Gibraltar is a small territory of about 6.8 km² at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, on the coast of Andalusia. It is not part of Spain: it is a British overseas territory, with about 34,000 inhabitants, the Llanitos, who speak English and a lively mix of English and Spanish. It is a classic day trip from the Costa del Sol or Tarifa.
History
The name comes from the Arabic Jabal Tariq, "Tariq's mountain", after the Berber commander who landed here in 711, beginning the Muslim conquest of Spain. Taken by Castile in 1462, it was captured by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, and ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Spain still claims sovereignty; between 1969 and 1982 the border was closed. After Brexit, Gibraltar and the European Union negotiated an agreement to regulate the movement of people across the border.
What to see
- The Rock, a 426-metre limestone headland in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, reached by cable car or on foot, with views over the Strait and Africa.
- The Barbary macaques, living free on the Rock, Europe's only wild primates. Never feed them or leave food and bags within reach.
- St Michael's Cave, a large cavern with stalactites, also used as a concert hall.
- The Great Siege Tunnels, dug into the rock by the British during the Great Siege of 1779-1783.
- The 14th-century Moorish Castle.
- The Skywalk and the Windsor suspension bridge.
- Europa Point, the southern tip, with its lighthouse and mosque.
- Main Street, the shopping street, with VAT-free shops.
Practical information
You need a passport or ID card to enter; following the UK-EU agreement the border rules are changing, so check them before you go. The currency is the Gibraltar pound, equal to sterling, but euros are accepted almost everywhere, often at a poor rate. Traffic drives on the right. The airport, whose runway crosses the access road, has flights to the UK.
Getting there
The easiest way is to leave the car in La Línea de la Concepción, in Spain, and walk across the border. Buses run from Málaga, Algeciras, Cádiz and Seville to La Línea. See also cities of Andalusia.