Spread over 6.8 sq km, Gibraltar shares its only border with the Spanish town of Linea de la Concepcion. The country is home to around 30,000 inhabitants and is a blend of English, Spanish and Moorish cultures. Gibraltar has a long and colourful history, which makes it a unique place to visit and explore. Its most famous landmark is the famous Rock of Gibraltar, with the country’s sovereignty a contentious issue between the English and Spanish governments.
Visitors looking for luxury accommodation will find the boutique hotels in Gibraltar town well suited to their requirements.
The 4-star Caleta hotel located in the scenic Catalan Bay offers the best of comforts and facilities at a competitive price.
Some of the things to do and places to visit in the country are:
Popular for its duty-free shopping: Gibraltar is famous as a duty-free shopping haven and also is among the lowest tax paying countries in Europe. Quite many goods are tax-free with alcohol and tobacco having no excise charges. However, there is a limit you can take out of the country with alcohol capped at 2 litres and tobacco at 250 gm. There are a number of duty-free shops at the airport to shop for goods. This makes it a popular shopping destination with visitors and expats from the Spanish mainland and across Europe.
Tour the Main Street: Taking a stroll along the Main Street is akin to exploring a High Street back home in the UK. There are boutiques, malls and shopping outlets of top brands reminiscent of shopping on a high street in London. There are wonderful cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants to relax and have a drink and dine. Spread over one kilometre, it divides the town into north and south and is the commercial hub of the country. Nearby lies Casemates Square, the epicentre of night-time entertainment and the Gibraltar Spanish Market, similar to indoor markets found in the Andalusian region of Spain. There are the iconic red telephone booths just like the few remaining
Explore the Upper Rock: The most prominent landmark that put Gibraltar in the spotlight is the Rock of Gibraltar, also known as the Upper Rock. It is home to the Apes Den where the most well-known residents of Gibraltar live, the Barbary Macaques. Most stay in the area, with some staying close to the cable station. While they are accustomed to having humans around them, it is best to avoid interaction or trying to feed them, as they have vile tempers and can bite and injure if they feel threatened. There is a Nature Reserve in the area that houses more than 600 different plant species.
St Michael’s Cave: The cave has some wonderful natural formations of stalagmites and stalactites formed from water flowing over the rock for millions of years. The cave plays host to musical concerts and entertainment shows all through the year. There was a long prevailing myth that the cave had a secret passageway to the African continent.
The post Exploring Gibraltar on a holiday appeared first on View GB.
