What to See and Do in Gibraltar, Gibraltar, Gibraltar

The vast majority of visitors to Gibraltar come as day trippers, either on cruise ships or across the Spanish border. A quick tour around the sights, and perhaps a drink and a bit of duty free shopping before heading off back to the ship or the holiday resort. But there is plenty to see and do in Gibraltar if you want to stay a little longer.

For me, it was a return visit. I was last here during my student days, when the border with Spain was still closed, and the Rock was dominated by British military personnel. This time I went in search of a bit of winter sun, and to see what had changed.

For most visitors the main attraction is the Rock and its famous colony of macaque monkeys. If you take the cable car in both directions you could easily see them in a couple of hours, but there is much more to the Rock than this. The whole of the Upper Rock is a nature reserve, covered in Mediterranean trees and plants, with an abundant bird population. It is criss-crossed with hiking trails, and a little way from the top is the spectacular St Michael’s Cave.

If you’re interested in military history (which I’m not!) you could spend days exploring the sites of sieges and military operations from the earliest times. Gibraltar has always been of vital strategic importance and you’ll find batteries, cannons and military installations all over the Rock and the town. You can visit the Great Siege Tunnels, a massive defence system constructed in the 18th century and used again during World War II. And there are military cemeteries, most notably the Trafalgar Cemetery, the resting place of some of those who died at the Battle of Trafalgar. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).