Gibraltar

Gibraltar [1], colloquially known as The Rock, is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom on the southern coast of Spain at the entrance to the Mediterranean sea. The people are British Citizens.

Culture and History

This is a unique place for the curious traveller. Take time to explore the caves and tunnels especially those not meant for tourists!

The inside of the rock is an absolute labyrinth with the secret internal roads and tunnels 4 times longer than those on the surface.

Military presence and security in this otherwise deserted area is strong but almost invisible.

History

In Greek mythology Gibraltar was Calpe, one of the Pillars of Hercules, which marked the edge of the Mediterranean and the known world.

In 711 Tariq ibn Ziyad, the Muslim governor of Tangier, landed at Gibraltar to launch the Islamic invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. The Rock took his name - Jabal Tariq (Mountain of Tariq) eventually became Gibraltar.

Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. The topmost part of the Rock is still a British military installation, and off-limits to the public.

In referendums held in 1967 and 2002, the 27,800 Gibraltarians (2004 figure) ignored foreign pressure and voted overwhelmingly to reject any involvment by Spain in their government. On June 10th 2004, citizens of Gibraltar voted for the first time in the UK MEP (Member of the European Parliament) elections, as part of the South West constituency.

Respect

Remember that Gibraltar is British.

People from Gibraltar refer to themselves as Gibraltarian or 'Llanito' pronounced Ya-ni-to. They are easily offended if referred to as Spanish and they are very proud to be British Citizens. Remember that Gibraltar has been British longer than the USA has existed for example. Take an interest in why they feel British, but never point out anything that you may think link them to Spain. Some Gibraltarians also feel sensitive to the use of the term 'colony' for their territory due to its connotations of being ruled or lacking in self-government.

Although the popular view is that the Spanish Government are the cause of many problems concerning Gibraltar, there is no animosity to individuals and Spanish tourists and workers experience no problems. Recent airport ageements have opened up the relationship Gibraltar has with Spain.

Talk

Gibraltar residents speak English and Spanish (with a local dialect).

The term gibberish came from the llanito habit of randomly alternating between English and Spanish words all the way through a sentence. New words appear at random and spread quickly through the tight-knit community, then disappear just as fast. The language of choice at any fast food joint is Spanish, as fast food joints tend to employ cheap Spanish workers from across the border. Everyone else is bilingual.

Travel to Gibraltar - Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Gibraltar

Gibraltar airport has daily scheduled flights to and from London-Gatwick (LGW) (British Airways and EasyJet) and London-Luton (LTN) (Monarch Airlines) in the UK. There were non-stop flights from Madrid-Barajas (MAD) (Iberia) but due to lack of passengers this flight was removed from schedules on September 2008.

As of Sunday 30th of March, easyJet will commence their scheduled service to The Rock with two daily flights arriving from and departing for London Gatwick since their takeover of GB Airways (the British Airways franchise). The flights arrive from London at 10:50 and 18:45 respectively and prices start from £17.99 single, including taxes and charges. From this point on, a reduced British Airways service will be available, operating just one flight a day to and from Gatwick. Flight schedules will vary depending on season / time of year.

With the introduction of easyJet's operation from Gibraltar, together with the governments planned airport expansion, it opens the door for new routes from Gibraltar to cities such as Berlin, Paris and possibly New York. Private jets are reported to have reached as far as Miami (Florida, USA) direct from Gibraltar Airport.

The most popular alternative airport for Gibraltar is Malaga Airport in Spain, some 120 km to the East, which offers a wide range of destinations. Jerez Airport is normally the second choice, despite being closer to Gibraltar.

Flights are also available from the African side of the Mediterranean. Specifically, twenty minute short haul flights are available from Agadir in Morocco.

By car

Queues at the border may make it less time-consuming to park cars in La Línea and walk across. This also has the advantage of avoiding Gibraltar's complex one way system and badly signposted streets. The land border is open 24 hours a day, though expect delays when planes are landing - the only road into Gibraltar runs right across the airport runway!

However, once the airport expansion is complete, traffic (except buses) will be diverted around to the east side of the runway to ease overall traffic congestion.

Motorists, and on occasion pedestrians, crossing the border with Spain have been subjected to long delays and searches by the Spanish authorities. Spain has closed the border during disputes or incidents involving the Gibraltar authorities, such as the Aurora cruise ship incident and when fishermen from the Spanish fishing vessel Pirana were arrested for illegal fishing in Gibraltar waters. [2]

Buses to Gibraltar

Buses from Spain stop just short of Gibraltar in La Línea, but its bus station is only 3 minutes walk from the border.

After walking across the border, you can get the number 9 bus to the centre of Gibraltar, or the number 3 bus to Europa Point. Both buses depart every 15 minutes on weekdays, and every half hour on weekends. Buses run from 6.30am to 9pm Monday - Friday, 7am - 9pm Saturday, and 8am - 9pm on Sundays. Trips are just 60p, no matter how far you travel.

