Long, long ago, the world was traversed by Hercules – the greatest of all heroes, who, to atone for a terrible crime, undertook twelve incredibly difficult labors. The tenth of these was to abduct the cattle of Geryon, which grazed at the very edge of the world. According to one legend, the hero not only secured the precious livestock but also stabilized the coast of the strait between Europe and Africa by placing massive, craggy rocks on both sides. To the south, this was Morocco’s Jebel Musa; to the north, the Rock of Gibraltar. The strait was called the Pillars of Hercules by the ancients and marked the edge of their known world.
Many years later, Gibraltar, along with the Rock that dominates its landscape, continues to amaze, enchant, and attract travelers curious about the world. In this article, I describe our trip to this fantastic slice of Europe, focusing on both the rich history of Gibraltar and its undeniable natural attractions. I have also included a handful of practical tips that should be useful when planning a solo trip to this Iberian piece of the United Kingdom.
Table of Contents
- Gibraltar – key information
- Gibraltar – a brief historical introduction
- Exploring Gibraltar city
- Exploring the Rock of Gibraltar
- Trip Map
Gibraltar – key information
- Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located on the Mediterranean Sea, in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. The area covers only 6.7 km² and has less than 38,000 inhabitants. The territory lies on a small promontory, bordering the Spanish city of La Línea de la Concepción to the north.
- Citizens of the European Union enter Gibraltar with an ID card or passport. In our case, border control was minimal, and the guards (on both sides) only needed a quick glance at our documents.
- Before entering Gibraltar, it is worth either turning off mobile data completely or ensuring that you have set one of the Spanish operators as your default network. Gibraltar is not part of the European Union, so roaming charges there could be painful for your wallet!
- Both the British pound (and its local variety – the Gibraltar pound) and the euro are in circulation in Gibraltar. The official language is English, but most residents are bilingual. From what I observed, Gibraltarians use both languages in everyday life, fluently switching between Spanish and English phrases (which is not surprising, given that about 10,000 Spaniards from La Línea commute to work in Gibraltar every day). I even witnessed an interesting situation where a father, taking his daughters to school, hurried them along first in one language and then in the other. Interestingly, Gibraltarians also have their own unique dialect – Llanito, which is a blend of English and the Andalusian variety of Spanish, with an admixture of Genoese, Portuguese, and Maltese influences.
- Although Gibraltar is formally a member of the United Kingdom, entering its territory does not require obtaining an ETA. Furthermore, unlike the UK, right-hand traffic applies there.
- The main attraction of Gibraltar is visiting the massive Rock of Gibraltar (426 m above sea level), which is a phenomenon in terms of both nature and history. The elevation is part of the Baetic System (Cordilleras Béticas), and its slopes are largely protected within the Gibraltar Nature Reserve. The reserve is open from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM (from May to September) and from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM (from October to April). A full-day admission costs 30 British pounds for people over 11 years old and 22 British pounds for children aged 5 to 11. Children under 5 enter for free. It is not a cheap attraction, but in my opinion, it is worth the price. We have at our disposal many hiking trails, the beautiful St. Michael’s Cave, attractive viewpoints, historical exhibitions, military tunnels, and… monkeys! You must know that Gibraltar is inhabited by Barbary macaques, accustomed to humans and eager to pose for photos. This is all the more peculiar as the small British promontory is the only place where monkeys appear on the entire European continent. Barbary macaques arrived in Gibraltar from the opposite coast, most likely during the Muslim period, and eventually developed into a quite large colony – there are currently as many as 300 of them! All this means that it is worth setting aside about 2 to 4 hours to visit the Rock of Gibraltar itself. And if someone would like to carefully view every scrap of every exhibition, let them set aside even half a day for the reserve. For a detailed description of individual Rock attractions, I invite you to the further part of the article.
- There is also a cable car running to the Rock of Gibraltar, taking tourists from the city level to a height of about 390 m above sea level (however, the cable car is currently not operating; it is scheduled to reopen in 2027).
- Most tourists arrive by car in the Spanish town of La Línea de la Concepción and then cross the border on foot. We arrived in La Línea by a rental car straight from Malaga airport. Covering 120 kilometers took us about 1.5 hours. We chose the free A-7 road running along the Mediterranean coast. An alternative is the toll motorway AP-7, which, however, allows for saving only 10 minutes on this section. Finding a free parking space in La Línea was a real challenge, but we finally managed to catch a pretty good, free option.
