Towards the end of our stay in Malaga, we took a day trip to Gibraltar. From Malaga, it’s a three hour bus ride along the coast to Gibraltar. The cost for the bus ticket was minimal but it also means we had to catch the 7 am bus in order to maximize our time in Gibraltar.
Gibraltar is British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region which we could see from afar as we were approaching La Linea, the town located in Spain across from Gibraltar.
The Rock of Gibraltar
The day we picked to visit Gibraltar was perfect. It was a very sunny day and we ended up being part of the Jubilee celebrations. We couldn’t have planned it better. As the bus terminal is in La Linea, Spain, we had to walk over to the customs office in order to cross into Gibraltar. Once we passed the border, we walked by the tiny airport. There weren’t any planes taking off or landing at the time although it would have been nice to see.
City of Gibraltar and La Linea, Spain
We managed to find our way to the main square where we noticed the signs for the Jubilee celebrations. We sat one of the cafés to have coffee and churros and the mayor of Gibraltar and the runner up and winner of Miss Gibraltar were sat at the neighbouring table. As we were sipping our coffee, a parade began with musicians, children in costumes, and other people started marching along the main street. We followed the parade as we wound our through the narrow street to get a tour or bus up to the top of the Gibraltar Rock.
City of Gibraltar
As we were walking along trying to find our way, we found a tour bus doing tours for small groups and also included the attractions we wanted to see. We were first taken to Europa Point which is where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean and we could kind of see the coast of Africa. As sunny as it was, there was still some fog and clouds that disrupted the view of Africa.
Lighthouse
We were then driven to the upper part of the rock where there is a military installation. There is also a nature reserve where the famous monkeys live (Barbary Macaques). We saw a lot of monkeys and were warned not to touch or feed them as they are dangerous if provoked. Our tour guide told us the first macaques were brought to Gibraltar as pets from Morocco.
Barbary Macaques
St. Michael’s Caves
St Michael’s Cave was impressive to see with its stalagmites and stalactites. It was initially used by Neolithic inhabitants of the Rock. Currently, concerts and other events use the space. There is a seating area surrounding a small stage.
After the cave, we saw the Tower of Homage which dates back the 11th century. It’s only remaining part of the original castle complex located on the rock. There are also siege tunnels which were dug and used during the Great Siege as a defence system. It was pointed out to us as we were driven around the rock in between sites.
View from the Rock of Gibraltar
Once we reached our starting point near the cemetery at the bottom of the rock, we made our way back to the main square. Along Main Street, little stalls were set up selling books, crafts, and other items. We stopped at some of the stalls to see what was displayed. Eventually we made our way back to La Linea and the bus station to catch the afternoon bus back to Malaga.
