Gibraltar
Description
View cruises with GibraltarThe Rock crouches over the sea like an ancient stone beast, looking Sphinx-like to Africa. Beneath the white cliffs of this natural fortress grows a profusion of palm, pine, and cypress. No fewer than 600 varieties of flowers thrive here, some not found anywhere else on Earth. Gibraltar's stunning setting is matched by its history - five countries have battled for 13 centuries to control the passage between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The result made for a cultural melting pot. Veiled Moroccan women in caftans and vacationing Englishmen and Spaniards stroll along the narrow, steep lanes. The locals revert to a liquid Spanish when talking among themselves. And visitors to a 15th-century cathedral pass through a blue-tiled courtyard, once part of a 13th-century mosque.
Helmeted bobbies, pillar-boxes and pubs make for a bit of Britain in the Mediterranean. Gibraltar is a fascinating place, from its caves and batteries to the Barbary apes gamboling on the slopes of the Rock.
Points of Interest
- Apes' Den
- Cable Car
- St. Michael's Cave
- Europa Point / Rock of Gibraltar
- Great Siege Tunnels & Upper Galleries
- Gibraltar Museum
- World War II Tunnels
- Kings Bastion
More about Gibraltar Points of Interest
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Apes' Den -
Gibraltar's top attraction, tailless monkeys, known as Barbary Apes, congregate in this viewing area. The last remaining population of the species on the European continent, these playful primates are thriving.
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Cable Car -
A rapid ascent of the Rock of Gibraltar affords spectacular views of Europe, Africa and the sparkling Mediterranean. The Top Station is steeped in military history and home to the acrobatic Barbary Apes.
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St. Michael's Cave -
Explore the underground chambers of the Rock's largest cave filled with fine stalagmites, subterranean passageways and an unexpected amphitheater. The cave's formations are dramatically lit and displays detail the cave's history.
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Europa Point / Rock of Gibraltar -
The Rock is strategically placed where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean meet. The picturesque southernmost point is home to the striped lighthouse, the Shrine of our Lady of Europe and a domed mosque.
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Great Siege Tunnels & Upper Galleries -
Walk in the footsteps of British soldiers who carved tunnels out of solid limestone so that cannons could get through to the northern side of the rock, during the Great Siege of 1779 to 1783.
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Gibraltar Museum -
Housed in a restored, 18th-century building, the museum showcases the cultural and natural history of Gibraltar through the ages. Displays detail the Rock's geological origins, military involvement and connection to the sea.
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World War II Tunnels -
The Rock's WWII tunnels are the site of an exhibition featuring historic photographs and a complete tunnel map. Explore the facilities and various cave formations along with the stunning views from Jocks Balcony.
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Kings Bastion -
When the King's Bastion was built, it was the most important defensive position of the Rock's westerly defences. Its shape was based on traditional ideas of bastion fortification: it was a large arrow headed construction which projected from the curtain wall into the sea
