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Gibraltar

• 28.000 inhabitants, distance from Nerja 195 km (2,5 hours)

Gibraltar is a 6 km long peninsular island in the South of Spain that belongs to the United Kingdom but has its own local government. In classical literature the rock of Gibraltar is one of the ‘Pillars of Hercules’ and the name Gibraltar comes from ‘rock of Tarik’ who crossed the sea with his troops of 7000 Moors in 711. In 1704 the British and Dutch concurred this strategic piece of land and the British have stayed ever since. As recently as 2006, the first direct flight route was created between Madrid and Gibraltar. Spain still wants the piece of land back.

If you go to Gibraltar, don’t forget to bring your passport, because you’re really entering another country. You’ll see typical British icons like the red telephone box. You’re supposed to pay with the Gibraltar Pound (GIP) and they drive on the right sight of the road, like in the rest of Europe. Most people visit Gibraltar for some shopping and visiting the 433 m high rock with protected Berber monkeys (tailless macaques). From the rock you can see Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. If you really want to get close to Africa, you’ll need to go to the windy surf Walhalla of Tarifa, where the distance is only 14 kilometres to the other continent. At this place the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. Other tourist attractions are: - a visit to a cave, a Moorish castle, a light house, a (new) mosque, tunnels or you could go whale and dolphin spotting. Gibraltar is also a popular destination for motorcyclists.

On the question if Gibraltar really is worth visiting, people seem to have quite different opionions.

www.gibraltar.com