A tiny British territory along bordering Spain's Mediterranean coastline. Gibraltar offers sunny skies, dramatic scenery, dolphins and a rich Islamic history being where Tariq Ibn Zaid first landed in Andalusia (the name Gibraltar comes from Jabal Tariq).
Gibraltar is super cheap to visit as a short trip from the UK (As low as £22 return) or it can be part of a wider trip to Andalusia. Either way, here we'll get into everything you need to know to visit (some things we learnt the hard way).
Getting Around
Don't get a car! Gibraltar is tiny - it takes only an hour to walk from one end to the other. The best way to get around is by bus. It's only £1.60 per journey - the routes are well thought out and efficiently get you anywhere within 20 minutes.
There are 2 separate companies running services so not all routes are on google maps so use this map. The hopper ticket covers both companies so is worth getting for peace of mind.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Holiday Inn on Devil's Tower Road, mainly because it is a 15 min walk from Gibraltar's tiny airport terminal and I don't think there's many places in life where you have the fun of walking to your hotel from the airport and crossing the runway that you landed on so I didn't want to pass the oppurtunity.
It actually worked out really well. The hotel was clean, new and modern. The breakfast was good and it had a balcony with amazing views of the Rock.
Day 1 - Exploring the Rock
Before heading straight to the Cable Car to the Top of the Rock - there's a few things definitely worth doing.
Catch the Sunrise at Eastern Beach
We went in September when sunrise was past 8am so it was super easy to get up for Fajr. Just before sunrise, I realised we're only 10 mins away from the Eastern Beach and to my wife's displeasure I made us run to catch sunrise - and it did not dissapoint.
We had the entire beach to ourselves and the sand acted as a huge canvas to play around and draw stuff in.
Walk Through Main Street Towards Gibraltar Botanic Gardens
You could get a bus to save time but walking through the picturesque Main Street is much more fun. It was funny seeing classic British stores like M&S and Matalan in Mediterranean climate, alongside a halal Moroccan takeaway.
Gibraltar Botanic Gardens
The Gardens are just next to the Cable Car station and are free so you should definitely try visit before you head up. The place was gorgeous and had unique plant species that I'd never seen anywhere else before.
The Main Event - Take the Cable Car to the Top
If you're not keen on the sunrise, Main Street and Botanic Gardens, you can take a bus straight to the Cable Car station. You'll want to spend most of this day exploring the things to do at the Rock so don't tire yourself out beforehand.
Things to Note
- There will be a LOT of walking and steep roads if you want to see everything on the nature reserve
- Be prepared for the monkeys. They are generally well behaved but are always looking for things to eat and bags to steal. So keep your bags on you and DO NOT take out any food or snacks. This monkey stole my Crunchy bites and had the audacity to eat it in front of me
You can get return cable car tickets with access to all the nature reserve attractions on the rock for £37 here. Pre booking isn't that essential as they sell the same tickets at the base station too.
The ride to the top is about 6 minutes and can get crowded. And at the top you'll have both mesmerising views and mischievous monkeys to welcome you.
Checking out every little thing can be tiring because of the awkward routes due to the steepness of the roads so here's our suggested order (which is also nicely laid out on the map here).:
Gibraltar Viewing Platform
Skywalk
A glass platform to get some nice views of Gibraltar, Spain and Sandy Bay Beach
St Michaels Cave
Windsor Suspension Bridge
From here you can take the stairs back up towards the cable car top station and make your way back into town for a well deserved dinner.
BONUS - O'Hara's Battery
BONUS - The Mediterranean Steps
We were up for a challenge so we decided to take a a one-way ticket up and take the Mediterranean Steps down and for us it was the highlight of the trip. It was intermediate difficulty (wouldn't do it with younger kids) - it was tricky at times but for the most part was like walking down steps.
The scenery was incredibly dramatic and varied throughout so it was worth every minute of the 2 hours it took. Doing it after midday is easier as you'll be in the shade of the rock as the sun moves west.
Looking south from the Mediterranean steps - You can see Morocco in the distance
Day 2 - Beaches and Dolphins
After a day atop the rock, the second day is ideal to take things easy and explore the lower land of Gibraltar.
Chill at Sandy Bay Beach
Sandy Bay is arguably the prettiest beach in Gibraltar, and since it's on the quieter eastern side, it's a nice spot to relax and take in views of the deep blue Mediterranean sea.
They had SUP (stand up paddle board) rentals for £20. It was actually a really ideal spot to practice since the beach was sectioned off by rocks, which meant the water was calm and kind and the dramatic presence of the rock made it all the more relaxing.
See Some Dolphins
A short bus ride from the beach will take you to the vibrant Ocean village area where we got a dolphin viewing boat tour for £20 per person. We were excited to see Dolphins but we were blown away by the sheer number of dolphins that were jumping up in harmony. It felt like they were really enjoying the attention and trying to show off.
SubhanAllah!
The crew also let passengers dangle their legs down the edge of the boat so the Dolphins were really close. For city people like us it was - being up close with marine nature like this was one of the most memorable experiences we had in our trip.
Explore Ocean Village
The area around the Dolphin tours is Ocean Village and has a number of your classic UK based chains like Pizza Express, Las Iguanas so it's a nice clean waterfront spot to have lunch and/or walk around.
King Fahd Mosque
From Ocean Village a short walk to the Market Place bus stop will let you catch Route 2 which goes directly to the mosque.
The mosque is only open during prayer times so aim to get there for one of the prayers to be able to see inside too!
Europa Point Lighthouse
A short walk south from the mosque is the southernmost tip of Gibraltar. At that point the Mediterranean sea completely surrounds you with Morocco and Spain lurking in the distance.
Had to steal this pic from Google Maps because we didn't take any here
What's Next?
Gibraltar is an awesome place for a short trip but if you're looking for something longer, you can couple this with our Muslim Friendly Guide to Andalusia.
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