to drive on it. The Barbary Macaques jumped onto the vehicle at several point near their main feeding ground creating a lot of noise. It was incredible to be on top of the rock on the narrow road with the Mediterranean on one side and the Bay of Gibraltar on the other. The Macaques were very entertaining and used both us and the vehicle as stepping stones to get where they wanted to be. The views were incredible and the Macaques home was very simple. Near their feeding ground is also the restored Charles V Wall steps to the city which follow near where the Cable Car Path runs.
There is a story about the Barbary Macaques that if they ever leave Gibraltar the British will lose rule of the Territory. When the population reduced to a handful during world war two this story lead to Winston Churchill ordering that the population be added to from Africa colonies. The Apes are one of the top tourist attractions in Gibraltar. However it is now illegal to deliberately feed the monkeys punishable by a large fine as it lead to the monkeys going into town and causing damage as well as learning how to steal food from humans by opening backpacks, purses and pockets.
The next stop was the Great Siege Tunnels which were built for the Great Siege in the 1780s when France and Spain attempted to take Gibraltar back. The Tunnels were crafted by hand and expanded during the World Wars. They are also known as the Upper Galleries and have a view of the airport.
It is incredible how they dragged the canons up the hills and built these tunnels. It would have been great to have had the time to go down all the way to the end of the tunnel path. Instead in respect of the others on the tour we turned around at the point where it advises that if you have limited time turn around as the only way out is to climb back up the path you have just travelled down. As we left, we saw fellow passengers who had opted to take a ship tour climbing up the hill to the Great Siege Tunnels whereas our vehicle had been small enough to get up to the tunnels which had given us a bit of extra time to explore.
We were dropped near Main St in Gibraltar which meant we could walk along to both ends of the street. We did some sightseeing, shopping, had an ice-cream and stopped at one of the pubs for a drink of Gibraltar Gin made from the rare Gibraltar Campion Flower.
Along the walk of Main St we also saw the Trafalgar Cemetery, King’s Chapel, John Mackintosh Hall, Statute of Nelson, South Gate, the Tax Office which also houses the Roman Arch, the tower and Cathedral of the St Mary, finishing in Casemates Square before returning to the ship.