Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Cádiz province in Andalusia, Spain, about 130 km south-west of Málaga. The trip takes about 2 hours 15 minutes by coach to La Línea de la Concepción, followed by a walk across the border at Winston Churchill Avenue. Fares should be checked at alsa.es and with other operators. Driving via the A-7 and AP-7 takes about 1 hour 40 minutes, but border queues for vehicles can be long, so parking in La Línea and crossing on foot is advisable. A valid passport or ID card is required at the border, and entry rules should be checked before travel because Gibraltar is outside the Schengen area.

The main attraction is the Rock of Gibraltar, a limestone ridge rising about 426 metres. The Upper Rock Nature Reserve includes St Michael's Cave, the Apes' Den, where free-roaming Barbary macaques live, the Great Siege Tunnels and the Skywalk viewing platform. Access is by cable car from the base station near Grand Parade or by taxi tour, and an entry ticket for the reserve is charged. Visitors should keep food out of sight of the macaques. In town, Main Street has shops, pubs and restaurants, with prices in pounds sterling and euros commonly accepted. Other sights include the Gibraltar Museum with its Moorish baths, the Trafalgar Cemetery, and the beaches on the eastern side of the Rock such as Catalan Bay.

A suggested day starts early with the coach, crossing the border by late morning. Visitors can take the cable car or a taxi tour up the Rock first, then descend for lunch on Main Street, where fish and chips and British pub fare are common. The afternoon suits shopping, the museum and a walk along the waterfront before returning across the border. Walking up the Rock via the Mediterranean Steps is a strenuous alternative that adds significant exertion.

Gibraltar can be visited year-round. Spring and autumn avoid the peak crowds and summer heat, and strong easterly winds called the Levante can close the cable car. The airport runway crosses the road at the border, so pedestrians may be briefly held when planes land or depart. Timing the return with a margin for border queues avoids missing the coach.