GIBRALTAR

Location - Mediterranean; Capital - N/A; Population - 30,000; Currency - Pound Sterling

Ferries run from Ceuta - a Spanish enclave in North Africa - to Algeciras, where buses carry on to the border town of La Linea. Walk across the border and then the airstrip, to the centre of this slice of Britain on the Mediterranean - October 2011.

The Gibraltar Pound has the same value as the UK Pound

A fantastic view - facing north - of the Rock of Gibraltar and the Costa del Sol stretching along the Mediterranean - Gibraltar

The Straits of Gibraltar is a very busy shipping lane with boats plying the route between southern Europe and north Africa - Gibraltar

The famous Barbary Apes can be found all over the rock, especially around the upper and middle cable car stations.
Besides humans, they are the only primates living freely in mainland Europe - Gibraltar

Looking southwards, the east's sheer rock face contrasts with the green, gentler west slope. The landscape of Africa can be seen in the distance - Gibraltar

A steep walk up to Gibraltar's highest point (426m) leads to O'Hara's Battery, which houses a 9'2" gun from 1901 - Gibraltar

Military tunnels underneath O'Hara's Battery - Gibraltar

From O'Hara's Battery the Mediterranean Steps lead precariously down the rock's east slope - Gibraltar

Peer down from O'Hara's Battery for a llok at Sandy Bay, on the east side of Gibraltar

On a clear day the views from the upper rock are superb - Gibraltar

You can see most of Gibraltar from the upper rock, including the 100-Ton Gun near Rosia Bay

Barbary Macaques, often called Barbary Apes, are actually tailless monkeys rather than apes, originating from Morocco - Gibraltar

Walk down from O'Hara's Battery to St Michael's Cave, a series of limestone caves millions of years old.
Due to the excellent acoustics the main cavern is used as a concert hall - Gibraltar

On the opposite side of the upper rock are the Great Siege Tunnels. These tunnels were originally excavated to defend Gibraltar from Spain and France during the Great Siege of 1779-83

Cannons provided defence during the Great Siege - Gibraltar

Take in the Spanish port of Algeciras and the Bay of Gibraltar from the Great Siege Tunnels. Gibraltar's airstrip juts out into the bay.

An EasyJet plane (middle of photo) takes off from Gibraltar aiport

This marina is actually in La Linea, the Spanish town across the border from Gibraltar

In the foreground is a cemetery (containing many war graves) followed by Gibraltar airport, the border and finally La Linea - Gibraltar

A short walk downhill from the Siege Tunnels is a lookout at Princess Caroline's Battery - Gibraltar

Close by is the City Under Siege exhibition, housed in what is thought to be one of the first buildings built by the British, in the early 18th century - Gibraltar

Also in this area are the World War II Tunnels, where thousands lived and worked in preparation for an invasion. They could house all of the rock's 30,000 troops, a power station and a hospital - Gibraltar

Continue on the road heading down to the town centre and you'll hit the remains of a Moorish castle, the 14th century Tower of Homage - Gibraltar

The cable car is the easiest way to reach the upper rock but if you want to see all the sites on offer get your legs and walking shoes ready!
Minibus tours can ferry passengers around most sites - Gibraltar

Taking the backstreets, alleyways and steps back down to the town centre - Gibraltar

On the eastern side of the rock is Catalan Bay, with the whitewashed Caleta Hotel overlooking the beach at the end of the bay - Gibraltar

The east side is much quieter than the heavily populated west - Gibraltar

Facing south from the edge of Catalan Bay towards Sandy Bay - Gibraltar

Facing the rock from Catalan Bay - Gibraltar

There's many gates dotted around Gibraltar, this one being a pedestrian-only gate which is a shortcut to Casemates Square

Casemates Square is the main square of Gibraltar and the centre of social activity

Shops on the upper terrace overlooking Casemates Square - Gibraltar

Several traditional British fish and chip restaurants, as well as pubs and bars, fill Casemates Square - Gibraltar

Leading off the square is Main Street where most of the duty-free shops and day-tripping tourists are - Gibraltar

The same street in the evening is a bit of a ghost town - Gibraltar

The 14th century Moorish Baths - a Muslim bathhouse - lie underneath Gibraltar Museum - Gibraltar

