Gibraltar - your guide!
Where and what is Gibraltar?… as a matter of fact, it is a British overseas territory occupying a tiny peninsula in Spain’s southern Mediterranean coastline, just north-east of the Strait of Gibraltar, on the east side of the Bay of Gibraltar, and directly south of the Spanish city of La Línea de la Conception.
It is 5 km (3 miles) long and 1.2 km (0.75 miles) wide and is connected to Spain by a low, sandy isthmus that is 1 mile (1.6 km) long. Its name is derived from Arabic: Jabal Ṭāriq (Mount Tarik), honouring Ṭāriq ibn Zeyād, who captured the peninsula in 711. The rock is a heavily fortified British air and naval base that guards the Strait of Gibraltar, which is the only entrance to the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. Ever since the 18th century, Gibraltar has been a symbol of British naval strength, and it is commonly known in that context as “the Rock.”
With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, the Rock of Gibraltar increased in strategic importance, and its position as a provisioning port was greatly enhanced. Furthermore, since World War II the British military garrison and naval dockyard have continued to be an important part of Gibraltar’s economy and NATO naval operations.
The Rock of Gibraltar is one of the Pillars of Heracles (Hercules); the other has been identified as one of two peaks in northern Africa: Mount Abyla, near the city of Ceuta (the Spanish exclave on the Moroccan coast), or Jebel Moussa (Musa), in Morocco. The Pillars of Hercules—which, according to Homer, were created when Heracles broke the mountain that had connected Africa to Europe—defined the western limits of navigation for the ancient Mediterranean world.
Gibraltar's History Timeline
711AD
Moorish Occupation
Tarik-IBN-Zeyad conquers Gibraltar during the launch of the Moorish Empire into Iberia
1309-1333
Brief Spanish Occupation
Spain has a very brief occupation of Gibraltar, with the Moors re-conquering the Rock in 1333.
20/8/1462
Spain conquers Gibraltar
Spanish forces launch an attack under the command of Alonso de Arcos before Gibraltar is captured in the name of the Duke of Medina on 20 August 1462. Later in the year, the Crown of Spain annexes it, the Duke giving up in protest.
23/07/1704
Britain conquers The Rock
Admiral Sir George Rooke leads Anglo-Dutch forces in conquering Gibraltar on behalf of Charles of Austria. Ever since, Gibraltar remains British till present
Where is Gibraltar?
You can find Gibraltar is located in the Southern point of Spain (Europe), just opposite North Africa.
How to get to Gibraltar?
The only way to fly into Gibraltar is via UK commercial flights or private jets.
Direct flights from UK to Gibraltar are from:
- London Heathrow
- London Gatwick
- London Luton
- Manchester
- Bristol
- Birmingham
- Edinburgh
Fortunately, Gibraltar is also accessible via Spain. Furthermore, Gibraltar adjoins the southern coast of Spain at the western end of the Mediterranean. Finally, to be allowed through the border into Gibraltar you will be required to be in possession of a valid passport.
The land border is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and there are no limits on the number of frontier crossings you can make. There are no fees to enter Gibraltar.
If you are driving to Gibraltar from Spain, take the N340 or the A7 (Cadiz – Malaga highway) and exit at Junction 119 into the N351 which takes you to La Linea, the border town between Spain and Gibraltar.
LATEST UPDATE: 18th March 2022 – Latest information follow the link
When you travel to Gibraltar from abroad you:
- do not need to take any COVID-19 tests before you travel or after you arrive
- do not need to fill in a passenger locator form
- do not need to quarantine when you arrive
This applies whether you are vaccinated or not.
There are no covid restrictions when entering via the land border. Passports, EU ID cards and in some cases visas are required to enter Gibraltar.
UPCOMING CHANGES
From Friday 25th March, unvaccinated close contacts of COVID-19 positive cases will no longer be required to self-isolate.
In Gibraltar, however, COVID-19 positive cases, will have to continue to have to self-isolate in line with the established day 6 and day 7 testing regime. This will nonetheless be kept under review.
Documentation Requirements
Passports are required by all visitors who want to enter Gibraltar, except for EU nationals who are in possession of a valid national identity card. As a general rule of thumb, those persons who require a visa for entry into the United Kingdom will also require a separate visa for entry to Gibraltar.
Further information about Visa requirements can be found on the website of the Gibraltar Borders and Coastguards Agency, which is available here.
To check if you require a visa to enter Gibraltar then please click here.
Arrivals Passport Control
For all air passengers arriving at Gibraltar Airport, your first step will be to proceed via the arrivals passport control.
There are 2 separate lanes for:
- All European Union (EU) Nationals
- All other nationalities
At the passport desk, you will be asked for your passport or travel document plus any supporting documentation necessary for your visit. Please note that your passport or travel document should not expire during your planned visit to Gibraltar.
EU Countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Hotels in Gibraltar
Offering various hotel accommodation alternatives, Gibraltar has some great hotels at your disposal. Below is a list of hotels that are open all year round and have great facilities.

