Overview
Only seven miles of property and yet known world-wide for its "rock."
Consider Gibraltar as one of those places that you are likely to visit only once in your life. Knowing that, the essential attraction, the Rock of Gibraltar, should be on your radar screen. This lovely visit allows you plenty of time in your day to shop, visit a cafe, and walk the downtown streets.
This tour includes:- Round trip transportation from the cruise ship pier
- Private vehicle with licensed English speaking driver/guide
- Rock of Gibraltar
- St. Michael Caves
- The Apes Den
- The Great Siege Tunnels
- Moorish Fortress
The Rock of Gibraltar is a monolithic limestone promontory that was formed during the Jurassic period some 200 million years ago. Today, the Rock of Gibraltar forms a peninsula that juts out into the Strait of Gibraltar from the southern coast of Spain. To the north, the Rock rises vertically from sea level up to 412 meters at Rock Gun Battery. The Rock's highest point stands 1396 feet above the strait. The near-cliffs along the eastern side of the Rock drop down to a series of wind-blown sand slopes that date to the glaciations when sea levels were lower than today, and a sandy plain extended east from the base of the Rock. The western face is comparatively less steep.
A centerpiece of your tour is Europa Point, also known as Great Europa Point. On a clear day, it offers views of North Africa, including Ceuta and the Rif Mountains of Morocco, as well as the Bay of Gibraltar and the Spanish towns along its shores. There are three notable buildings--the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque, the Roman Catholic Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, and a lighthouse--that are located here at the point.
You'll also visit St. Michael's Cave, which is the name given to a network of limestone caves located in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve of Gibraltar, at a height of over 300 meters above sea level. It is the most visited of the more than 150 caves found inside the Rock of Gibraltar and will give you the best idea of how many inhabitants lived, from the time of prehistoric humans.
One of the most popular stops is Ape's Den. In a den high on the Rock live Gibraltar's most famous residents, the Barbary Apes, the only wild primates in all of Europe. Friendly, charming, and inquisitive, the apes have lived on the Rock for centuries. Legend says that when the apes leave, Gibraltar will cease to be British.
You'll also have a chance to visit the Great Siege Tunnels, a series of limestone tunnels that line the northern end of the Rock of Gibraltar. Constructed by the British in the late 18th century to protect themselves from raids by Spanish and French troops, these tunnels now offer a fascinating glimpse of the historical significance of this tiny island. Your tour additionally includes a stop at the Moorish Castle, a landmark from the Moorish rule of the island, which lasted over 700 years.
At the end of your tour you'll have ample time to take advantage of duty-free shopping available in town as you walk the length of Main Street.
- This tour can accommodate a collapsible wheelchair if the traveler is able to manage steps in and out of a van.
- All admission fees are included.
Days offered: 7 days a week
Departures:- 08:00 AM, duration: 2.5 hours
- 09:00 AM, duration: 2.5 hours
- 01:00 PM, duration: 2.5 hours
