Gibraltar travel guide
Welcome to Little Britain, where bobbies walk the beat, ladies buy their smalls in Marks and Spencer and pubs serve real ale with the scampi in a basket
Otherwise known as ‘The Rock’ or ‘Gib’ to those in the know, Gibraltar is a melting pot of Spanish, North African and English cultures, where no one will bat an eyelid if you get your languages muddled up.
Home to a large British naval presence, the rock is also favoured by bookmakers, online gaming companies and tourists keen to take advantage of VAT free shopping. Getting married here is easy too – John Lennon and Yoko Ono tied the knot at the registry office in 1969.
To meet the Barbary macaques – Gibraltar’s most famous residents and the only wild primates in Europe – take a cable car up the rock. Legend has it that if the monkeys ever leave so will the British.
Wanderlust Recommends
- Wave at Africa from Europa Point where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean
- See the Siege Tunnels - a system of tunnels dug during the Great Siege which acted as a defence system
- Take a boat trip to the Bahía de Algeciras to watch playful dolphins cavort in the surf
- Visit the Gibraltar Museum for the low down on the rock’s military and naval history
- Take to the shops and have a pint in the sunshine when you’re done
Wanderlust tips
Walk rather than drive over the border, as queues can be obscene in the summer. Know what you can and can’t take through customs too, and never agree to take through cigarettes or other goods for strangers – searches are common.
Gibraltar’s currency is only accepted on the rock, so make sure you spend up before crossing the border.