Alternatively, it's only a 10 minutes walk (across the runway and through a tunnel under the city walls) from the border to the main Casemates Square.

At La Línea there are regular buses to and from Seville, Malaga, Cadiz, Granada and hourly to Algeciras

From Algeciras you can get the bus to Gibraltar. When you walk out from the harbour (with ferries), turn left, walk along the main street for about 100m and then turn right. Continue about 200m along this street to the small building with railroads. There is a small sign for the bus stop. This bus can get you to La Línea for about 1.6 euro and it goes every 30 minutes during the day. You will arrive at the bus station about 500m from the border with Gibraltar. In the summer it can take up to 2 hours to cross the border- air conditioning is recommended! But after all it is worth it! HAVE FUN. Tarifa beach is the best place to go for surfing and bodyboarding.

Current info for Malaga bus station: Estación de Autobuses de Málaga [3]

By boat

When the frontier was closed, there was a ferry service from Gibraltar to Morocco. Although there may be an occasional passenger service geared up to the Moroccan workers in Gibraltar, who have problems crossing the frontier, the Gibraltar ferry has ceased and the nearest service is from Algeciras in Spain. These ferries accommodate cars.

Cruise ships often include Gibraltar as part of their itinerary.

Gibraltar receives a large number of visits from cruise ships, and the strait of Gibraltar is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

Passenger and cargo ships anchor in the port of Gibraltar. Also, a daily ferry links Gibraltar with Tangier, Morocco.

By train

There is no train service to Gibraltar.

Tours and Getting around Gibraltar

Gibraltar is less than 7 square kilometres, so most of it can be seen on foot. Bear in mind, though, that some of the roads (especially up to the Upper Rock) are very steep. Taxis will take the strain out of the climbs, and all the taxi drivers seem to know all the apes by name. There is a (number 3) bus service that runs from the frontier, through the town and on to Europa Point.

Gibraltar tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Europa Point - where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and from which the coast of Africa can be seen

• Upper Rock - military installation, and nature reserve where the famous apes live (Barbary macaques)

• St Michael's Cave - an impressive natural grotto used by the neolithic inhabitants of the Rock

• Siege Tunnels - a system of tunnels dug during the Great Siege which acted as a defence system

• Dolphin Watching - short trips in the bay (several times a day) - there are plenty of playful dolphins to see

• Gibraltar Museum

• The Mediterranian Steps - for those not afraid of walking (and with a head for heights), this is a walk that starts at Jew's Gate bird observatory (at the end of Engineer Road) and winds it's way up the East side of the rock to the top. The views are fantastic, and the path underwent renovation work in 2007, so is less treacherous than it has been in the past. If you don't fancy the uphill struggle, you can always get the cable car up and then come down this way.

Cable cars run from 9.30am until 5.45pm to the Upper Rock. A "cable car and apes" ticket costs £8 return, while a ticket including entrance to St. Michael's Cave and the Siege Tunnels costs £16. Entrance to each sight costs £8 without this ticket. Alternatively, a 'Taxi-Tour' (typically for 8 people in an MPV) will cost £16 for a 1.5 hr tour, and this includes the fees for entry to the Cave, tunnels and upper rock.

Gibraltar souvenirs and shopping

Gibraltar uses the Gibraltar Pound with coins and notes issued by the Government of Gibraltar.

The currency is pegged to the UK pound sterling at a 1:1 conversion rate (one UK pound equals one Gibraltar pound). The UK pound can be used freely in Gibraltar, so there is no need to convert UK pounds to Gibraltar pounds. However, Gibraltarian notes and coins are not legal tender in the UK.

Most shops will accept Euros and US dollars. Bear in mind that shops will generally give you a more expensive rate of exchange than the numerous exchange offices and generally won't accept small change.

Government departments and the Post Office will only take Gibraltar and UK pounds.

Gibraltar Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

If you like to sit outside and watch the world go by, head for Casemates Square [4] where a number of pubs & restaurants serve fairly similar meals, with the exception of Cafe Solo which serves good Italian food.

Irish Town, [5] the road which runs parallel to Main Street [6] has a number of bars, like The Clipper which has good food, friendly staff, and satellite television. They serve a hearty English breakfast. There is also Corks which serves more substantial lunches.

If you fancy dining waterside the marinas are worth a visit. [7]

Queensway Quay [8] is home to The Waterfront, which serves a good quality, if somewhat eclectic menu which ranges from steak to high quality local fish and Indian food. Casa Pepe's, on the other side of the marina is probably Gibraltar's best restaurant, but is also by far the most expensive.

Marina Bay [9] is home to several restaurants. Bianca's and Charlie's Tavern at Marina Bay are worth a visit, the former being very well known for its busy ambience. Marina Bay has recently also become home to Gibraltar's first Mexican restaurant.