- Entering Gibraltar by car is possible, but it involves an extended waiting time at the border, which is inconvenient and completely unprofitable in terms of time. Longer traffic jams should be expected, especially in the morning and afternoon hours, i.e., during the period when numerous Spanish employees are commuting to and from their homes.
Gibraltar – a brief historical introduction
Early history of Gibraltar
Okay, but what actually happened that a remote promontory on the Iberian Peninsula became part of the United Kingdom? Let me explain! Due to its strategic location at the gates of the most important strait in Europe, Gibraltar has always been a tempting morsel for rulers of surrounding kingdoms.
In antiquity, the Rock was known as one of the Pillars of Hercules (specifically Mons Calpe). For the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Romans, it marked the symbolic edge of the known world, beyond which a dangerous ocean stretched. In 711, the Berber leader Tariq ibn Ziyad landed on the Rock, starting the Arab conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The very name of the place comes from his name – Jebel Tariq (Mountain of Tariq), which was distorted over time into “Gibraltar.” The most important legacy of over 700 years of Arab rule over the Rock is the Moorish Castle.
In 1462, as part of the Reconquista, the Spanish finally recaptured the fortress from the Moors and incorporated it into the Crown of Castile. Gibraltar was under Spanish rule for the next 250 years.
British Gibraltar
The political affiliation of Gibraltar only changed in 1704, when, during the War of the Spanish Succession, a combined British-Dutch fleet unexpectedly attacked and captured the poorly defended fortress. Under the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) ending the war, Spain ceded Gibraltar to Great Britain “in perpetuity.”
This does not mean, however, that the Spanish came to terms with the loss of the valuable property. Already between 1779 and 1783, taking advantage of British involvement in the American War of Independence, Spain and France launched a massive attempt to recapture the Rock. The siege lasted nearly four years and ended in a great defeat for the attackers. It was during this period that the British began to dig the famous defensive tunnels in the rock, which exist to this day.
During World War II, Gibraltar was an absolutely crucial strategic point, ensuring control over the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. In 1940, the British authorities decided that due to its location, the Rock must become a purely military fortress. Approximately 16,000 civilians were evacuated — mainly women, children, and the elderly. Men of draft age remained on site to work in the docks and serve in local defense forces. It was from here that General Eisenhower commanded, among other things, the Allied landing in North Africa (Operation Torch). In 1943, the Polish Prime Minister, Gen. Władysław Sikorski, died in a mysterious plane crash off the coast of Gibraltar.
Modern history of Gibraltar
After World War II, its former residents returned to Gibraltar (the last ones in 1951). The importance of the military base gradually declined, and tourism began to develop. The British granted the Rock autonomy, and in 1964 they even allowed the appointment of the first local government. At the same time, in 1967, Gibraltarians almost unanimously rejected joining Spain in a referendum. In response, between 1969 and 1982, the dictator of Spain, Francisco Franco, completely closed the Spanish-British border, leaving Gibraltar in total isolation. For over a decade, the Rock could only be left by sea, and the survival of its inhabitants was dependent on supplies from Morocco and Great Britain.
The re-opening of the border occurred in 1982, in connection with Spain’s efforts to join the European Communities (the precursor to the European Union). In 2002, another referendum was held in Gibraltar, in which – by a majority of 98.97% – the residents again rejected joining the Iberian neighbor.
Exploring Gibraltar city
From Malaga to Gibraltar!
We landed at Malaga airport around 4:30 PM. We rented a car on site (Goldcar rental company) and then headed towards Gibraltar. After about 2 hours of driving (counting a stop at the invaluable Mercadona), we arrived at the border town of La Línea de la Concepción, where our first accommodation was located during our Andalusian trip. We checked into a small hotel as quickly as possible and then went for an evening walk around the city. I won’t hide that our first impressions were far from ideal. La Línea de la Concepción seems like a rather poor town, and in places a bit neglected. The Rock itself, however, looks completely different – it is powerful, majestic, and electrifying. Watching it from the level of the Spanish beach, I just can’t wait for tomorrow’s sightseeing.
Gibraltar – airport and the start of sightseeing
The next day in the morning, we left the guesthouse in La Línea. After crossing the border without any problems (the guards on both sides only took a look at our documents), we checked into the territory of the United Kingdom. On the other side, information boards about the history of Gibraltar and… a London telephone booth greeted us.
