Gibraltar and Vejer de la Frontera may not be far apart in distance, but they're worlds apart in every other sense. Vejer is a typical whitewashed Andalusian village, while Gibraltar's busy, British vibe is a total contrast. Carmen, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘Vejer shows its Moorish roots at every corner. It oozes history and enjoys a dramatic location in the hills. Don't miss the Plaza de España, which has to be one of Spain's most attractive squares, or the Mirador de la Cobijada, with its statue of a Vejer woman in traditional dress.'
Your adventure kicks off with a trip inland, past rolling hills and a horizon dotted with whitewashed villages. You'll have about an hour in Vejer to tour its winding alleys and pretty plazas with your guide, soaking up its history and atmosphere. Carmen says, ‘It's called Vejer de la Frontera because it was on the frontier between Christian and Muslim Spain. As a legacy of the past, there are 2km of walls and almost 200 heritage buildings, including the Gothic-Mudejar Church of San Salvador.'
Then it's on to Gibraltar, where you'll visit the famous Rock – a nature reserve that covers almost half of the territory's area. You'll see the cheeky Barbary apes that roam around freely and enter the cave of St Michael before some free time in the old town to explore. ‘The Barbary apes are so synonymous with Gibraltar that when numbers dipped in the mid-20th century, a new troop was imported to ensure the population could thrive,' adds Carmen.
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