ahoyne9On July 2nd, 2023, Katy and I found ourselves with an unexpected change of plans. Our ferry to Morocco from Algeciras was cancelled, so we decided to explore Gibraltar instead.
The drive from Algeciras to Gibraltar takes just 20 minutes, leading us to La Linea de la Concepcion, a Spanish city near the border where we parked for €5 for the day. From there, it’s a straightforward border crossing with efficient customs control. Found the parking using Parkopedia App.
Upon arriving at Gibraltar from Spain, you’ll walk through a straightforward customs process. The border crossing is generally quick, thanks to Gibraltar’s efficient border control. Once you’ve cleared customs, Gibraltar offers a range of exciting tourist options. You can visit the iconic Rock of Gibraltar, which provides panoramic views and a chance to see the famous monkey’s “Barbary macaques”. The historic St. Michael’s Cave and the Great Siege Tunnels are also popular attractions, offering insight into the region’s rich military history. There are three options for booking tours, we did the basic which is just 1.5 hours. They drive you to the main attractions and then once at the top you walk back down to the main city center. The cost was £35 per person.
The journey begins at the Pillar of Hercules, a great place to overlook the Straits of Gibraltar. The term “Pillar of Hercules” originates from ancient Greek and Roman myths, which depicted Hercules propping up the heavens between the Rock of Gibraltar and Jebel Musa. This iconic spot marks the entrance to the Gibraltar Nature Reserve.
Next stop up was the St. Michael’s Cave, a striking natural wonder adorned with impressive stalactites and stalagmites. This limestone cave has been shaped over millennia by the forces of nature. Historically, it has served various purposes, including as a venue for performances and events due to its impressive acoustics. The lights inside the cave are really neat and bring out the shapes of the cave.
Next, ascend to the Top of the Rock. This did require a little bit of hiking up some stairs, which allows you to go higher or you can experience the exhilarating Skywalk. After the skywalk before we got back in the shuttle we had a chance to hangout with some of the Barbary macaques. These friendly, free-ranging primates are Europe’s only wild monkeys. The monkeys are originally form North Africa, our guide had told us they were brought over during the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779-1783), but when I looked this up this seemed to be debated. Its possible they just came over on ships and stayed.
The last part of the tour was through the Great Siege Tunnels, an extraordinary 18th-century engineering marvel. Carved into solid limestone during a four-year siege, these tunnels were strategically constructed to defend against enemy forces.
After a walk through Gibraltar’s city center, we headed back to Algeciras as many shops were closed on Sunday. Tomorrow, we’ll drive to Malaga and then fly directly to Barcelona to wrap up our trip. Cheers!