destinations | gibraltar


The Rock of Gibraltar DESTINATION: GIBRALTAR


n MEDITERRANEAN STEPS: If you’re relatively fit and enjoy a hike with amazing views and history, you’ll love this trek on the eastern face of the Rock of Gibraltar along what’s essentially a flight of stairs carved from the limestone by the military to connect two strategic defense points in Gibraltar. The steps, which start at an altitude of 590ft and finish at 1,375ft, pass by guns and buildings dating back to World War II. Hikers can see more than 500 species of plants and, in spring and fall, some of the hundreds of thousands of migrating birds.


n ST MICHAEL’S CAVE: Located within the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, this limestone cave network nearly 1,000ft above sea level was converted into a military hospital during World War II.


Today it contains magnificent jagged limestone stalactites and stalagmites created over thousands of years. Strategically placed lights highlight these formations and, due to its natural acoustic qualities, the cave is sometimes used as a concert hall to host special events. This is just one of 150 caves in the Rock and others can be explored by prior arrangement.


n GREAT SIEGE TUNNELS: During the American War of Independence, when France and Spain attempted to recapture Gibraltar from the British, the defenders of the Rock devised a clever plan of defense against the Great Siege (1779 to 1783) that was to result in their victory. Using sledgehammers, crowbars and gunpowder, they used their hands to dig a labyrinth of tunnels with the aim of getting guns on to


a projection from the precipitous northern face of the Rock known as The Notch. As they progressed, cannons were taken into the tunnels and holes were cut into the Rock all along its face.


n THE APES’ DEN: The Rock’s most famous attraction is home to tailless Barbary macaques, the only free-living primates in Europe. Considered native to northern Morocco and Algeria, these monkeys probably originally found their way to the Rock of Gibraltar on board merchant and pirate ships. According to legend, when the apes leave Gibraltar, so will the British — which may explain why British prime minister Winston Churchill shipped in simian reinforcements from Africa when numbers were low during World War II. There are now around 250 living in six distinct families


or packs. Newborns can be seen in summer, but they can be quite ferocious when in a bad mood and it’s forbidden to feed them.


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n BOTANIC GARDENS: These tranquil gardens display a collection of birds, butterflies and plants that include native species and others brought in from abroad, often from former British territories like Australia and South Africa. Tours can be taken around the park to learn more about the flora and fauna and children will love the small wildlife center housing short clawed otters, Barbary macaques, Egyptian fruit bats, Senegalese parrots and Vietnamese potbellied pigs among other creatures. The Alameda Open Air Theatre is located within the gardens and offers a variety of open-air cinema and live performances.


264 | ASTA | www.worldwidedestinationguide.com


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