Gibraltar is an overseas territory in the south of the United Kingdom under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Iberian Peninsula. Gibraltar is located in the north of the Strait of Gibraltar, where Africa and Europe are closest to each other.
The area of Gibraltar is a full 6,543 square kilometers, the only land border (with Spain) is only 1.2 kilometers long. The Spanish border town is La Línea de la Concepcion. Gibraltar claims an area of water that extends up to three nautical miles from the coast.
The landscape of Gibraltar is relatively flat and mostly sandy, a well-known exception is the Rock of Gibraltar. The Upper Rock nature reserve places the marine area of Gibraltar under protection. The only wild monkeys in Europe are found in Gibraltar, this is the reason why Gibraltar is also called the Monkey Rock.
The most important sights in Gibraltar are the Gorham Cave (known for Neanderthal finds) and the mosque at Europa-Point.
Gibraltar has a rich culture that has several different roots. The original culture of Gibraltar mingled with that of the British and Spanish. The Moroccans have also left their mark here.
Above all, the country has a rich music scene. Bands like Breed77 and No Direction from Gibraltar come under and have already released a number of successful releases not only here but also internationally.
September 10th is the national holiday in Gibraltar. On this day the houses are decorated with colorful flags and banners and festivals are held everywhere. A balloon will be released for every citizen of the country. Almost all residents are dressed in the national colors of red and white.
Gibraltar – how to get there
Plane: Iberia, easyJet and Monarch Airlines fly daily from Gibraltar to London. Monarch Airlines also offer daily flights to Manchester.
Airport: all flights land on the airport of Gibraltar.
Ship: FRS operates a weekly ferry service between Gibraltar and Tangier in Morocco.
Car: due to the long waiting times, it is advisable to leave the car in Spain and cross the border to Gibraltar on foot. If you still want to travel to Gibraltar with your own car, you need proof of insurance, a registration form, a country code and a driver’s license.
Bus: There are no regular bus connections to Gibraltar. However, the bus station in the Spanish city of La Linea der la Concepción is just a five-minute walk from the border.
Gibraltar – traveling in the country
During the 1.5 kilometer walk from the border to the city center lay the cross Visitor from Gibraltar the airport runway. To the left of Corral Road, a pedestrian tunnel leads to Grand Casemates Square.
Alternatively, visitors can use local bus companies to cover the distance from the border to the city center. the buses run every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends. Stops are Market Place, Cathedral Square, Reclamation Road and the lower cable car station, depending on the bus route.
All areas of Gibraltar can be reached on foot; However, visitors can also explore some of them by motorcycle or car.
If the weather permits, take a ride on the cable car, which operates every day from April to October.
Gibraltar Landmarks
Gibraltar in particular has many interesting attractions to offer. The city in the country that bears the same name is definitely worth seeing. The British city was built in the Regency style in the eighteenth century. It stands over the ruins of a fifteenth-century Spanish city. Among these ruins are again the ruins of a Moorish city from the twelfth century.
The absolute highlight of Gibraltar is St. Michaels Cave, which is three hundred meters above sea level. The cave was already in that time of the Romansa sight because of its impressive stalactites. Other caves that are part of the complex are Leonoras Cave and Lower St. Michaels Cave. Concerts and ballet performances are held in these caves today.
Particularly impressive are the Upper Galleries. These were carved out of stone in 1782. There are old cannons to watch and pictures of the great siege.
Apes’Den is recommended for tourists interested in nature. This is where the famous babary monkeys live – tailless macaques.
Museum lovers shouldn’t miss the Gibraltar Museum. Here you can see various prehistoric pieces of jewelry, some tools and even a copy of the Gibraltar skull, which was found in Europe in 1848. Other interesting exhibits in the museum that can be visited come from Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Moorish, Spanish or British history. Among them are particularly impressive the weapons collection from the years 1727-1800 or the scale model of the Gibraltar rock. But a visit to the museum is not only worthwhile because of the interesting exhibition, the building in which the museum is located is worth a visit.
Gibraltar has a long list of other exciting sights to see such as the fourteenth century Moorish castle dungeon, the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, the old Nun’s Well, Trafalgar Cementray, Alameda Gardens, etc.
You should definitely treat yourself to a ride on the chairlift directly to the top of the rock with a stop at Apes’Den. Tourists also like to come to the Convent, a Franciscan monastery from the sixteenth century.