From the border, we continued along Winston Churchill Avenue, which leads directly across the runway of the Gibraltar airport – the crossing is closed every time a plane lands at the port. Currently, the road is only available to pedestrians, but until 2023 cars drove here. This only changed after the construction of a tunnel under the runway – the Kingsway Tunnel.
The Gibraltar airport was built between 1936-1939 for military purposes, in a place where a horse racing track had previously existed. To fit a long runway on a narrow isthmus, the British decided to reclaim land, i.e., fill in artificial land in the Bay of Algeciras. Rock material that came from… the interior of the Rock of Gibraltar itself was used to fill in the sea and extend the runway. At the same time, the British were digging a gigantic network of military tunnels and bunkers inside it – all the spoil from these detonations went straight into the water, forming the foundation for the runway. Fascynujące, prawda? Today, the airport serves not only the military but also civilians. Gibraltar receives about five planes a day, all from Great Britain (most often from London and Manchester). If you think that’s not much, just think that it’s still more than Warsaw-Radom Airport ;).
After crossing the runway, we entered a residential area composed of elegant, modern apartment buildings. Many buildings look newly commissioned; others are still under construction. It’s no wonder, since the British military base has been vigorously developing its tourism offer for many years.
Walking through the Old Town
After a few hundred meters, we passed through a massive gate that led us out to the representative Grand Casemates Square. The word “casemates” refers to the powerful, fortified barracks and military warehouses that close the square from the north. This building was erected by the British in the early 19th century in such a way that it was completely resistant to artillery fire and bombing. Grand Casemates Square was once a parade ground where drills, parades, and reviews of British units took place. Currently, in the former massive walls of the barracks, there are numerous pubs, restaurants, cafes, and craft shops.
After passing the square, we began a walk along the most representative promenade of Gibraltar – Main Street. The street is densely dotted with shops offering luxury perfumes, jewelry, watches, electronics, as well as alcohol and tobacco. VAT does not apply in Gibraltar, so at least some of the goods sold here can be snatched at a really favorable price. The most interesting part of the walk, however, is… the ubiquitous British atmosphere. Not very original? Perhaps! I have to admit, however, that before arriving in Gibraltar, I assumed that apart from the Union Jack waving over the houses, the city would have a more “Spanish” than “British” character. As it turns out – I was very wrong! Architecture, shop windows, red telephone booths, color palette – all this resembles England to an uncanny degree!
During our trek along Main Street, we pass John Mackintosh Square – the most important square in Gibraltar, laid out back during the period of Spanish rule over the city. Two representative edifices catch the eye, both erected in the 19th century – the City Hall and the home of the local Parliament. Further down Main Street, there are two significant places of worship – the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned (15th century) and the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (19th century). Reaching the second of these sites requires a slight detour from the main street – onto Cathedral Square. Another interesting building on Main Street is the former Franciscan convent from 1531, which since 1728 has served as the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar (the direct representative of the King of Great Britain).
Our walk along Main Street comes to an end at Southport Gates. After crossing the gate, on the left side, we enter the grounds of the small Trafalgar Cemetery, which was active at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The name of the necropolis refers to the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), in which the British fleet smashed the Napoleonic forces. Interestingly, however, only two people buried in the cemetery actually took part in the famous battle. The majority of the deceased are victims of yellow fever epidemics.
Botanic Gardens and Europa Point
After leaving the Old Town, we turn left into Europa Road, continuing towards the Europa Point promontory. Along the way, we drop by the beautiful Botanic Gardens, established at the beginning of the 19th century as a recreational space for the soldiers stationed here. The park specializes in species native to Mediterranean climate zones (California, Australia, South Africa, the Canary Islands). There you can see impressive dragon trees (some are up to 300 years old), hibiscuses, palms, and pelargoniums, which thrive perfectly in the Gibraltarian climate.
A dozen or so minutes of further walking and we reach the southernmost tip of Gibraltar – Europa Point. The site offers a picturesque view of the Rock, the mixing waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and the mountains of Morocco on the opposite coast. Located on the promontory is a distinctive lighthouse, erected in 1841 and casting light to a distance of 27 meters. There is also a Polish accent, namely a monument commemorating the 1943 air crash in which Gen. Władysław Sikorski died. Apart from that, Europa Point draws attention with a multi-purpose stadium and… a mosque, erected in 1997 as a gift to the local Muslim community from the King of Saudi Arabia.
