There is certainly no lack of things to do or places to visit during your stay in Gibraltar. Below we list some of the key sites to visit. Detailed information on all these can be obtained from any of the Gibraltar Tourist Board Information Centres. Tel: +350 20045000. Fax: +350 20074943 Email: [email protected]
There is no shortage of places to go in the evening. Hotel cocktail bars offer comfortable and sophisticated surroundings for a quiet drink or not so quiet, jazz performance or other live band. For a more informal evening, almost every street in town has wine bars and lively cosmopolitan pubs. Later you might dance into the small hours at one of Gibraltar's trendy disco pubs or enjoy a flutter at the Casino.
There is plenty to see and do in Gibraltar. Whether you are only in town for a few hours or planning an extended stay, this is a good place to begin making plans.
Gibraltar's clubs, organisations and associations are an excellent way to get to know this area and it's people more intimately. For more information and a full listing contact the Gibraltar Tourist Board on Tel: +350 20045000 or Ministry of Culture on Tel: +350 20048063
Gibraltar's beaches can be divided into eastern and western beaches. Those on the east side tend to be sandy, while those on the west side are typically rocky. The beaches are generally praised for being clean and well-kept.
La Basilica de Vega del Mar was a Paleo-Christian (early Christian) church and necropolis (burial site), located near the coast just east of the mouth of the Guadalmina river, in San Pedro, Marbella. The area used to known as Vega del Mar, and is now known as Linda Vista.
Located next to the beach in the Guadalmina urbanisation, the baths date back to the 3rd century and were first discovered in 1926. The solid mortar structure has survived the passing of history and weather well, particularly considering the location near the beach. The construction was built around an octagonal patio of 9.75 metres in diameter which in its time was encrypted.
This beautiful Arabian temple overlooks the golden mile just to the west of the city centre (towards San Pedro). It was the first Mosque constructed in Spain since the Christian re-conquest in the fifteenth century. It was built in 1981 by then Prince Salmán bin Abdulaziz in honour of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz al-Saúd of Saudi Arabia.
Icon of Seville, the magnificent Giralda was the tallest building in the city for over 800 years, dominating the skyline at 103m. Originally built in 1195 as the minaret of the Aljama mosque, it is now the belltower of the cathedral, and is recognised as World Heritage by UNESCO.
The Parque Maria Luisa is a large green space to the south of the city centre, close to the river, with hundreds of exotic trees lining shady avenues, and historic, fairytale buildings, with exotic touches provided by colourful tiled benches, and Moorish fountains and pools.
Once a convent, this magnificent art museum has been lovingly restored and is now one of the finest in Spain. Located in a tiny plaza away from the city centre bustle, the building dates back to 1612, the work of architect, Juan de Oviedo.
This is the first barrio (area or neighbourhood) tourists head for, and with good reason. It is the most picturesque and delightful part of the city, with narrow winding cobbled streets and whitewashed houses, where you can sit outside a bar, enjoy some tapas and watch the world go by, or wander through centuries-old gardens and relax on beautiful tiled benches.
La Casa de Pilatos (Pilate's House) is the finest example of a civil (as opposed to royal) palace in Seville. The building is a mixture of Italian Renaissance and Spanish Mudéjar adorned with precious tiles, and has well-kept gardens.
This massive building is Seville's most impressive after the cathedral, for its sheer scale and grandeur. Love it or hate it - fabulous or fussy, magnificent or overblown, depending on your point of view - you shouldn't miss it when visiting the city.
As you arrive in the city, look out for remnants of ancient stone walls marooned in the centre of busy roads, plus an impressive, well-preserved 400-metre section in Macarena, near the Andalucian parliament building. These are the remains of the city walls, or murallas, dating from the 12th century - Seville was once the most strongly fortified city in Europe.
Known locally as Las Setas (the Mushrooms), due to its short stems and wide caps, this is the most ambitious, expensive and controversial urban project in Seville since Expo 92. Opened in 2011, and designed by German architect Jurgen Meyer H, it is now one of Seville's architectural icons, along with the Giralda, Torre del Oro, Plaza de España, and the Alamillo bridge.
The cathedral's construction lasted over a century, from 1401 to 1506. It is said that when the plans were drawn up, church elders stated, "Hagamos una iglesia tan hermosa y tan grandiosa que los que la vieren labrada nos tengan por locos." (Let us build a church so beautiful and so magnificent that those who see it finished will think we are mad).
The Alcazar (of the Christian Kings) features a castle, its own delightful gardens and a moorish bathhouse. This is a very popular monument.
The Gate of Seville is of considerable historical interest standing as an original fortified tower and an early entry gate to the Alcazar or fortress from the west. Fragments date back to the 10th century. The wall here was erected by Christians in the 14th and 15th century along with the barbican and moat.
The Guadalquivir river-bed is wide enough for small islands which today are only inhabited by birds. Long ago there used to be flour mills, of which some remains can still be seen to this day. The one near the north river bank was called Molino de la Albolafia.
