Gibraltar

If you are planning to stay on the Costa del Sol, it is well worth taking a trip to Gibraltar, which is only 35 minutes from Estepona, and less than an hour´s drive from Marbella. Excursions cost little more than €10 from most resort hotels, or you can hire a car and drive right into the centre of Gibraltar. Don´t forget your passport, as there are customs checks on the way in and out of Gibraltar, and although you can stock up on the duty-frees, don´t buy more than you are allowed to carry back over the border into Spain or you could have the goods confiscated by customs. Most of the shops in Gibraltar, including Marks and Spencer and British Home Stores are situated on Main Street. Morrisons supermarket is a ten minute walk from Main Street, or you can park in the ample car park at the store (time limit 3 hours in the car park).

If you are looking for good restaurants, pubs and even a casino in Gibraltar, take a look around the Marina area, which is home to a wide choice of waterfront eateries. You can also take a dolphin boat tour from here for around €20 per person. No trip to Gibraltar is complete without a tour of the rock, where you can meet the Barbary Apes close up. The apes were said to have arrived in Gibraltar from Morocco hundreds of years ago, and they roam around the higher parts of the rock of Gibraltar, which can be reached by cable car or taxi. The apes happily mingle with visitors, but watch out for your sunglasses and sandwiches, as they are known to steal both. Gibraltar Museum is also well worth a visit if you want to know more about the history of the region, and the Trafalgar Cemetery where many sailors were buried after the famous Battle of Trafalgar which took place nearby. If you plan to stay in Gibraltar you can fly directly to Gibraltar Airport.