During your holiday at Playa de la Lucera, you may be considering a day away from the beach & swimming pool. Why not visit Gibraltar - a little bit of the UK in Spain, and one of the most fascinating places in Europe. Here on the Costa del Sol you are ideally placed to visit the famous "Rock", either by driving there yourself (approximately one hour) or by taking one of the coach trips available (these take approximately two hours due to the various pick up/drop off points along the way). Gibraltar dominates the entrance to the Mediterranean between the southern tip of Spain and the continent of Africa. Both famous and enigmatic, Gibraltar contains some of the most extensive military fortifications in Europe, spanning over 1200 years of Moorish, Spanish and British history. Tourists can enjoy some of the finest caves in Europe as well as the famous semi-wild Gibraltar apes. Many more attractions and activities make Gibraltar unique in terms of history, geography, geology, flora and fauna. Gibraltar's tax free status makes gold and silver jewellery, diamonds, precious stones and watches among the most popular purchases when visiting the Rock. Duty free allowances per person (over 18 years of age) for travellers buying in Gibraltar for import into the EU are currently as follows: 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 gms of tobacco plus 2 litres still table wine, 1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22% or 2 litres fortified wine, sparkling wine or other liqueurs plus 60 ml perfume, 250 ml toilet water 171.30 GB Pounds of other goods including gifts and souvenirs (please note that over this amount duty has to be paid on the full amount).   Overview

Upper Rock Nature Reserve This is the focal point for all visitors to Gibraltar. The reserve is a serious study area for botanists and bird watchers but also provides tourists with sightseeing activities such as the famous semi-wild apes, caves, tunnels, large military guns and many more sites of historical and geological interest. Town Area The town is enclosed by impressive fortress walls, the oldest being those of the Moorish Castle complex. Narrow passages and steps which climb steeply between the buildings can be found in the upper part of the town. The Gibraltar Museum is a must for the visitor with an academic interest in Gibraltar, this includes military and archaeological artefacts especially remains of Neanderthal man. There are many important buildings and churches which can be visited. South Area Several key historical sites are found in this area such as the 100 Ton Gun, Parson's Lodge and the bay where Admiral Lord Nelson's body was brought ashore when his damaged flagship, HMS Victory, was towed there after the Battle of Trafalgar. At the southern tip of Gibraltar you will find the Europa Point Lighthouse and the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque. East Side Although there are few historical sites on this side of the Rock, this is more than made up for by the breath taking views of the sheer cliffs and the fishing village at Catalan Bay nestling beneath the cliffs. The coastline on this side is rugged and spectacular towards the south. Access to the Eastern side of the Rock is via Devil's Tower Road. An observation tower known as the Devil's Tower near the entrance to Eastern Beach gave the road its name. The tower was demolished in 1940. Bay of Gibraltar The bay is well known for Dolphin watching, with some of the highest concentrations of dolphins in the Mediterranean. The sea around Gibraltar has a large number of ship wrecks providing good diving for experienced divers.   Upper Rock Nature Reserve

