The Rock of Gibraltar

The Rock of Gibraltar, a colossal promontory of limestone rising almost sheer to 426 metres above the strait between Europe and Africa, is one of the most iconic landmarks on earth, long a symbol of solidity and a guardian of the gateway between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Its upper slopes form a nature reserve laced with paths and viewpoints, offering breathtaking panoramas across the strait to the mountains of Morocco. Riddled with dramatic caves and historic tunnels and home to Europe's only wild monkeys, the Rock towers over the bustling little British territory at its foot. Reached on foot or by a spectacular cable car, it is an unforgettable and monumental sight.

History

The Rock is a single mass of Early Jurassic limestone and dolomite, highest near its southern end at O'Hara's Battery. The ancients counted it as the northern of the two Pillars of Hercules, and the Romans called it Mons Calpe; its present name comes from Tariq ibn Ziyad, who landed here in AD 711. During the Great Siege of 1779-1783 the garrison started cutting tunnels through the rock, and the Great Siege Tunnels, nearly 304 metres long, were finished in 1797. Near sea level on the eastern side, Gorham's Cave holds evidence of Neanderthal use and is a World Heritage Site, and about 300 Barbary macaques live in the nature reserve on the upper Rock (Wikipedia, Rock of Gibraltar).

What you'll find

• The summit views - the panoramas across the strait to Africa.
• The cable car - the spectacular ride to the top.
• The sheer cliffs - the towering limestone face of the Rock.
• The nature reserve - the Upper Rock's paths and viewpoints.

When to go

April to October brings warm, sunny weather ideal for exploring the Upper Rock and enjoying the views, though Gibraltar's mild Mediterranean climate makes it a year-round destination; spring and autumn are especially pleasant and less crowded. Clear days offer the finest views across to Morocco.

Good to know

The Upper Rock is a paid nature reserve and involves steep walking or the cable car, and it can be busy with day-trippers and cruise passengers in peak season. As the iconic, monumental Rock of Gibraltar rising over the gateway between two seas and two continents, with breathtaking views to Africa, though, it is a genuinely unforgettable and singular landmark.

Nearby

St Michael's Cave, the Barbary macaques and the town centre lie on and below the Rock.

Key facts