Gibraltar, colloquially known as The Rock or Gib, is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Spain to the north, while Morocco is a short distance across the strait to the south. Gibraltar has a population of 34,000 as of 2020.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Gibraltar is a unique place for the curious: a British community on the Iberian Peninsula, separated by a narrow gap of sea from Africa. The historic military legacy has created a veritable labyrinth inside "the Rock", with many secret internal roads and tunnels worth exploring. It is also worth climbing the Rock for its views and famous monkeys; the only extant population of wild non-human primates in Europe. In Greek mythology Gibraltar was Calpe, one of the Pillars of Hercules, which marked the edge of the Mediterranean and the known world. In 711 Tariq ibn Ziyad, the Muslim governor of Tangier, landed at Gibraltar to launch the Islamic invasion of the Iberian Peninsula.
Gibraltar is less than 7 km² in size, so much of it can be seen on foot. Some of the roads (especially up to the Upper Rock) are very steep. Taxis will take the strain out of the climbs, and all the taxi drivers seem to know all the Barbary macaques by name. Buses can be a cheap option to expedite things. Hoppy offers a scooter sharing service. It's necessary to download the app, where you'll see a map of scooter locations. They can be returned to the designated places on the map, which is almost everywhere. The rental costs £1 + £0.25/min (Dec 2024). Though Gibraltar's area is small, it is long and thin, so distances can be a bit further than expected.
The tourist office is in John Mackintosh Square; located half way along Main Street. The main attractions to see in Gibraltar (most are included in the GibraltarPass): 1 Europa Point. The southernmost point of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and from which the coast of Africa can be seen. (updated Apr 2017) 2 Gibraltar Nature Reserve. Military installation, and nature reserve where the famous monkeys live (Barbary Macaques). (updated Apr 2017) 3 Gorham's Cave complex. A combination of four caves of such importance that they are combined into a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are Gorham's Cave, Vanguard Cave, Hyaena Cave and Bennett's Cave.
1 Dolphin Safari, 6 The Square, Marina Bay (cross the runway and take the first exit at the roundabout on the other side of the runway down Bayside Road. Approximately 100 metres walk down a small road on the right just past the pay and display carpark where the sign reads Marina Bay. At the end of that road in the bottom left hand corner walk through the black iron gates to see the two gold dolphins and the check-in offices), ☏ +350 200 71914. 10:00 - 18.00. See the wild Common, Striped and Bottlenose dolphins of Gibraltar so close you could almost touch them. Adults £25, children £15.
If you like to sit outside and watch the world go by, go to Casemates Square where a number of pubs and restaurants serve fairly similar meals. There are a number of kosher restaurants, bakeries and minimarkets in Gibraltar. 1 NAAFI Cafe, GX11 1AA. Meal deal (main, snack and drink) for £5.50 (updated Dec 2024) 2 Ramsons Watergardens, 5, 11 Waterport Rd. Supermarket that also prepares fresh food, e.g. sandwiches. (updated Dec 2024) 3 The Aragon, 15 Bell Ln. (updated Dec 2024) 4 Essaouira Gibraltar Takeaway, Port Road, Unit 4 Block 1 Waterport Wharf.
If you fancy dining waterside the marinas are worth trying, and includes the most southerly pub in Europe. Good food, draught Bass and many others on tap. Happy hour daily at 18:00. 13 Wembley Bar. In the heart of the south district, it is the most southerly pub in Europe. Traditional English pub but with views to Africa. (updated Dec 2024)
Gibraltar has a low crime rate and an efficient police force to ensure it stays that way. The Royal Gibraltar Police is the civilian police responsible for everyday policing. In some places, particularly around the airport, you may also see the Gibraltar Defence Police. They are part of the British military and are chiefly tasked to protect military installations. Dial 199 for police assistance, and 190 for fire and ambulance services. Alternatively 112 may be dialed from mobile phones for all emergencies. However, there have been reports of people being attacked on the Spanish side of the border while returning to Gibraltar on foot late at night.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Sep, Gibraltar typically sees ~27°C daytime highs and 4 rainy days.
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