Tourist Attractions in Gibraltar: The Rock, Monkeys, and More

In 1969, after attempts to pursue a quick marriage in England or France, John Lennon and Yoko Ono tied the knot in a brief ceremony at the British consulate in Gibraltar. The famous couple spent less than two hours total in the British protectorate before they flew to Amsterdam for their honeymoon. Had the curious couple wanted to stay in Gibraltar, though, they could have visited the Rock, frolicked with African monkeys, and explored the tiny territory’s other treasures. Tourists today will find that Gibraltar is packed full of attractions. With a total area of less than six square kilometers, Gibraltar is dense, bustling, and easy to explore.

Here are the top tourist attractions in Gibraltar

1. The Rock. An international symbol of strength, the Rock of Gibraltar marks a gateway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and between Europe and Africa. Just 14 km separate Gibraltar from the northern tip of Morocco, so the narrow strait overlooked by the Rock has long been considered a powerful place to control. Muslims occupied Gibraltar during medieval times, followed by the Spanish and eventually the British (who used Gibraltar as an important naval installation starting in the early 1700s). The Rock itself, rising a dramatic quarter mile above sea level, is as important geologically as it has been culturally. The limestone promontory was formed by plate collision that turned the Mediterranean into a lake by cutting it off from the ocean. This giant pool eventually dried up before the strait flooded to refill the sea bed. With excellent views from both the water and from mainland Spain, The Rock of Gibraltar is certainly the most notable, though by no means the only worthwhile, attraction for tourists.