Upper Rock Tips   If you are planning a trip to Gibraltar and intend to visit the Upper Rock there are several ways of doing this and you should understand these fully to get the best from your trip. The Upper Rock is a pay to enter area with a number of indoor attractions such as St. Michael's Cave, Great Siege Tunnels, Moorish Castle etc. Public footpaths and other walks The Upper Rock Nature Reserve has a number of paths and tracks which are only accessible by walkers. Mediterranean Steps is Gibraltar's most noteworthy mountain path. MEDITERRANEAN STEPS REFURBISHMENT PROJECT A major refurbishment project for the Mediterranean Steps is being undertaken. The project will be fully financed by The Bonita Trust and will be project-managed by the Government of Gibraltar. above.   Cable Car Station Grand Parade The cable car is one of three main ways of accessing the Upper Rock area, the others being Taxi Tours and Walking via the public footpath from town. Driving up the Rock is possible but not recommended. Top Cable Car Station and Signal Hill Battery & Ruins The top cable car station is at the mid point of the north/south ridgeline of Gibraltar. The views are spectacular from the various terraces around the building. From here visitors can walk southwards to visit attractions such as St. Michael's Cave or northwards to attractions such as The Great Siege Tunnels. The Signal Hill military station is in ruins and can be explored upon leaving the cable car station; it is not an official tourist site. Apes The Apes are a species of tailless monkeys called Barbary Macaques. They are found in Morocco and Algeria, with those in Gibraltar being the only free-living monkeys in Europe. Jews Gate The Pillars of Hercules monument is located here. The views across to Africa are spectacular on a clear day. The famous Mediterranean Steps walk ends or starts here, depending on which way you are going. O'Hara's Battery The massive 9.2 inch gun at O'Hara's Battery has a range of 16 miles which effectively closes the gap between Europe and Africa. This battery and its underground facilities can be visited by arrangement with the Gibraltar Tourist Board. St Michael's Cave This cave has interested visitors to Gibraltar ever since the Romans. The cave consists of many passages with impressive displays of rock formations. The massive Cathedral Cave is the focal point for visitors. Lower St Michael's Cave Whilst blasting an alternative entrance to St. Michael's Cave in 1942, a further series of deeply descending chambers ending in a mini lake were discovered and named Lower St Michael's Cave. Visits to this cave must be arranged via the Tourist Board. Great Siege Tunnels During the Great Siege (1779-1783) work started on a series of tunnels which are an impressive part of Gibraltar's military heritage. Princess Caroline's Battery and Military Heritage Centre This is a small exhibit in the underground facilities at Princess Caroline's Battery. The exhibit contains artefacts from the Battery as well as a Memorial Chamber containing the Roll Call of the Regiments that have served in Gibraltar since 1704. Tunnel Tours Tunnelling has a long history in Gibraltar. There are over 30 miles of tunnels within the Rock creating a fortress within a fortress. Major tunnelling took place during WW2 and a section of this can be visited, the tour also extends through the 18th Century Tunnels which where part of the extensive Northern Defences of Gibraltar. Princess Anne's Battery (see below) can also be visited. Princess Anne's Battery Constructed on Willis's Plateau, this is the only intact battery of 5.25 inch AA guns anywhere in the world. The name has been a source of local confusion in that most people refer to the battery as Princess Caroline's Battery because access is via the junction with Willis's Road alongside Princess Caroline's Battery (which houses the Military Heritage Centre). City under Siege Exhibition The exhibition is housed in a collection of buildings, built by the British, which date back to the beginning of the 18th century. The exhibition graphically depicts the extreme harshness of the conditions under which both civilians and military personnel barely survived the long four years of the Great Siege (1779- 1783). Graffiti of the time is still clearly visible on a section of wall. Moorish Castle The Moorish invasion of Europe started from Gibraltar in 711, a conquest lead by Tarik Ibn Ziyad. The Moorish Castle Complex is made up of various buildings, gates, fortified walls and its most dominant feature, The Tower of Homage. Devil's Gap Battery Although not an official tourist exhibit, the battery is the first significant large gun emplacement which is reached via the old public footpath from the town. The 6 inch guns are still in place and the location offers great views over the town and bay.

