Family Fun in Spain (and Gibraltar) Part I

In March, I was joined by my wonderful mom and sister, who spent a week getting to know my lovely Sevilla and exploring other parts of Spain. Despite their lack of sleep after a long flight from the U.S., they spent their first day in Sevilla touring some of the best sights, from Plaza de España to the delicious tapas restaurant Levies to the cathedral and Giralda tower to my neighborhood in La Alameda to my favorite kebab shop. The weather was perfect for exploring the beautiful city, and I was especially excited to get a 360° view of Sevilla from atop the Giralda, a view I hadn’t seen since my first visit to the city in 2006.

My sister and me in Sevilla's stunning Plaza de España

Sevilla, as seen from atop La Giralda. My house is out there somewhere!

The following day, I had to work, but after school I joined them for a picnic by the Guadalquivir River and a tour of Sevilla’s bullring, a lackluster tour but still an important sight to see. My mom’s college friend and her son flew in that night, and I led the group to tapas and drinks at the popular Pando and Patio San Eloy restaurants in the city center.

My sister and mom picnicking on the banks of the Guadalquivir

I was fortunate enough to be given the next day off to spend with my visitors, so off we went to Gibraltar, the British territory on the southern coast of Spain. I had visited it previously when my dad came to visit in November, but only by night after most of the destinations were closed, so I was excited to go back and explore more of the area. I find it fascinating that there’s this tiny British enclave surrounded by Spain where the culture, language, architecture, currency, and food are suddenly so different.

In Gibraltar, we began by taking the cable car to the top of the rock, which offered stunning views of the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Strait of Gibraltar, Europe, and Africa. One of Gibraltar’s main attractions is the countless wild (and often vicious) monkeys running around. Despite warnings, some members of our group set their bags down temporarily, only to find them immediately attacked by a monkey, unzipping pockets and digging through to find any scrap of food. We couldn’t stop laughing at the monkey’s determination.

One of Gibraltar's many mad monkeys

From there, we hiked down the rock, observing the view, soaking in the sun, spotting more monkeys, and, of course, taking tons of photos. Starving, we stopped for lunch at the first restaurant we saw, only to find that it’s TripAdvisor’s top-rated restaurant in Gibraltar and one of the best places I’ve ever eaten. The Broadway-themed burgers were to die for, and, as the only guests there, the owner spent our meal joyfully telling us about himself, his restaurant, and the history and politics of Gibraltar, on which he was an expert. Definitely one of the most delightful meals I’ve ever had. If you ever visit Gibraltar (which you really should!), be sure to stop by Theatre Royal Bar & Restaurant. After lunch, we wandered around the center of town a bit and looked out over Africa before driving back to Sevilla.

Family shot atop the Rock of Gibraltar

See part two of my family’s visit to Spain here!