Gibraltar

About the city

The city's main income comes from tourism. About 7 million tourists visit Gibraltar every year. Another significant part of the income are financial services. Reputedly, the number of companies registered in the city exceeds the number of its inhabitants. Even though Gibraltar is not a large city, it has many interesting sites to offer. The most sought-after and the largest beach is the Eastern Beach . For sports fans, there is a football field with an athletic track and tennis courts. It is best to visit the city in May as it is not so hot there at the time, everything is in bloom and there is an omnipresent pleasant smell. For paying, you can use Gibraltarian pounds and British pounds, as well as euro with few exceptions.

Glances into history

Gibraltar has a very strategic position. It overlooks the passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The area of today's city has been inhabited since the Stone Age. It was in this area, not far from the city- in the mine Forbes, that the first skull of the Neanderthal species was found in 1848, even before the famous excavation in the German Neanderthal. There are records of Gibraltar in Phoenician, Carthagian and Roman sources.

Tourist attractions

The most popular tourist attraction in the city Gibraltar is the flat rock Europa Point , which offers a view of the north-African coast in favorable weather conditions. The rock represented one of the Pillars of Heracles in the Middle Ages. Other places of interest include the nearby lighthouse , which was first lit up in 1841, the Ibrahim al Ibrahim Mosque and the Roman Catholic Virgin Mary Temple. The main square is the Casemates Square. A nature attraction definitely worth seeing is the St Michael's Cave , which is a part of a large limestone cave complex. You also should not miss the botanic garden founded in 1816, the Upper Rock Nature Reserve and the local waterfall. Another sought-after tourist destination is the Moorish Castle and the old local military bunkers. You may make a pleasant trip by the cableway up to the rock above the city, where you will get an intriguing view of the whole Gibraltar.

Monkeys in Gibraltar

Groups of a monkey species called the Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus) wander along the access road to the cave complex and other places with large groups of tourists. The monkeys got there from north Africa during maritime expeditions. They are the only monkey species not living in captivity in Europe. The local government sees to the protection of those apes. There is a legend saying that as long as Gibraltar is British, the Barbary Macaques will live there.

Tourist services

Gibraltar offers a wide range of accommodation. There are many shops and restaurants that attract the visitors to local specialties, which are an unusual mix of Arabian and European cuisine. There are many outdoor restaurants at the Casemates Square. You will get a good meal at e.g. the Edinburgh Arms Restaurant, which is to be the southmost restaurant in Europe, or in the Star Bar, which is the oldest bar in Gibraltar. Night life lovers should visit the renowned Irish Quarter full of typical Irish pubs.

Transport

Gibraltar is accessible by car, bus, plane or ship. The international airport is situated in the area of the city. It is unique by the fact that cars of the local inhabitants and tourists commonly pass through it. By car, it is best to take the motorway A-7 (E-15) , which passes near Gibraltar. There is a big port for the ships. The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the busiest maritime routes in the world. There are regular bus links to Gibraltar from e.g. Seville , Málaga , Cádiz , Granada or Algeciras . Within the city, it is best to use rental scooters or the modern bus public transport.

GPS: 36.1414791136, -5.3531742096  Edit

Altitude: 23 m  Edit

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	Moorish Castle Castles , 0.4 km	Add to the plan
	Eastern Beach Gibraltar Beaches, 1.4 km	Add to the plan
	Gibraltar Botanic Gardens Botanical gardens, 1.2 km	Add to the plan

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