The City of Gibraltar The city of Gibraltar is small. You can walk from one end of Main Street to the other in about fifteen minutes; therefore most places of interest are a short walk from each other.         City Walls and Fortifications Gibraltar's fortifications have more history associated with them than most other walled cities or towns in western Europe. These fortifications still stand today in the form of a great wall built around the city. They represent over 800 years of Moorish, Spanish and British history. Gibraltar was transformed into a military super fortress as the centuries passed. Northern Defences This area of Gibraltar has been given the local nickname of THE JUNGLE because of its overgrown and derelict state. It is however one of the most significant sections of Gibraltar's defences. Sadly it can not be visited by tourists nor is it in any condition for tourist viewing. There is extensive tunnelling dating back to 1789 as well as surface fortifications covering the area. We hope the information and photographs in this section will help you understand the historical importance of the area. Moorish Castle The Moorish Castle was originally a fortified complex of gates and walls dating back to 1068 AD. Most of these still exist, however in the recent past a housing development for Gibraltarians was built in and around the original walls. The Tower of Homage sits at the highest point in the fortifications and the Gatehouse is tucked away between modern buildings.         Main Street Also known as Royal Street, Main Street crosses from north to south and is Gibraltar's main artery. It ran through the centre of the old quarters of the town which lay along a narrow fringe between the rock and the sea. As Gibraltar has grown in size, Main Street has remained the hub of business and commerce and was recently pedestrianised so that it is no longer open to traffic. Both sides of the street are lined with attractive colonial style buildings with beautiful forged iron balconies. Almost every building on Main Street now has a shop on the ground floor. Upper floors provide residential accommodation or have been converted into offices.     A   Grand Casemates Square This is the hub of the town area. Almost all visitors to Gibraltar enter the town at this point from which Main Street leads southward. During Spanish times this area formed part of the old town, Villa vieja, which was walled with its own gates and towers. It came to be called Casemates which means a vaulted chamber in the thickness of the ramparts of a fortress. During the siege of 1727 so much damage was caused to this heavily built up area that the British decided to raise all buildings to the ground and create an esplanade.     B1   The Piazza (John Macintosh Square) During the nineteenth century it was named Commercial Square and auctions were sometimes held there. In 1940 it was renamed in honour of John Macintosh, a great local benefactor. His bust can be seen there today. B2   The House of Assembly This colonial style building was built in 1817 by the Merchants of the Exchange and Commercial Library. The local merchants felt strongly that there was a need for such a building for their purposes. This building is now used as the House of Assembly, the meeting place for Government and opposition. B3   The City Hall This building was constructed in 1815 as the home of a wealthy local merchant. Parts of this building now house Gibraltar's telephone exchange as well as some Government offices. Other uses for this building have been as a hotel, the home of a prince and a post office.     C   Cathedral of Saint Mary the Crowned This cathedral was built by the Spanish in 1462 on the site of the old mosque of Gibraltar. The old mosque was much larger than the current building and included a typical court with moorish pillars and arches. The Cathedral's small courtyard is all that remains of the mosque's court. The Royal Arms of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella can still be seen engraved on a slab which was moved from the north gate to the courtyard where it can be seen today. The building was heavily damaged during the Great Siege and in 1810 the Cathedral was rebuilt. In 1931 the Church was restored and the current grand facade was erected to replace the poorer one built back in 1810.     D   Gibraltar Museum The Gibraltar Museum is housed in a building which was used as a bomb house during the eighteenth century. The Museum was inaugurated in 1930 and is a must for the visitor with a more academic interest in Gibraltar. The collections include military and archaeological artefacts as well as an extraordinary piece, the first skull of an "apeman" to be found anywhere in the world was discovered in Gibraltar in 1848. It was first mentioned in the minutes of the Gibraltar Scientific Society for March, 3, 1848. Unfortunately it's importance was not recognised until 1864 and the type of human represented is now known from a discovery made in the Valley of the Neander (Neanderthal) near Dusseldorf in Germany, in 1856. Two rooms are especially dedicated to the 1704 British invasion and to the Great Siege, and a big scale model reproduces all the streets of the city as it was in 1865. A section of the museum is also dedicated to flora and fauna on the Rock. The Medieval Moorish Baths can be visited within the Museum. In 1906 an authority on Moorish antiquities enthused about its exceptional interest, Except in the Alhambra, there is nothing in Spain to compare with it. The baths central room has a sixteen-sided vault roof supported by arches on polished columns.     