ALCAIDESA MARINA
This relatively new 624-berth marina is just into La Línea, north
of the runway. The Rock stands impressively in the background
and the berths look out across the glittering expanses of the
bay. Because the airport only has a few fl ights a day at most,
movements aren’t so much disturbances as occasional
entertainments. With sea lapping at both ends, Gibraltar
has one of the most sporting runways in Europe and pilots
are said to relish landing here.
British owned and run, Alcaidesa feels as welcoming and
customer friendly as any marina at home. The facilities are
comprehensive, with a fi rst-class boatyard, 75-tonne hoist
and plenty of hard standing. There’s a beach next to the marina
and La Línea has a restful seafront fringed with palms. A few
blocks inland in Calle San Pablo, La Bodeguiya is one of my
favourite tapas bars. The nearby Museum Cruz Herrera has
a fi ne collection of paintings.
La Línea’s old quarter, La Atunara, is on the east side of the
Gibraltar peninsula, opposite a beach where fi shing boats are
hauled up. Here, you’ll fi nd plenty of traditional Andalusian
bars and seafood restaurants – perfect retreats on warm, dusky
evenings. I particularly like Restaurante Las Trebedes in Calle
Calderón de la Barca. If you fancy a nostalgic taste of Blighty,
Gibraltar town centre is a 15-minute walk from Alcaidesa Marina.GIBRALTAR SIGHTS
CHANGING THE GUARD The administrative heart of Gibraltar
is a few blocks east of Queensway Quay in Convent Place, where
the gleaming white portico of the Government Secretariat faces
the solid red brick of the Governor’s Residence. Here, you can
watch the changing of the Governor’s guard and feel the British
pulse of this historic outpost. Following Main Street south and
cutting into Red Sands Road, you reach Gibraltar’s Alameda
Gardens, a deliciously shady oasis amid exotic trees and shrubs.
TOP OF THE ROCK From the gardens, you can take a cable car
up the steep chalk face of Gibraltar to the untamed slopes of the
Upper Rock. The views from the dangling compartment and the
summit are breathtaking as you gaze west across the harbour and
anchorage towards the Spanish hills above Algeciras, and south-
west towards Morocco and the Strait. To the east is the rich blue
sweep of the Mediterranean, with the sun-cracked sierras of the
Costa del Sol folding towards Málaga. On the Upper Rock, you’ll
meet the notorious Barbary apes, the only natural habitat for wild
monkeys left in Europe. Be careful with Gibraltar apes – they can
be persistent in search of free food.LOCAL CRUISING
COSTA DEL SOL
The far south-west end of the Costa del Sol is part of Gibraltar
home waters, and a cruise around Europa Point is always fun. The
south tip of Gibraltar juts into the Mediterranean with authority,
commanding the strategic gap between Europe and Africa. Europa
Point lighthouse stands on a relatively low plateau of cliffs but
behind it, the chalk scars of the Rock soar dramatically, especially
on the east side. An ornate mosque looks towards Morocco.
Gibraltar’s sheer east side is impressive as you curve round
towards the Costa del Sol, a fantastic wedge of chalk towering above
the gentle hills around La Línea. This exposed side of the Rock hasThe south tip of Gibraltar juts into the
Med with authority, commanding the
strategic gap between Europe and Africa42TRAVEL
Gibraltar old town is
a short stroll from
Marina Bay (below)