An ornately decorated building just off Bombhouse Lane, on the way to Gibraltar Museum - Gibraltar

The Catholic Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned, the main Catholic cathedral in Gibraltar, was originally a mosque

Near the end of Main Street is the King's Chapel, and the Convent, the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar - Gibraltar

This site on Main Street, now the Gibraltar Law Courts, was the place where John Lennon and Yoko Ono got married on 20 March 1969 - Gibraltar

John Mackintosh Square and the Parliament Building - Gibraltar

A side street in Gibraltar's town centre

Spot the cable car towers on the rock - Gibraltar

The King's Bastion and Wellington Front fortifications formed part of Gibraltar's defences

The second arch is the 18th century Prince Edward's Gate - Gibraltar

Carrying on the 'Four Cultures' theme from Melilla and Ceuta, Gibraltar boasts five. In addition to the mosque (see further down) and cathedrals, it has a Hindu temple (left), Jehovah's Witness temple (centre) and several synagogues (right)

There's plenty of pubs, bars and restaurants at Ocean Village, the complex at Marina Bay/Sheppard's Marina - Gibraltar

Boats at Marina Bay, beneath the rock - Gibraltar

Soft lighting at the Ocean Village complex - Gibraltar

Queensway Bay Marina, as seen from the cable car, is a cut above the other marinas - Gibraltar

The bars and restaurants of Queensway Bay Marina are stylish, with an absence of 'cheap pub grub', which meant I didn't eat here.. Actually it's not too expensive - Gibraltar

St Andrew's Church of Scotland in Governor's Parade - Gibraltar

Southport and Referendum Gates mark the end of Main Street - Gibraltar

Just beyond the gates is Trafalgar Cemetery, where some of the British victims of the Battle of Trafalgar are buried - Gibraltar

The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle in 1805 between Britain, led by Horatio Nelson, and the French & Spanish - Gibraltar

The Botanical Gardens, next to the lower cable car station, contain a variety of flowers, plants and trees from around the world - Gibraltar

The Sunken Garden displays the Gibraltar flag - Botanical Gardens, Gibraltar

A cable car descends past the Rock Hotel - Gibraltar

Europa Road and the Botanical Gardens from the Rock Hotel, located on the lower slopes of the rock - Gibraltar

There were some gorgeous sunsets from the Rock Hotel - Gibraltar

The sun sets behind Algeciras, leaving the Bay of Gibraltar and Gibraltar Harbour aglow - Gibraltar

Trinity Lighthouse is at Europa Point, the southernmost point of Gibraltar

Also at Europa Point is the impressive Ibrahim al-Ibrahim Mosque, a gift from Saudi Arabian King Fahd - Gibraltar

A residential area at Europa Point - Gibraltar

Five minutes walk from the mosque is the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe - Gibraltar

Heading back up north towards the 100-Ton Gun is Rosia Bay, said to be where HMS Victory docked with Admiral Nelson's body following the Battle of Trafalgar - Gibraltar

The 100-Ton Gun was a 'supergun' installed in the late 19th century. There's another at Fort Rinella in Malta - Gibraltar

Presumably a reference to the 2011 riots across England - Gibraltar

I can't think of many places where you hang around while a plane takes off. Left - the barriers are up; centre - the plane takes off; right - the barriers come down and we're on our merry way - Gibraltar

Crossing Gibraltar's airstrip - Gibraltar

The Rock of Gibraltar, as seen from the runway - Gibraltar

Crossing the runway again, this time at night - Gibraltar

Western Beach is next to the runway - Gibraltar

At the Gibraltar/Spain border - notice the EU, British and Gibraltar flags nearside, and the Spanish flag a few metres behind.
Between 1969 and 1982 General Franco ordered the closure of the border, following a 1967 referendum in Gibraltar in favour of retaining British sovereignty. In 2002 Gibraltarians rejected a proposal of joint sovereignty between UK and Spain.

For good views of the rock go to La Linea on the Spanish side of the border - Gibraltar

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LINKS

www.gibraltar.gov.uk

www.gibraltar.gi

www.gibraltar.gov.gi

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