E   The Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity It is as a result of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity being raised to �Cathedral Status� that Gibraltar became a city. The Scroll signed by Queen Victoria is housed in the vestry. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the mother church of the largest Anglican Diocese in the world, the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe. Building of the Church commenced in 1825 but was not completed until 1832. Its walls were built with extra thickness to withstand the blasts from heavy guns in the nearby King's Bastion. Some years would pass before it was consecrated in 1838, in a ceremony presided by Queen Adelaide, widow of William IV.     F   Kings Chapel After British occupation, this Franciscan Chapel (Saint Francis Chapel) was converted into an Anglican Church for the local garrison.     G   The Convent (Governors Residence) Since 1704, the Convent has been the residence of the Governor of Gibraltar. It was built in the sixteenth century as a Franciscan Friars Monastery with a magnificent cloister as its centre. The facade was reconstructed in the nineteenth century in gothic style with red bricks.     H   Trafalgar Cemetery This was formerly known as Southport Ditch Cemetery and dates back to 1798. In fact there are only two known graves of victims of the Battle of Trafalgar. Most of the graves are of victims of the naval conflict between the British and French at Algeciras in July 1801 as well as many victims of yellow fever epidemics.     I   Cable Car Station (Grand Parade) The cable car is one of three main ways of accessing the Upper Rock, the others being Taxi Tours and Walking.     J   Alameda Gardens Gibraltar's botanic gardens were first created in 1816 as a place of tranquillity for the garrison to stroll in peace. Now, plants from all over the world can be found in the gardens.     K   Public Footpath to Upper Rock This old and dilapidated footpath is the quickest way to get to the Nature Reserve by foot from the town. The beginning of the trek leads up what is locally known as Union Jack Steps, a series of steps which have a Union Jack painted on the side of them which can only be seen from the bottom of the steps looking upward. This painting is from the time of the referendum of 1967. The path intersects with a road leading up to Devil's Gap Battery which in turn leads to the Apes Den where visitors can have their first full scale encounter with the semi-wild monkeys.     L   Garrison Library A library for use by the garrison was established in 1793 and was housed originally in a building on Main Street. As the library grew in size, a larger building was required and the British Government agreed to fund the construction of the imposing colonial style building which exists today. The library grew to well over 30,000 books and was believed to be the finest English Language library outside England. Please note, the Garrison Library is an independent body which is no longer associated with any military or government authorities; it is now a research library open to those with research requirements.     M   Steps and Passageways The upper town is full of narrow passages with steps cutting their way between buildings. As mentioned before, the town is small and is built on the slope of the west side of the Rock, it is almost impossible to get lost, you either travel uphill or downhill to intersect with some part of Main Street.   South Area

100 Ton Gun This exhibit presents the Victorian 100 ton supergun. In a well maintained complex of rooms you will find excellent information and artefacts relating to the period. The location is also known as Nelson's Anchorage due to its view across Rosia Bay where HMS Victory was anchored after the Battle of Trafalgar with the body of Admiral Lord Nelson onboard. Parsons Lodge Rising above the cliff at Camp Bay is one of Gibraltar's most impressive batteries. A number of well maintained features of the site make it a valuable source of information to military historians. There is a small labyrinth of tunnels which have seen many configurations of guns over the years. Europa Point This is the southern tip of Gibraltar which has unrestricted views across to Africa. The area is a small plateau with sheer cliffs on the east side. The Windmill Hill fortifications and southern ridge batteries can be clearly seen from this point. The Europa Point Lighthouse is the main historical feature at the point. Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque A recent addition to the area in 1997, the Mosque is an impressive building which was a gift from King Fahad Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia. Cable Car Station (Grand Parade)   East Side

