IanWell, today was Day 7, and as I said yesterday, we had a change of plans. I’m so glad we did, as we had the most amazing Gibraltar day trip, exploring everything the Rock has to offer. It was also my friend’s birthday!
An early start
It was an early start this morning, but it was worth it. The alarm went off at 06:30, we rushed down to breakfast, grabbed some food and shot out to catch our Uber at 07:35 to the pick-up point. When we arrived, we were greeted by our tour guide, Vanessa, who was amazing and kept us entertained for the whole two-hour coach ride!
Along the way, we stopped at a service station for about 15 minutes. It was so different from the ones in the UK, and weirdly quiet too! We freshened up, grabbed a bite to eat, and then it was back on the coach and on to Gibraltar.
Welcome to Gibraltar
It was strange walking into a British territory while we were away from the UK! There are no longer any passport checks at the land border, so we walked straight in. It felt very familiar: the road signs look the same, and even the police officers wear the same uniform as back home! One big difference, though: they drive on the right, just like in Spain.
Vanessa pointed us to our Rock guide, and off we went with him (sorry, I can’t remember your name!). He was amazing and super knowledgeable. I was a bit overwhelmed by how much he told us, so I’ve checked a few of the facts since, to make sure I’ve got them right for you!
So, how did Gibraltar end up British? It was captured by an Anglo-Dutch force in 1704, and Spain formally handed it over to Britain in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. It’s been a British territory ever since.
And did you know the famous apes aren’t actually apes? Everyone calls them the Rock apes, but they’re really monkeys called Barbary macaques. They just don’t have tails, which is why they get mistaken for apes! They’re the only wild monkeys in Europe, and legend has it that if they ever leave the Rock, the British will too. Winston Churchill took that seriously enough to have more brought over from North Africa during the Second World War, when numbers were running low!
Our Gibraltar day trip: five stops on the Rock
The cable car is closed for a rebuild at the moment, so a taxi tour with a local guide is the way to get up the Rock. Here’s where ours took us!
Stop 1: Europa Point
Our first stop was Europa Point, the southernmost tip of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. On a clear day, you can see right across the Strait to Morocco!
There’s a big gun on display at Harding’s Battery, a mosque, a sports stadium and, of course, the red-and-white Europa Point Lighthouse. It was first lit in 1841, and it’s the only lighthouse outside the UK run by Trinity House. These days it’s monitored remotely from Harwich, in my home county of Essex. Small world!
Stop 2: St Michael’s Cave
Next up was St Michael’s Cave, and it was amazing! It’s named after a grotto in Italy where the Archangel Michael is said to have appeared, and when the lights hit one of the rock formations just right, you can see the outline of an angel with its wings spread.
The cave was once thought to be bottomless, and legend says a secret passage runs from it all the way under the sea to Africa. During the Second World War, it was prepared as an emergency hospital, although it was never used as one. Today, the biggest chamber is a concert hall, with a light and sound show playing across the rock. It stays at a cool 16 to 17°C all year round, too.
This was also where we met the apes for the first time. They were awesome!
Stop 3: The Skywalk
The third stop was the Skywalk, a glass platform 340 metres above sea level, which is higher than the top of The Shard in London! It was built on an old military lookout, and the views of Spain and the coast of Africa are stunning.
It was opened in 2018 by Mark Hamill, the actor who played Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, hence the name! He even cut the ribbon with a lightsaber. The hills up there are very steep, but it was well worth the climb.
Stop 4: The apes at the top of the Rock
The fourth stop was near the top of the Rock, where the apes hang out. One of them opened our guide’s car door and grabbed something from the compartment. Then she realised it was a hard-boiled egg, which she apparently doesn’t like, so she put it back and wandered off! It was an amazing sight, and we got incredibly close to them, which was brilliant.
Top tip: it’s illegal to feed or deliberately touch the macaques, and the fines are hefty. Keep your bags zipped, don’t carry food in your hands, and let them come to you. They’re wild animals, and very cheeky ones!
Stop 5: The one we skipped
The fifth and final stop was meant to be the caves further along the Rock, but our guide wasn’t able to take us there. He did explain why, but I didn’t catch the reason! We had the choice of leaving him to explore on foot and walking back down, or heading back to the town centre with him. We chose the town, as we wanted to see more of Gibraltar itself.
Lunch in the town centre
Back in town, we paid our guide. It was 70 euros per person, which covered the tour and the ticket for the Rock. Then we set off to explore. It’s a really interesting, lively little town! It reminded me of the small towns back home, but with a hint of Spain mixed in. It was great!
We grabbed some lunch in the town centre, and I paid for my friend, as it was their birthday. The bill was in pounds, which felt very weird after a week of euros! After lunch, we headed back to the border to rejoin Vanessa, taking an open-top bus, which was really cool.
The long road back to Seville
The journey back was very long, as we kept getting stuck in traffic. We’d left early and were meant to be back early, but we ended up almost 40 minutes late. I didn’t realise Spain’s rush hour could be that bad!
My friend wanted to walk back to the hotel, so that’s another 12,000 steps done today. I’m going to be so fit when I get home! I must be at around 70,000 steps for the trip so far. We also got utterly soaked on the way back!
My friend was exhausted and headed straight up to bed, and I went back to my room to rest my poor feet. We skipped dinner, as neither of us was really hungry after the late lunch.
Overall, it was an amazing day. The weather was on our side too. It was warmer in Gibraltar than in Seville, and it wasn’t raining! We both loved it, and it was well worth the early start. You can see the two shorts I put up today on my YouTube channel, The Forward Shift Journal.
Tomorrow: Day 8
Tomorrow is our final full day in Seville. It’s been a crazy week, and it’s gone far too quickly! We head home on Thursday evening on a late flight, and our 15:00 check-out will help while we wait.
The plan for tomorrow is the Centro Comercial Torre Sevilla shopping centre. It’s a 50-minute walk… yay! Thankfully, we’ll be getting an Uber back, as I’m not sure my poor feet can take much more.
I hope you’ll join me for our last full day. See you tomorrow!