Exploring the Gibraltarian Old Town along with Europa Point takes us about 2.5 hours. More than we had planned, but the town turned out to be more interesting than we originally assumed ;).
Exploring the Rock of Gibraltar
Ascending the Rock of Gibraltar and hiking its paths
After seeing Europa Point, the time came for the main attraction of Gibraltar – exploring the Rock and the Gibraltar Nature Reserve spread across its slopes. Initially, we plan to go around the Rock from the eastern side and ascend it via the famous Mediterranean Steps. To this end, we follow Europa Advance Road, scenically squeezed between the rocky slope and the sea line. However, we quickly run into a pedestrian prohibition, which forces us to look at the map again. We come to the conclusion that we will not reach the steps this way, and the only optimal method to enter the reserve grounds is to use the southern entrance, the so-called Pillars of Hercules. For clarity, let me add that apart from the mentioned options, you can also head up the Rock from the northern side – near the Moorish Castle (which is how we will leave the reserve). To actually get to the Mediterranean Steps, however, you really have to go around the Rock, but Martin’s Path serves this purpose, branching off from the mentioned entrance at the Pillars of Hercules and traversing the slope at a height of about 200 m a.s.l.
The trek from the vicinity of Europa Point to the Pillars of Hercules takes us about a few dozen minutes, during which we gain over 100 meters of elevation change. We buy the entry tickets (at 30 pounds a head) and enter the reserve. It quickly turns out that most of the roads within the Rock of Gibraltar are actually very narrow, yet paved streets. During the visit, alertness must be maintained, as small minibuses drive along the roads, shuttling tourists around the reserve’s main attractions. Fortunately, besides the asphalt roads, you can also find slightly more atmospheric trails on the Rock of Gibraltar, running right through the dense Mediterranean macchia. We stumble upon one of these paths within a few dozen minutes of entering the reserve. It leads us to one of the Rock’s most important attractions, namely St. Michael’s Cave.
St. Michael’s Cave
St. Michael’s Cave is a beautiful karst cave (meaning one formed as a result of karstification – the dissolution of limestone rocks by groundwater). The entrance is located at an altitude of about 300 m a.s.l., and its depth reaches up to 62 meters. The cave consists of two larger chambers and an extensive network of tunnels. Inside, a multitude of stalagmites and stalactites can be admired, arranging themselves into amazing, fanciful patterns. All of this is illuminated in such a way that the cave makes a truly great impression on me. The rock formation in the shape of an angel, located in the first of the open chambers, is especially beautifully showcased. In the second chamber, an auditorium for over 100 people has been arranged for organizing various celebrations and cultural events.
O’Hara’s Battery – the highest point of the Rock
From St. Michael’s Cave, we walk directly up to O’Hara’s Battery. The structure is located in close proximity to the highest point of the Rock of Gibraltar, situated at an altitude of about 426 m a.s.l. During the walk to the battery, we pass a closed gate to the British military zone – it seems Gibraltar is now mainly about tourism, but something of the original purpose still remains. Reaching O’Hara takes us a dozen or so minutes and requires conquering over 100 meters of elevation difference. On site, it turns out that the battery has been opened for visitors, and inside there is a colorful exhibition showing the daily life of the soldiers serving here. The main task of the monstrous cannon was to control ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar, and projectiles fired from here reached targets up to 30 kilometers away. In short – it was a huge and terrible killing machine.
At O’Hara’s Battery, there is a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the Rock, the boundless waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and the stretch of the Spanish coast. Since it is really pleasant here, we take a short break, absorbing the panoramas, staying hydrated, and snapping dozens of photos. Another advantage of this place is the lack of crowds – as if people don’t fully know that such a charming little spot exists right at the top of the Rock.
Alternatively, O’Hara can also be reached from the western side – via the so-called Mediterranean Steps. These are steps carved directly into the rock by British soldiers for communication purposes. Choosing this method to conquer the highest point of the Rock must certainly be a fascinating experience, but also quite intense conditioning-wise (the route requires tackling nearly 300 meters of elevation change over a distance of 700 meters).
In the kingdom of macaques!
During the descent from O’Hara’s battery, we branch off to the right – onto Douglas Path. The path tracks the eastern slope of the Rock, running amidst the remnants of old military infrastructure and offering gorgeous panoramas of the city, port, and bay. After several dozen minutes of marching, the route brings us out to the famous Sky Walk, a glass-bottomed viewing terrace. This spot is also very charming, but already significantly more crowded than the point near O’Hara’s battery.