Catalan Bay The village at Catalan Bay has historically been populated by Genoese fishermen who were part of a much larger settlement pattern along the coast during the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 18th century Genoese was so widely spoken in Gibraltar that government notices were published in this language (alongside English and Spanish). Sandy Bay The beach at Sandy Bay is situated alongside the massive ancient sand dune which lies against the cliffs of Gibraltar's eastern side. The dune was utilised for the construction of the water catchments. Water Catchments The remains of Gibraltar's largest water catchment area dates back to a time when Gibraltar's water supply required ingenious methods of collection and storage. Eastern Beach The largest beach in Gibraltar stretches from the east side of the airport runway along the edge of the isthmus for several hundred metres. The surrounding urban area is both residential and industrial. It is the only sandy beach to enjoy sunshine all day until sunset.   The Bay of Gibraltar

Dolphin World, based at the Ferry Terminal next to the coach park, is an excellent way to see the dolphins and other sealife in Gibraltar Bay. Their cruiser, the Brixham Belle, seats 100 passengers in sunshine or shade, and has a bar, restrooms and souvenir shop. The cruise lasts for 90 minutes and has an award winning commentary on dolphins and the history of Gibraltar. Dolphin World was described by the BBC's holiday programme as "the highlight of the Costa del Sol!". Phone Dolphin World for more information: 677 278 845, or e-mail them at: reservations@dolphinworld.gi  The Bay and Straits of Gibraltar are a natural breeding area for several types of dolphins. The highest concentrations are seen from November to January. Guided tours leave from the various marinas all year round; most tourists will get reasonably good views involving many dolphins during these trips. Gibraltar is also visited by many migratory Humpback Whales, Sperm Whales, Killer Whales, False Killer Whales, Minky Whales, and Long Fin Pilot whales. You have to be very lucky to see any of these creatures. Because the Straits are only 13 miles wide at their narrowest point, the concentration of dolphins and whales is very high, especially towards the middle. It is about 3 miles offshore that you find the larger examples, such as the Sperm Whales. For some reason most sightings show that they are heading in a westerly direction. The prevailing surface current is easterly and these animals may be just stemming the current flow, and not in fact travelling out of the Straits at that particular time. The large population of dolphins that visit the Bay of Gibraltar is a fact not very well known. There are three main species; Common Dolphin, Striped Dolphin, and Bottle Nosed Dolphin. They are capable of diving to a depth of 280 metres and can stay below without breathing for 8 minutes. They can swim at speeds of thirty to forty miles per hour, depending on the species, and in the wild they live approximately 25 years. However, taken at birth and put in captivity their life span can be more like five or six years. These mammals reproduce in waters rich with food. So we are lucky enough to be able to observe them in their natural environment without disturbing them. Dolphins are mainly social animals, they are not solitary but spend all of their lives together in groups of varying numbers ranging from a family of three to many hundreds. They work together using systems of organisation and co-operation. They are able to collaborate in order to obtain food, assist at giving birth, or if one is infirmed, and assist each other to sleep. The Bay of Gibraltar seems to be a favourite place for nursery schools of Common Dolphins, and it is a very common sight to see baby dolphins accompanied by their mothers who always stay very close to them, rising to the surface a few inches away from each other when coming up to breathe. Most of these dolphins seem to hunt in an organised manner. Observers have seen a large shoal of garfish corralled into a compact group by about a dozen dolphins, who were taking it in turns to swim through them at high speed and catching several before coming out on the other side. Flying fish are another favourite food of the dolphin and provide a good example of the contest between creatures that ultimately influences their development. Dolphins find their food by using sonar in the same way as bats do. They emit a series of high pitched clicks or squeaks and then wait for the echo to return. The direction and time taken for this return supplies them with the information as to the bearing and distance from them. Not only this, but because they can vary the frequency and power of the sound beam, they can receive further information as to size, shape and density of the object being scanned. They normally emit two types of sound, some linking the echo location and position of their food and others for communication between individuals. Their intellectual capacity is very high, superior to any other order, family or species, except to the human. One of the manifestations of their intelligence, apart from their social structure, is that dolphins can adapt to constantly changing situations. Dolphin intelligence seems to be directed along paths of enjoyment, which in themselves do not bring a physical reward but are rewarding mentally and in some cases appear to involve a sense of humour. They seem to have an awareness of social obligation towards each other and to other creatures, and there are many authentic cases of them aiding human beings in distress when they are in the water.