Ocean Village [10], Gibraltar's newest marina, is an extension to Marina Bay. It is home to several new pubs and restaurants, including a Chinese, and an Indian.

Drink Games and Entertainment

Best night to go out is probably on a Friday evening from 11pm onwards. There are also Summer nights from 7pm on a Tue and Thurs.

The Lord Nelson on Casemates Square is one of the more popular pubs in Gibraltar.

Take a walk down Main Street or Irish Town for plenty more action...

Some other good venues include: The Clipper, Star Bar, The Horseshoe Bar, The Underground and The Captains Cabin

Pool - 8 Ball & Amercian Pool

The Three Owls [11], [12] 3 floors of games and entertainment offering double spirits and mixer promotions every night and 2 hours on student nights. Check out the Three Owls Fan Club on Facebook: [13].

• Bottom Bar has 1 8-ball table and 3 games machines.
• Hoots (2nd Floor) has 2 8-ball tables and a games machine.
• The Nest (3rd Floor) has an Amercian Pool table (Only 20p a game) and 2 games machines.

Google Map for Irish Town Gibraltar [14].

Gibraltar cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Budget Options

• Toc H hostel, Line Wall road, to the left at the wall. A very scruffy eccentric place built like a pile of garden sheds piled upon each other round a pretty garden full of stinking flea-ridden cats. It's the cheapest option at £6 a night or £25 a week, but keep your head down!

• Miss Seruya's Guest House in Irish Town is a little dearer but even crazier! Still just about better than one of the many caves.

• Emile Youth Hostel, Montagu Bastion, Line Wall Road(Centrally located just off Casemates Square), ☎ +350 51106 / +350 57686000(emilehostel@yahoo.co.uk, fax: +350 51106), [15]. checkout: 10:30. A family-run hostel with basic shared rooms for £15 or 25 eruos, though the dad only wanted 20 euros. including continental breakfast consiting of two pices of toast and jam.It should be noted that the kitchen is not for guests use. Certainly not the best,but closest thing to the border.£15.  

• The Cannon Hotel, 9 Cannon Lane, just off the middle of Main Street, [16]. Single room and breadkfast for £24.50.

• The Queens Hotel, Boyd Street, is located at the south entrance to Main Street, [17]. Marketing themselves as "Gibraltar's 'only' Budget Hotel" (not what category they'd put the Cannon in), a single room starts at £50 per night.

Luxury Options

• The Bristol Hotel , Cathedral Square, [18] near the south end of Main Street.

• The Elliot Hotel, Governor's Parade, [19] is just off Main Street, located roughly half-way between the Cannon, and The Queens. Good location and good quality.

• The Rock Hotel, Europa Road, [20] located approximately 400 metres south of the Entrance to Main Street, up a fairly steep hill, the Rock Hotel isn't as central as some of the others mentioned here, but has great views of the bay. It's one of the more expensive hotels in Gibraltar.

• The Caleta Hotel, Catalan Bay, [21] on the opposite side of the rock, is about a 2 miles by road from the town centre. The upside to this is a quiet relaxing atmosphere, that you're unlikely to get in the Town Centre.

Contact

Phone

Gibraltar's international telephone code is +350. Spain finally recognized this code in 2007 and the old domestic (Spanish) code of 9567 was discontinued, making calls from Spain into Gibraltar in sync with the rest of the world. Another indirect consequence of this was that all landline numbers in Gibraltar have been prefixed with 200 in October 2008, making all numbers 8-digit long now. If you come across with a 5-digit number, just prefix it with 200 (and, of course, with the country code prior to that if you are calling from out of Gibraltar). Mobile phone numbers have not been effected by this change, however.

The prefix to dial prior to country code for international calls is 00 in Gibraltar.

Internet

Free wireless is available in the following places:

• Fresh - a cafe/bar just down through the archway when leaving the main square towards the bus stops.
• The Gibraltar Arms - about half way down the main street.
• The Lord Nelson - just by the tunnel exiting the main square.

Stay safe

Gibraltar has a low crime rate and a large and efficient police force modelled on the British system to ensure it stays that way.

Stay healthy

Medical treatment

Gibraltar is part of the European Health Insurance Scheme and has a health service similar to the United Kingdom, with a modern Hospital. If you are from a participating country, your EHIC card will entitle you to full free emergency medical treatment. For more information see this wikipedia article: [22]

Apes

Tourists should be aware that the apes are wild animals and do bite. It is therefore advisable not to feed the apes, despite encouragement from irresponsible taxi drivers. Never try to pick up a baby ape - it's mother will not be happy, and neither will you. If you are bitten by an ape, you will require hospital treatment, but the apes are rabies-free.

Get out

This page was last edited by Wikitravel user Vidimian. Based on work by Paul Kilfoil, Wikitravel user(s) AnonyLog, Texugo, Linucks and SalmonDoubt, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license