Gibraltar is a piece of Jurassic limestone which lies at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, at the eastern end of the straits that bear its name. It has been the site of human habitation for thousands of years. Indeed, the first discovery of what is known as Neanderthal Man was first made in Gibraltar in 1848. The significance of the find was not appreciated at the time - had it been, we would talk of Gibraltar Man instead. Gibraltar has been lived on continuously since 711 AD, from the time of the Islamic invasion of southern Europe. The commander of the forces that landed on Gibraltar was the Berber Tarik ibn Zeyad, and what we now call Gibraltar was then known as Djebel Tarik - Tarik's mountain.

Situated at junction of the Mediterranean with the Atlantic Ocean, it has always been fought over by many civilisations. These have left their mark on the architechture and street plans to this day, with the fiercely British Gibraltarians of today deriving mostly from Genoese, Maltese, Moroccan, English and Spanish ancestries. Gibraltar has been British territory since 1713, and is one of the most densely populated parts of the world with 30,000 people living in 3 square miles. The visitor to Gibraltar can pass through most attractions within a day, but to appreciate the intricacies of how the various civilisations have left their mark would take considerably longer. In the sightseeing itinerary, a visit to St Michael's cave is a must, and no tourist could claim to have had the full Gibraltar experience without seeing the apes, which are actually tail-less macaque monkeys, and the only primiates found wild in the whole of Europe. The view from the top of the Rock, easily accessible by cable car or by very steep hills is stunning. On a clear day, it is said you can see two seas (the Med and Atlantic), three countries (Gibraltar, Spain and Morocco) and four kingdoms (the UK, the kingdom of Spain, the kingdom of Morocco, and the kingdom of God when you look up!). The galleries are a feat of engineering. Though they could be easily accomplished today, consider that the tunnelling from where cannons poke their barrels through three-foot diameter holes to look out some 400 feet up over what is now the Gibraltar airport's runway was achieved by pick and shovel in the 18th century. Speaking of the airport, it is the site of what must be an unique level crossing. Many people will be used to seeing cars stop at a red light in order to let a train pass. Gibraltar goes one better. When the lights turn red, an aeroplane lands or takes off! Yes, the runway is crossed by a road.

Gibraltar is a curious mix and mash of cultures, and many cuisines have left their mark on the local palate. Unfortunately the pubs and restaurants mostly cater for tourists' tastes, and one has to try hard to find typically Gibraltarian dishes on sale.