Gibraltar had been on our bucket list for many years. We found the Rock of Gibraltar particularly impressive looking at it on photos online. We also read that this tiny British Overseas Territory has a fascinating history and that it’s home to a variety of wildlife, including monkeys!

Recently, we visited the delightfully sunny port city of Malaga again. A perfect opportunity, we thought, to finally explore Gibraltar. Our day trip to the city and the Rock lived up to all our high expectations.

Condensed history of Gibraltar

The Phoenicians were the first to establish a settlement on Gibraltar around 950 BC. Then came the Carthaginians and later the Romans. During the Middle Ages, Gibraltar changed hands several times. At the beginning of the 8th century, Gibraltar came under Moorish rule.

In 1704, an Anglo-Dutch force captured Gibraltar during the War of the Spanish Succession. At the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain ‘in perpetuity’. The British recognised Gibraltar’s strategic location as a gateway to the Mediterranean. They therefore expanded Gibraltar’s fortifications. For instance, they built an extensive tunnel system in the late 18th century.

One of the most important events in Gibraltar’s history is the Great Siege, which lasted from 1779 to 1783. During this period, the territory was besieged by a French & Spanish force that tried to recapture the Rock. However, the British garrison withstood the relentless attacks and never surrendered. The Great Siege became a symbol of British resilience and determination.

In the 20th century, Gibraltar faced numerous challenges, especially during World War II. The area served as a naval base and was heavily fortified by the British. It played a crucial role in the Allied campaign in North Africa. Despite being surrounded by fascist Spain, Gibraltar remained in British hands.

Our visit to Gibraltar

Since Gibraltar is about an hour and a half’s drive from Malaga, we decide to get up early. It is gloriously sunny and bright blue as we leave the city. After a scenic drive through the beautiful, mountainous landscape of the Costa del Sol, we reach our destination: the large car park located right before the border. Although you can usually cross the border with your car, it is kind of discouraged because of the traffic jams. We park the car and walk through the customs office to cross the border.

Once in Gibraltar, an unusual experience awaits us: at a kind of railway crossing, the barriers close with a loud clang. But instead of a passing train, we have to wait for a commercial aircraft to land! After having to pass a departing plane as well, we are finally allowed to cross the runway on foot.

Even before exploring the city and the Rock, we make a pit stop at a cosy café at the marina. It’s a nice spot, right on the water. A perfect start to a perfectly sunny day.

On the way to the cable car

The main attraction of the less than seven-square-kilometre peninsula, is the Rock of Gibraltar. To explore the Rock, you first have to get on top of it. One way to do that is to take a ride on the cable car. This seems like a good idea to us: after all, it takes just six minutes to get to the top.

Fortified by the delicious cuppa at the marina, we walk through the town to the cable car station. This walk is definitely not a punishment. We surprisingly like the British-looking town with its many sparkling red telephone booths. In a large square, a big stage is rigged up. This is undoubtedly where the New Year’s Eve party will take place the next night, we imagine.

A lavishly decorated shopping street takes us past many charming shops, restaurants and terraces. It is pleasantly busy. For a moment, we consider having lunch here. But as we still have a long walk ahead of us over the ridge of the Rock, we quickly move on. Just as well, we find out a few minutes later when we arrive at the cable car. There is a long queue of people – like us – eager to climb the Rock by cable car.

Still outside the station building, shouting salesmen take advantage of the situation: they proclaim that you are much better off using their van. You will then avoid the long queue and get to the top for almost the same fare. We decide to join the queue for the cable car after all. Unfortunately, we then have to wait for over an hour before it is our turn. You can read why we are glad we took the cable car in the frequently asked questions at the bottom of this blog.

The Rock of Gibraltar

Well before we arrived at the main car park, we saw the Rock of Gibraltar towering majestically above the city. Not only from a distance but also during the cable car ride, the giant, steep monolith continues to impress us. The terminus is a restaurant with viewing tower, located just outside the nature reserve. Here we immediately get breathtaking views of the Mediterranean and neighbouring Spain. Here we also see the first Barbary macaques, Europe’s only population of wild monkeys.

Large information boards show the main sights in the nature reserve and their distances between them. Useful, as this allows us to decide what we can or cannot see given the time. We decide to walk south first and then gradually descend to the west. The first stop is ‘Skywalk’: a huge viewing platform where the glass floor is so thick it can carry 5 Asian elephants. A pleasant idea, because as soon as we get there, we see loads of tourists taking selfies. We climb the platform and stay there for a good five minutes enjoying the expansive view. If we look closely, we can even see Morocco!

The next sight we have in mind is St Michael’s Cave. According to the brochure, this huge cave is decorated with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Unfortunately, we miss a sign and thus a turn- off, so we don’t get to see the cave. However, after a delightful walk over the ridge, we do arrive at O’Hara’s Battery: a huge huge cannon from the late 19th century. Located at the highest point of the cliff, this cannon was still used during World War II. Here, we explore the excellently preserved artillery and the tunnels underneath. Definitely worth a visit!

Great Siege Tunnels

A long but beautiful walk then takes us from the south to the far north of the Rock. Wherever we look, we have beautiful views of both the town and Spain. It is already a bit later in the afternoon. The crowds we experienced earlier at the Skywalk are no longer there. We do see a few more tourist vans in traffic jams ticking off the last sights.

At the end of the Rock, we reach the Great Siege Tunnels: the tunnels carved out of the Rock in the late 18th century during the Great Siege of Gibraltar. During this siege, which lasted from 1779 to 1783, the combined forces of Spain and France tried to capture Gibraltar from the British. A team of skilled miners then began excavating the tunnels. Armed with little more than hand tools and gunpowder, they laboriously made their way through the hard rock, often in dangerous conditions.

The tunnels allowed the British to move troops and artillery unseen. And to launch surprise attacks and repel the enemy advance. The tunnels were also used to store supplies and ammunition. What makes the tunnels so remarkable is mainly the speed with which they were built.

We explore the tunnels and read the many interesting information panels. We are increasingly in awe of what people have achieved under harsh conditions! We are not the only ones in this, we read on one of the signs. After the Great Siege had completely ended, the commander of the Franco- Spanish siege was invited to dinner with British General Eliott. That was apparently how it went at the time. He was then also shown the tunnels, after which he praised their construction.

Delicious conclusion to our visit to Gibraltar

From the tunnels, we continue walking down the main road towards the city. In the process, we pass another landmark of Gibraltar: the Moorish castle. This ancient fortress dates back to the 8th century during the Moorish occupation. We think it looks interesting from the outside, so we take a look. A staircase leads inside the tower to the top. To be honest, we find the view here disappointing. Since we’ve grown hungry by now, we leave the castle sooner than planned.

On our way to the border, we arrive back at the square where a stage was set up earlier. Now technicians are doing a soundcheck. We pick a cosy-looking restaurant and go inside as it has become quite chilly by now. Here we enjoy delicious tapas and top-class hospitality. A great ending to a particularly nice day trip to Gibraltar we must conclude.

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