Island Hopping 2024: Alhambra to Gibraltar

The only goal today was to travel from Alhambra to Gibraltar and we did it.  The drive out of Alhambra and Grenada was pretty much like the drive in, rolling hills and olive trees.  So many olive trees.  Sandy has taught me to appreciate olives, an acquired taste, at least for me, and I have been taking baby steps, but now being here in the midst of all these ancient olives forests I'm all in, 100%.  Gradually the hills again became mountains and the olive trees gave way.  Emerging at the coast the rugged terrain butted right up to the Mediterranean. This was a thrill for Sandy and me.  With all of our travel, this was the first time we saw the Mediterranean.  It was nice that we saw it at the same time.

Millions of olive trees

Our first view of the Mediterranean Sea

A quick snack on the road

Tunnels and viaducts as we approached Gibraltar

We came through a small pass in the hills and there was the Rock of Gibraltar unmistakable and huge right in front of us.  Having to wind through the Spanish town of La Línea de la Concepción and then pass through passport control (we were entering England after all), it still took about an hour to get to our AirBnB.

The Rock of Gibraltar from the auto

Today's trip

We spent the evening in our room which gave me time to research a little about the British history of Gibraltar.  Gibraltar itself is a rocky promontory guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea and it has witnessed a tumultuous history marked by strategic importance and contested sovereignty.  

In 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, an Anglo-Dutch fleet captured Gibraltar from the Spanish. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 formally ceded Gibraltar to Britain, solidifying its status as a British Overseas Territory. The Rock's strategic location provided a commanding vantage point over crucial sea routes, which sea-faring England coveted.

Over the centuries, Gibraltar evolved into a formidable naval base and fortress. Its natural defenses, coupled with a labyrinthine network of tunnels inside the Rock and fortifications on and around it, rendered it virtually impregnable. The Royal Navy used Gibraltar as a crucial outpost, exerting influence over the Mediterranean.

Gibraltar's military significance persisted through the World Wars, with the Rock serving as a crucial naval base and airfield. Post-World War II, Gibraltar adapted to changing geopolitical dynamics. Despite occasional tensions with Spain over sovereignty, the Gibraltarians have consistently expressed their desire to remain under British rule through referendums.