Gibraltar isn’t just a rock, you know. To the British it’s a colony. To the ancient Greeks, it was one of Hercules’ pillars. Gibraltar is the southernmost tip of Europe. It’s the home of Europe’s only wild primates, the “Barbary Apes”, which aren’t really apes but tailless Macaque monkeys. Gibraltar is where Europe’s first Neanderthal skull was found, along with tools and other accoutrements of caveman life, displayed for your viewing pleasure in the Gibraltar Museum. Five beaches fringe the coast of Gibraltar, whose famous Strait links the North Atlantic with the Mediterranean.
The winters are mild here, the summers balmy. The 90 minute Official Rock Tour will orient you to the attractions. You can ride a cable car to the Upper Rock Nature Reserve and visit the apes along the way. Once on top of the Rock you’ll see Spain to your north and Africa to your south, and a plethora of bird species right there on the rock. Gibraltar is a like a geographical Swiss cheese of caves and tunnels. The New Ministry of Defense Tunnel Tours brings visitors through WWII caves. Oceanic pursuits like fishing, scuba diving, water skiing and sailing are readily accessible. Museums, historic sites and tax free shopping all add to Gibraltar’s charm.