From the Sky Walk, we descend onto the asphalted St Michael Road, where we encounter an absolute armageddon. On the narrow street, over a dozen minibuses packed with tourists are crowded together. Drivers are honking, people are swarming between them, and jumping on the roofs of the vehicles are… monkeys – the famous Gibraltarian Barbary macaques! Okay, but where did these charming animals come from on the Rock in the first place? In truth, it’s not known… Some believe that the macaques arrived in Gibraltar along with the Moors in the 8th century; others – that the monkeys have always been here, and the Rock is the last site of their natural occurrence in Europe. Still others think the animals got here along with the British (which is actually the least likely). However, the English like such stories, so they quickly made up a tale according to which Gibraltar will remain in the United Kingdom for as long as the last macaque lives on the Rock. The islanders believe this to such an extent that the monkeys were placed under special protection as early as World War II. Today, the monkey population is closely monitored, which is why it is known that about 300 individuals live here in five separate troops. The macaques are highly habituated to tourists and willingly pose for pictures, but they are still wild animals and can be aggressive. Furthermore, these monkeys perfectly sense a lack of vigilance, capable of plucking a tasty snack from the backpack or pocket of an astonished tourist in the blink of an eye. So you know – you can (and indeed should!) be delighted, but you have to maintain an increased level of concentration in their presence.
Scenic descent over the Windsor Suspension Bridge
From St Michael Road, we descend down beautiful steps, once again enjoying the fantastic view of the city, port, and bay. Macaques are still everywhere – sitting as if it were nothing on the shaded steps, completely ignoring the tourists passing right by them. Sometimes this is actually quite stressful. The animals sit across the entire width of the step in such a way that we frequently have to place our feet almost right next to their fur. Any “come on, budge over!” unfortunately doesn’t help ;).
Being about 150 meters below the Sky Walk, we take the opportunity and branch left, wishing to see another of Gibraltar’s attractions. In this way, after a moment we reach the Windsor Suspension Bridge – an approx. 70-meter suspension bridge slung between two former batteries. The view from this place is also very pretty, but, truthfully speaking, not overly differing from the one offered by the rest of the previously described points. So we return to Old Queen’s Road and begin a longer, approx. 2-kilometer trek towards the military tunnels.
Gibraltar tunnels and the Moorish Castle
After a several dozen minutes of walking along the asphalted road, we arrive at the northern part of the Rock – at Princess Caroline’s Battery. I won’t hide that despite good conditioning, at this stage of the sightseeing we are already beginning to feel fatigue from the hours of exploring and the punishing sun. Perhaps that is why we don’t even notice that this battery too has been opened to visitors. Located there is the Military Heritage Centre, where you can see military exhibits dating from the 18th century to modern times, including weapons and projectiles. Next to the battery is a viewpoint offering a panorama over part of the city, the airport, and nearby La Línea.
We head upwards, however, towards another of the military exhibits – the “Great Siege Tunnels“. As the name itself suggests, the route leads through tunnels which the British began digging during the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779-1783), at a time when the combined Spanish-French forces unsuccessfully tried to capture the Rock. During the walk, we pass through massive chambers that once housed ammunition stores, barracks, field hospitals… A true rock city…
On the northern side of the Rock, we view yet another military exhibition – the World War II Tunnels. The exhibition tells the story of the modern history of Gibraltar, housed in a fragment of a vast grid of tunnels carved directly into the rock during World War II (the entire network measures over 50 km!). Those interested can walk for even a few dozen minutes (back and forth) through one of these long, military corridors.
As we leave the reserve, we pass another small exhibition, “City Under Siege,” about the daily life of soldiers during the siege. Besides that, we also spot the tower of the Moorish Castle, the construction of which was begun by the city’s Muslim founders in the 8th century AD (currently closed to visitors). After exiting the reserve area, we descend for a few more minutes to the city center. In this way, we reach Main Street, from where we set off on the return journey to Spain.
I must admit that Gibraltar not only met my expectations, but even significantly exceeded them. I didn’t think that both the historical and natural merits of this place would become so interesting and gripping to me. In total, we spent about 7 hours in Gibraltar, which translated into about 3 hours in the city and about 4 on the Rock itself. It was truly great, I recommend it with all my heart!
Trip date: June 3, 2026
Trip statistics: 21.80 km; 700 meters of elevation difference
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