Traveller’s Guide to Gibraltar
Wow y’all it has been one long year and a half!! Travel all but came to a screeching halt in 2020 and 2021 but I am so thrilled that places in the world are starting to (very slowly) open up. For those of us living in the UK, we are pretty limited to the government’s “green list” and the majority of those countries still have long quarantines. When we initially decided to have a look at the list and see if we could make a summer get away happen, we chose to plan a trip to Portugal, and we were quite disappointed when the government removed Portugal from the green list 2 weeks before our trip. Not wanting to give up on my dream of a beach vacation, I reexamined the list and discovered Gibraltar.
Now, I had heard of Gibraltar before, mainly from high school history classes, but other than the fact that it has been a military strong hold, I didn’t know much about it. But hey, it’s on the Southern Border of Spain, so the weather would be nice, and most importantly… we were allowed to go there!
Once we arrived we quickly realized we had made a great choice in going there. It had everything! Hotels to suit any budget, spas, sailing, beaches, botanical gardens, tons of restaurants and bars, art galleries, a wildlife preserve, an extremely rich cultural history, and WILD MONKEYS.
At the end of it all, we spent 4 days in Gibraltar, and honestly, we probably could’ve used another 3!
Where to Stay.
Depending on how you like to travel, there are a few great options to suit any budget.
Laura Barrett Larkins at the Eliott Hotel Pool in Gibraltar.
The Rock Hotel - If you’re looking for luxury, the Rock Hotel is your spot. Set into the hilltop of the Gibraltar rock, this hotel oozes class. There’s a pool, an aviary, multiple restaurants, and BONUS: John Lennon and Yoko Ono got married here. The only downside is that it is a bit far from the night life scene, if that’s your vibe.
The SunBorn Hotel - Another luxury spot is the SunBorn Yacht Hotel. If you want a high end hotel with a pool, a spa, on the water, that is LITERALLY a giant yacht, this one is for you. SunBorn is located on the opposite side of Gibraltar to the Rock Hotel, right in the midst of all the lively bars and restaurants in the Ocean Village Marina. BONUS: There’s a casino on board.
The Eliott Hotel - This is where we stayed, and honestly, we made the perfect choice for us and our budget with this spot. The Eliott is perhaps one step down in luxury to the first 2, but you can’t beat it for the price. This chicly decorated hotel has everything you need; a rooftop pool, a gym, a breakfast buffet, and a bar. It’s also very centrally located to everything in Gibraltar, including all of the main street shops.
The Caleta - The Caleta hotel is along the same price point as the Eliott, also has a pool, and a great aesthetic vibe. This hotel is perfect for those who want to spend most of their time laying by the Sandy Bay Beaches. The downside? It is a bit far from town. That said, Gibraltar is small, and you’re never more than a 15 minute taxi ride away from anything, really.
Things to Do.
Gibraltar is literally dripping with activities and I am certain there are things that we missed along the way, but here are my absolute highlights and recommendations.
Laura Barrett Larkins sailing with Jolly Parrot in Gibraltar
Book a Sailing Cruise - There are multiple different companies that offer 4 hour sailing cruises either mid-day or in the evening, and it’s really special to actually get out into the Straight of Gibraltar. We used Jolly Parrot Sailing Company and I would definitely recommend them to anyone else traveling over there. We got to see dolphins swim by our boat and stopped just outside the Spanish border for a dip in the water.
Stuart Larkins jumps into the sea.
Take the cable car to the top of the rock for panoramic views and BARBARY APES!
Pro tips: If you book a table for lunch (or cocktails) at the Mons Calpe Suite at the top, your cable card ride is FREE!
The monkeys steal. They mostly want any snacks in your bag or anything shiny on your body, so skip the jewelry this day and hold on tight to your bag.
Book a taxi tour through all the monuments - Now, normally I wouldn’t recommend doing a taxi tour like this, I prefer to explore things on my own for the most part, but as I mentioned before, the monkeys steal, and I wanted to safely carry my camera with me for photos. It’s important that you like your guide for something like this as well, because some of them can be a bit pushy, so if you get a taxi driver you vibe with during another journey, ask if they can do a tour for you. Or you can just call the Gibraltar Taxi Association and ask for our guy, Adil, we loved him! The perks of doing a taxi tour are that you can hit all the landmarks within 2 and a half hours. Our private extended tour cost 90 pounds for 2 people.
This includes
St. Michael’s Cave (which was sadly closed during our visit - oh well, something for next time!)
