Although there are few historical sites on this side of Gibraltar, this is more than made up for by the breath taking views of the sheer cliffs and the fishing village at Catalan Bay nestling beneath the cliffs. The coastline on this side is rugged and spectacular towards the south. Access to the Eastern side of the Rock is via Devil’s Tower Road from the north or Dudley Ward Tunnel from the south. An observation tower known as the Devil’s Tower near the entrance to Eastern Beach gave the road its name. The tower was demolished in 1940.

Catalan Bay

Catalan Bay is situated below the magnificent cliffs on the eastern side of the Rock, the bay has one of Gibraltar’s most popular small beaches. The village at Catalan Bay has historically been populated by Genoese fishermen. In the 18th century Genoese was so widely spoken in Gibraltar that government notices were published in this language (alongside English and Spanish).

Sandy Bay

The beach at Sandy Bay is situated alongside the massive ancient sand dune which lies against the cliffs of Gibraltar’s eastern side. The dune was utilised for the construction of the water catchments described below, and which are discussed further in this section.

Water Catchments

The remains of Gibraltar’s largest water catchment area is discussed in the section on Sandy Bay above. This water catchment dates back to a time when Gibraltar’s water supply required ingenious methods of collection and storage.

Eastern Beach

The largest beach in Gibraltar stretches from the east side of the airport runway along the edge of the isthmus for several hundred metres. The surrounding urban area is both residential and industrial. It is the only sandy beach to enjoy sunshine all day until sunset.