Monumental San Roque

Written by C. Jordan

Guided Tours

The Borough Tourist Office offers free guided sightseeing tours (weekdays, mornings, afternoons and weekends). The tours can be arranged for groups of 8 or more...

"MONUMENTAL SAN ROQUE" GUIDED TOURS SAN ROQUE, THE GIBRALTAR AREA’S HISTORICAL CENTRE, AUTHENTIC HISTORY, CULTURE & GASTRONOMY

The tours can be arranged for groups of 8 or more persons in English, Spanish and Italian. The only necessary requirement is to book in advance (at least 5 days in hand). If you cannot get a group of people together, contact us to join booked groups in your language. We shall do our best to offer you a tour.

Undoubtedly, San Roque is one of the most interesting towns in the Gibraltar Area, due to its unique historical background and its well-kept Andalusian architecture. At first the town was known as “Gibraltar in the Fields of San Roque”, due to the fact most of the Spanish inhabitants who left the Rock in 1704 during the British invasion settled here. In 1706 King Phillip V of Spain made San Roque the official “City of Gibraltar in Exile”.

The whitewashed old quarter of town was declared a Collection of listed historical buildings in 1975. Old San Roque is full of notable monuments and museums, as well as Andalusian picturesque streets and typical squares. All the relics, records and iconography the Spanish Gibraltarians retrieved from Gibraltar are kept here, such as many statues in the Church. Another strong tradition is local gastronomy, the city is famous for its excellent tapa bars, where you can sample the most delicious local dishes.

MAIN ASPECTS OF THE GUIDED TOUR:

The Governor’s Palace (early 18th century, neoclassical architecture, old Military Command HQ) – it contains to 2 museums and the Standard of Gibraltar. Saint Mary the Crowned Parish (1735, Tuscan & Baroque-style – built on the site of original shrine of Saint Roque (1508), the temple contains priceless statues brought from Gibraltar (15th to 18th century)).

The Collection of listed historical buildings (old quarter of San Roque): Calle San Felipe, Church Square, Plaza de Armas (where modern bullfighting, so-called the Red Cape and Sword Technique, was invented in 1720), Mirador Poeta Domingo de Mena (Viewpoint), Calle Historiador Montero, Calle San Nicolás & Alameda Alfonso XI Square.

The Bull Ring (1850, the second oldest in the province of Cadiz and one of the oldest in Andalusia- it contains a bullfighting museum).

Carteya Archaeological Site (700 BC – Major Phoenician & Roman city).

Tapa Culinary Experience- sample some of the most delicious local dishes in small, individual servings in one of the many typical tapa bars scattered round Old San Roque. For more details, contact the team at the Borough Tourist Office:

Ilustre Ayuntamiento de San Roque
Plaza de Andalucía, s/n
Esq. Calle San Felipe
11360 San Roque (Cádiz)
Tel: (+34) 956 694 005
Fax: (+34) 956 780 177
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: www.sanroque.es/tourism