The Pillars of Hercules
The 100 Ton Gun
The SkyWalk (where you’ll see more Barbary Apes)
The Barbary Ape feeding center (Please note, you’re not allowed to feed them, you’ll see taxi drivers who are, but it is illegal, and they ARE WILD APES.)
The Great Siege Tunnels - which were super interesting. The Rock of Gibraltar has 53 km of military tunnels inside of it, some of which are now open to the public. These tunnels have been used by soldiers for hundreds of years all the way from the Spanish armada times to World War 2. It’s extremely humbling to see.
The Moorish Castle
Head to the Beach - Gibraltar has 4 main beaches, Catalan Bay, Sandy Bay, Eastern Beach, and Camp/Little Bay. Eastern Beach is the largest, however it is adjacent to the airport, so a bit noisy. Sandy Bay and Catalan Bay in my opinion are the nicest, as they’re on the quieter side of Gibraltar.
Lay by a Hotel Pool - Even if your hotel doesn’t have a pool, most of the luxury hotels will let you purchase a day pass.
Visit the Botanical Gardens and Alameda Wildlife Park - Not only are these well maintained gardens GORGEOUS, they also include a history quiz throughout them for kids who receive a prize at the end of the walk if they complete it. But the real gem inside is the wildlife park. A refuge for animals that were wrongly kept as pets and can not be released back into their natural habitats. This include lemurs, macaques, marmosets, otters, cotton top tamarins, parrots, bats, peacocks, pigs, snakes, and lizards. PRO TIP- If you go at the right time, they’ll let you feed the pigs, lemurs, or otters. So call ahead! Tickets to the wildlife park are only 6 pounds per adult.
Book a Gin Experience at Spirit of the Rock - Easily one of the highlights of our trip, was our gin tasting experience at Spirit of the Rock. They took us through the history of gin making, let us try multiple different styles of gin, and landed on a high note with a cocktail of our choice.
Browse the Art Galleries - Somewhat hidden in the upper floors of Casemates square are numerous art galleries featuring everything from pieces of famous work by Spanish artists, to more modern pieces for purchase by up and coming local artists in Gibraltar. There was even an exhibit done by the local children to show Gibraltar’s past present and future through their eyes. We ended up taking home 3 small pieces!
Head to the Casino! - One of the best ways to meet new people while traveling is to sit down for a few hands of blackjack. From what I could gather, there are 2 main casinos in Gibraltar, one being Casino Admiral, and the other is on board the SunBorn. Both are in Ocean’s Village.
Explore the Vintage Shops - While they’re a bit easy to miss if you aren’t looking, the alleyways off main street in Gibraltar are brimming with beautiful vintage shops full of pieces with history. We snagged a Swiss watch, military cuff links, and a Moroccan made cheetah pin. If only my suitcase was big enough for more.
This is honestly just a small sampling of things you could do in this culturally rich country. Like I said, I wish we had a few more days! I would’ve loved to find time for scuba diving, paddle boarding, and coasteering. For more info on things to do in Gibraltar, head to their official website here.
Where to Eat + Drink.
It’s honestly impressive how many options Gibraltar has in regards to local cuisine. Being a British territory that is sandwiched between Spain and Northern Africa, as well as being an international trading hub, there’s not much you CAN’T get there. But here are some of the highlights.
(It’s also important to note that most restaurants/bars stop serving food around 9 PM with the exception of the strip of restaurants along the Ocean Village Marina, which stay open much later!)
The Tapas Experience - For about 50 pounds per person, you can get a guided tour of the tapas district, 2 tapas at 4 of the top venues, and wine along the way. Definitely worth it!
Thi Vietnamese - Excellent Vietnamese Fusion right at the start of the row of the Ocean Village Restaurants. The chili coriander chicken is a must.
Brunos - A popular UK chain, the Gibraltar location is as lively as it gets for a night out in the marina. The cocktails are great too.
Little Bay - Easily regarded as the best Indian food in Gibraltar.
Grille 53 - Situated right in the marina, this steak and seafood restaurant did not disappoint - pro tip, get the gazpacho and the sangria!
The Queens Picturehouse - The best food and service we had during the entire trip was at this lovely spot hidden near Casemates Square. So. Good.
Taste of Marrakech - This spot hidden just outside the entrance of the Eliott Hotel was a real treat. Delicious tagines and super spicy harissa were our top choices!
The Terrace Restaurant at the Rock Hotel - If you’ve opted for a more economical hotel, it’s worth the trip to the Rock Hotel for lunch on their terrace just for the views alone. That said, the food was great as well!