Sunborn Gibraltar: the world's first 5 star super-yacht hotel. Book direct for exclusive offers and guaranteed best rates.
Modern hotel located at the foot of the famous Rock of Gibraltar and very close to the international airport (GIB) with an all-day cafe/bar, free Wi-Fi and breakfast included
Enjoy the best that the Mediterranean has to offer at The Eliott, a stunning hotel in old town Gibraltar

The Rock Hotel is majestically situated on the foothill of Gibraltar's famous rock with panoramic vistas of the Bay and Straits of Gibraltar as well as the Spanish mainland.

Offering a subtropical garden and a swimming pool, Bristol Hotel is situated just a 2-minute walk to the main street in Gibraltar.
Popular Tours in Gibraltar
Obviously, Gibraltar is a very popular touristic destination, hence why you are reading this article right now! Trying to choose a tour can sometimes be challenging, so we have made a TOP 5 List below for your perusal. Check out all the other tours available to you by visiting the Victory Tours website.

Discover all of Gibraltar’s most iconic touristic sites under the careful guide and luxury comfort of our Gibraltar Rock Tours.
From £31ppMeet and greet the Gibraltar Dolphins and get to see up to three different dolphin species on our Gibraltar Dolphin Trip. Enjoy all the marine life the Bay of Gibraltar has to offer.
£20ppOnly place to safely and ethically interact with the Gibraltar Monkeys under the guidance and supervision of a specialist guide.
From £35pp
Gibraltar Military History Tours is one of our most popular and on-demand tours. This is clearly of no surprise, due to the significance of Gibraltar as a Military Strategic location. This strategic importance can be dated back to the Greek Empire. Such importance is evident as Gibraltar is described as one of the Pillars of Hercules.
From £35pp
On this tour, your expert guide will explain the importance of Gibraltar's initial city within the defence walls and show you all the hidden gems within our Old Town area that usually go unnoticed by visitors.
£35ppTop Restaurants in Gibraltar
In Gibraltar we love food and we, even more, love to eat and dine out. There are over 200 restaurants in Gibraltar and sometimes picking the right one is a bit of a challenge for visitors. Below is a small list of our Top Restaurants and there is also a Tapas Food Tour you can enjoy.
A unique Wine Boutique Gibraltar offering a huge selection of wines and now also BBQ & Menu to die for. Simply it's Where Wine, Food & Friends come together

AquaTerra. Restaurant. Nº1 restaurant on Tripadvisor in gibraltar. See our Menu. Gourmet shop. Make your most special gift at our gourmet shop in gibraltar. See our shop.

Humble family-run restaurant offering authentic, flavorful curries, tandoori dishes and freshly made customised sushi rolls too!
Main Beaches of Gibraltar

Catalan Bay
Catalan Bay is the second largest sandy beach in Gibraltar. It is a former fishing village on the eastern side of the Rock and is very popular with both Gibraltarian’s and tourists.
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