Traveling by car in and out of Gibraltar, that British enclave on the south western tip of the Iberian Peninsula has never been easier. It bodes well for Gibraltar’s tourism industry this summer as visitors to Spain will have an easier time crossing the border and exploring some of the wonders of The Rock.

The long delays at Spanish customs and immigration when you returned to the mainland have vanished. Even at busy times the wait is now minutes. In the past it could have taken hours and as a result fewer motorists ventured into Gibraltar for fear that they would trapped there in long lines while every car was searched and drivers questioned. Today, most times, it’s a friendly wave through or occasionally a customs officer will take a rapid glance into the trunk to check for contraband.

The border crossing became easier at the end of last year when Gibraltar, Spain and Britain signed agreements aimed at improving conditions on the Rock. Included in that agreement was the resumption of passenger flights between Spain and Gibraltar, something that had not happened for nearly 30 years.

Another plus for the journey from Spain is the completion of a four-lane highway that links the main Costa del Sol highway – the N340 – to La Linea the frontier town in Spain. The new road sweeps down to the coast and gives an impressive view of The Rock.
And what’s to do when you arrive in Gibraltar? Many visit for shopping. There are bargains from around the world to be had on Main Street and for Brits living in Spain – there’s now close to a million of them – shopping at the British Morrison’s foodstore is an attraction. Many alcoholic items, tobacco and gasoline are cheaper here than in Spain. Exploring the rock, with its famed Barbary apes, or heading off to sea to see dolphins are both popular. Pre-historic relics have been found in Gibraltar caves, including the first Neanderthal-type skull.

For such a tiny place - the whole land mass is only two and a quarter square miles with a population of 30,000 - this place has witnessed an incredible amount of history. It has no natural resources, no arable land, no forests, no pastures, no crops and only limited natural freshwater. But its strategic location over the strait that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea has made it a possession everyone has wanted since 1000 BC when the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians visited.

Then came the Romans, and when their empire collapsed the barbarian races of the East came charging in. First were the Vandals and then the Goths in the seventh century. Then in 711 comes the man, Tarik-ibn-Zeyad, whose name lives on today. Gibraltar comes from the Arabic words Jebel Tarik, or Tarik´s mountain. It wasn’t until 1462 that the Spanish gained control and it stayed that way until the beginning of the eighteenth century and the War of the Spanish Succession. The Rock, that rises to 460 metres above seal level, was a pawn in the battles and by the Treaty of Utrecht, which ended the conflict, the fortress was yielded to Britain in 1713.

It was in the twentieth century that James Bond style events took place. Gibraltar played a major role in the two world wars as an anti-submarine base and a gathering spot for maritime convoys. During the Second World War much of the population was excavated and the Rock underwent dramatic surgery with giant tunnels and caverns carved out of the limestone to make a total underground city. An airstrip replaced wonderful gardens and a cricket pitch on the north side of the territory. Today that airstrip is part of a modern airport and for the first time there are road signs in Spain showing directions. In the past there were no road signs in Spain that indicated Gibraltar.

In 1969 Spain closed the frontier after attempts for the reversion to Spanish sovereignty failed. The gates remained closed for 16 years. But today they are open and easier to pass through. Hopefully it will stay that way.