Just a short two and a half hour flight from the UK, walking distance to southern Spain and a catamaran ride away from Morocco, Gibraltar’s geographical position is unique.

With 365 days of sunshine, tempered by the cool breeze from North Africa and with its Pound currency, Sunday roasts, cream teas, English ‘bobbies’ and traditional red telephone boxes, Gibraltar is a veritable home away from home for the British.

The first things you’ll notice as the plane begins its descent into Gibraltar are the swaying tropical palm trees and the deep, blue azure of the Mediterranean. The next thing will be remarkably short runway, built during the Second World War, and located right in the middle of the road! In fact, the traffic in Gibraltar literally stops every time a plane comes into land!

Gibraltar is a duty-free country which means that you can stock up on electronics, jewellery, perfumes, cigarettes and alcohol at lower prices than found in the UK. Main Street, the pedestrianized, cobbled area dedicated to duty-free shopping, is filled with all sorts of bargains from high street stores to high-end brands. The absence of tax on goods is reflected in the bars and restaurants where prices are significantly lower than anywhere else in Europe.

The currency, the Gibraltar Pound, is also on par with the British Pound Sterling which means there’s no need to change your Pounds into Euros. The only difference is that here, your Pound goes much further!

Going back into history, however, who would have thought that a country originally named ‘Jebel Tarik’ by a Moslem general, Tarik ibn Ziyad who had landed his forces at the southern end of the Rock to begin the initial Muslim conquest of Spain in 711 AD, could end up being so intrinsically British! For 400 years, Gibraltar was made a fortress by the Moors and after the first siege in 1309, the Spanish retook the Rock but ten further sieges were to follow. In 1704, the English and Dutch marines landed and captured the Rock. It was ceded to Britain by Spain under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. During the 19th century, Admiral Nelson based his fleet and fought the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 at the western end of the Strait. Sadly, it was to Gibraltar that Nelson’s body was brought and the Trafalgar Cemetery can still be visited today in Gibraltar. Today, Gibraltar is a surviving part of the British Empire and a Crown Colony.

With a plethora of things to do and see in Gibraltar, you will be hard pushed to find the time to pack everything into a short visit. It’s no wonder then that we have such a large number of repeat clients visiting Gibraltar year after year, celebrating special occasions with friends and family and even getting married or having their marriage vows renewed there!