Gibraltar, UK | Discover the Rock

ABOUT THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR The British colony of Gibraltar, known throughout the world as The Rock, is one of the most picturesque locations in the world. However, The Rock, (which curiously - is used by an insurance company for its marketing program) isn't as solid as we think. When you visit you will find this great limestone monolith is riddled with holes created from former gun emplacements, along with an extraordinary honeycomb of natural caves, chambers and man-made tunnel systems. The importance of Gibraltar's geographic position, guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea has been the site of countless battles for its control. If you're tired of visiting castles and cathedrals this unusual and interesting destination will be a welcome relief.

Today, Gibraltar is a top tourist destination. A trip to the summit of The Rock is spectacular, as are visits to the Gibraltar Museum, St. Michael's Caves, and the Moorish Castle. The city is not particularly known for its nightlife, but great duty-free deals can be found on Main Street, and an evening stroll down this pedestrian thoroughfare is a delightfully romantic way to end the day in this historic stretch of land.

GEOGRAPHY

Although actually a peninsula, Gibraltar is more of an island, politically. Despite its imposing appearance visible from up to some 60 miles away, Gibraltar is small, measuring less than 6 square miles in total, yet it crams an extraordinary amount of history, culture, color and life into this minuscule area. This is the only place in the world where you can see two seas and two continents at the same time. On one side there is the Bay of Algeciras and on the other the Mediterranean Sea. The eastern side is made up of sheer cliffs, reaching a maximum altitude of 426 m with sandy beaches forming the perimeter. The western slopes are gentler and much of its lower half is taken up by the city, with the upper parts having been made into a natural reserve.

La Linea de la Concepcion, part of the county of Cadiz, Spain, is the gateway to Gibraltar across an isthmus, a sandy one-mile long neck of land. This link that connects Spain to the north is also an airstrip. Yet the region of Gibraltar belongs to see the United Kingdom. The foot of Rock is a densely populated city area, home to almost 30,000 Gibraltarians and other nationalities.

HISTORY

With its strategic setting, Gibraltar has an illustrious military history and remnants of its martial past are everywhere. The Moors seized Gibraltar in 711 and controlled Gibraltar for over 700 years, until Spain retook possession in 1462. Spanish rule over this important strip of land lasted until 1704, and in 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht officially granted the land to the United Kingdom. To this day, Gibraltar remains a colony of Britain. Thus, the pound is the official currency, and Elizabeth II reigns supreme, much to the dismay of Spain.

Former gun emplacement holes in the rock

CULTURE

Cultures collide at The Strait is Gibraltar where seas, continents, and cultures intermingle. It's here that Islam and Christendom come together like cultural tectonic plates. Gibraltar reflects Gibraltarians' diverse origins. While there are strong Spanish and British influences, the ethnic origins of most Gibraltarians are neither British or Spanish, they mainly include Genoese and Maltese, lovely people who all live in racial and religious harmony. People from Gibraltar referred to themselves as Gibraltarians or "Llanito pronounced Ya-ni-to.

The official Gibraltar Language is English and used in many places such as schools, government, and media. But many of the people of Gibraltar are bi-lingual and so they can speak both English and Spanish with the same fluency. Another language spoken in Gibraltar is the major vernacular language of Llanito. Arabic is spoken by the minority of people belonging to North Africa and Morocco. There were 961 Moroccans at Gibraltar as per the estimation done in the year 2001. (Interesting side note: It is said that the term "Gibberish" came from the English-speaking people when they could not understand the Gibraltarians habit of changing between Spanish and English in their sentences.)

ECONOMY

Gibraltar is self-sufficient, benefiting from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), each contributes from 25% to 30% of GDP. Today, the British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes only about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%.

CURRENCY

The Gibraltar pound (currency sign: £; banking code: GIP) is the currency of Gibraltar. It is exchangeable with the UK pound sterling at par value. Both are interchangeable in Gibraltar. It is best to pay in sterling when in Gibraltar. Go to the exchange shops on Main Street. They have rates as good as the banks and they do not charge commission. You may also obtain currency at any ATMs located throughout Gibraltar but be aware that no one will exchange coins outside of Gibraltar, so make sure you spend them or exchange them before departing the port.

WEATHER

Gibraltar enjoys excellent Mediterranean weather but may get a bit of rain in the fall and winter months. Also, a phenomenon known as "Levanter" clouds may cover the Rock making it difficult to see it-- (and--from it). Cruising into Gibraltar is impressive when out of the fog The Rock suddenly appears.

INFORMATION and FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED PERSON

Parking - Attractions (Accessible and Difficult) - Accommodations

Local tour companies who offer disabled access

Information Courtesy of Gibraltar Tourist Board - Updated May 2011