Destination: Gibraltar
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Some of the must see places to go and things to see are listed below;
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1. Europa Point: The most southerly point of Gibraltar’s peninsula is called Europa Point.
You will see there;
– Trinity Lighthouse
– The old chapel of Nuestra Señora de Europa
– The Mosque of The Custodian of the Holy Mosques.
– Harding Battery, a restored fortification built in 1859
– The Nun’s Well, an ancient underground water reservoir.
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2. Ride the Gibraltar Cable Car
The easiest way to get to the Upper Rock area that only takes six minutes. You can go up by taxi/van but it is not as fun.
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3. The Upper Rock Nature Reserve
– St. Michael’s Cave
– Forbes’ Quarry, where the first female Neanderthal skulls was found.
– 100-ton gun at Magdala Battery
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4. The Barbary macaques of Gibraltar in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve.
Gibraltar is famous for its apes, a species native to Morocco and the only monkeys living wild anywhere in Europe. Legend has it that if the apes ever leave Gibraltar, so too will the British.
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5. The Mediterranean Steps
If you REALLY want a workout take the steps that leads you from the top to the bottom of the island. It takes an hour and is in the direct sun so bring plenty of water.
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6. St. Michael’s Cave
The largest of Gibraltars caves, St. Michael’s Cave is full of wonderful stalactites and stalagmites.
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7. Gibraltar Skywalk
In the Gibraltar Nature Reserve this see through path is 340 meters above the Mediterranean to the shoreline far below.
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8. Windsor Suspension Bridge
Connected by a series of hiking trails this bridge stretches 71 meters over a fabulous 50-meter valley.
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9. Main Street and Casemates Square
At the northern end of Main Street, Casemates Square is the largest public space in the old city center and a great plave to wait for friends before going to the many restaurants, cafés, and shops in the vicinity.
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10. The Gibraltar National Museum
The cultural and natural history museum of Gibraltar
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11. The Great Siege Tunnels
Carved out of the steep northern face of the Rock using nothing but manual labor, this maze of tunnels was built by the British in just six weeks as a defense against French and Sp[ainish forces when they tried to recapture the Rock. More tunnels were added in WWII, making the tunnel network 51 kilometers long.
Average costs in this area
Transportation - Driving around Gibraltar is not easy so alternatively you can explore Gibraltar on foot, by cable car, by bus, or by inexpensive taxi tour. Bus nos. 9 and 10, which are caught at the border, are used mainly for getting from one point to another in Gibraltar.
Accommodation -Self catering units, hotels, AirBnBs, apartments, etc, etc. Its all there pick your date, area and budget and make a reservation.
Food - An oven baked meal called 'Calentita' that looks similar to a dark flour pizza without toppings is the national dish of Gibraltar. It is always served hot and is made of chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and seasonings. Give it a try when you are there.
Suggested daily budget – Of course this depends on where you stay, what you do, and where you eat as it all makes a difference. We like to walk the streets to see the ‘real’ stuff going on and to call in at interesting street food vendors for lunch. If many locals eat at a place that means the food is usually good and inexpensive and you should eat there too. Buying from a local grocery store and having a picnic is also an affordable and fun option. Gibraltar offers one of the most fun, affordable, and safest places to visit.
TIps for first visit
1. Getting Around – What do you want to see or do? Is it going to be a cultural, culinary, or adrenaline junkie trip? How much time do you have? Organized tour for optimizing time, or do-it-yourself to optimize flexibility, or something in between?
2. Get tour and entrance passes – Doing your research in advance, gives you MANY benefits: Allows you to prioritize activities, allows you to know costs in advance for budgeting, and gives you some idea of time needed at each activity. When you know what you want to do, reserve a ticket in advance so that when you turn up you will not be turned away!
3. Check where the locals eat – PRO TIP: If you forgot to make a reservation then this holds true … walk a MINIMUM of THREE blocks away from a tourist attraction. If you still see restaurants with photos of food plastered along their fronts, keep on walking until you dont see them. When you dont see any ‘photo menus’, you have just entered the ‘local’ zone! The food here will be cheaper, better, fresher and you are more likely to meet locals than other tourists. Good food will sell by itself and doesnt need a photo to sell it. These restaurants without the ‘photo menus’ stay in business because the food is good and they want your repeat business, NOT because they have an endless supply of tourists coming through that they dont need to impress.
Do’s and don’ts
Be respectful and be kind. Learn some local lingo. Always remember that you are a GUEST in their country. You are in Gibraltar, so .. relax and watch this part of the world open up in front of you. Go for an early walk, have a coffee or tapas at a corner cafe and people watch. Some of the best times are before and after the work day when you can see food being delivered to restaurants, linens being washed, families going off to activities. Sit, watch, and listen, its free and fun!
What you shouldn't do?
Be smart with your bags and gear. Cars get broken into in each country in the world and not just Gibraltar so do advertise to would be car thieves. Carry just enough cash for a couple of days, and use your credit card for as many purchases as possible. Use the local ATM machines to get out more euros when you need them.
Hopefully the tips above will give you enough information to start your own planning. If you want to check out some of the locations we visited in the Balearics and what we though of them, then click the [EXPLORE LOCATIONS] button below, or select a specific Balearic island location from the list on the right.
