Overview
Only seven miles of property and yet known world-wide!
Since men first braved the sea, the Bay of Gibraltar has sheltered ships and sailors. To the ancient Greeks, Gibraltar marked the limit to the known world. To pass beyond it was to sail to certain destruction over the bottomless waterfall at the edge of the world. Thus the many findings of offerings made to the Gods by these and other civilizations such as the Phoenicians and Carthaginians in the many caves on the shorelines. And everybody knows the remark 'You are my Rock', the modern day reference to this solid natural site.
The Rock of Gibraltar itself is a monolithic limestone promontory which 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.
Your tour will begin with a drive through the city centre and to Europa Point, your first stop. Also called Great Europa Point, it is the southernmost point of Gibraltar. On a clear day, views of North Africa can be appreciated across the Strait of Gibraltar, 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.
Next, you'll continue to the Nature Reserve where you'll find 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 man.
The most popular stop is next, the 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.
Your tour will conclude at the cruise ship pier. If you wish, though, you can be dropped off at the Cable Car Base Station and take a cable car ride up (price not included in tour). The cable car is located at Grand Parade at the southern end of the Main Street shopping area. You'll be able to take advantage of duty-free shopping available in town as you walk the length of Main Street towards the Coach Park or the cruise terminal.
- The order of this tour may change.
- Please wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Please note 9 AM is the earliest departure as the Rock Natural Reserve is not open before that.
Days offered: 7 days a week
Departures:- 09:00 AM, duration: 4 hours
- 10:00 AM, duration: 4 hours
- 12:30 PM, duration: 4 hours
- 01:30 PM, duration: 4 hours
