2-Day Adventure on the Rock… Best Things to do in Gibraltar

Gibraltar may be small but there are loads of the best things to do in Gibraltar. Here is our ultimate 2-day weekend itinerary that’ll take you to the most iconic sights and natural beauty spots to see in Gibraltar, show you which Gibraltar hotels to stay in, and we’ll show you how to save money by using the GibraltarPass during your visit experiencing the best things to do in Gibraltar…

Gibraltar is a small but fascinating British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of Spain, and a great place to visit for a quick weekend getaway. It has a rich history, stunning views, and is famous for the Barbary macaques… the only wild roaming monkeys in Europe! Here’s how we made the most of two incredible days exploring the Rock experiencing the best things to do in Gibraltar.

GibraltarPass

The GibraltarPass is a digital pass that gives entry to over 20 attractions, includes buses to and from the airport, and gives discounts and freebies at over 100 shops, restaurants, and tours.

We used a 1-day pass during our visit to see the best things to do in Gibraltar, and it was a great way to maximise our time and save money during our visit. No queuing, no paying for tickets, and who doesn’t want free beers and wine right?!

And while the pass only gives entry to the included attractions on the day it is active, we found a lot of the bars and restaurants still gave the freebies and discounts the next day too... so make sure you ask!

For more information, prices, and to buy online, visit the website... GibraltarPass

Day 1... Exploring the Rock Nature Reserve

We start our adventure with a trip to Gibraltar’s most iconic attraction and definitely the best thing to do in Gibraltar…the Rock Nature Reserve.

Watch a short summary of our day here...

Cable Car Ride to the Top of the Rock

Paul isn’t thrilled about this part… he’s not a fan of heights… but the cable car ride is surprisingly smooth and over quickly. And the views on the way up are stunning, which help to take his mind off it! 

Tickets for the cable car are included in the GibraltarPass. It would cost £19 for a return ticket, or £44 with a bundled ticket including admission to the nature reserve. 

Top of the Rock Viewpoint, Café & Souvenir Shopping

We get off the cable car at a viewpoint that offers amazing panoramic views. We can see 3 countries and 2 continents… Gibraltar, Spain, and Morocco in Africa!

It’s a beautiful clear morning so we can see for miles around. And there’s also a café for a quick coffee and a shop for souvenirs… so we pick up the usual magnet and Christmas decoration we always collect on our travels.

Meeting the Monkeys... Our Best thing to do in Gibraltar!

The famous Barbary macaques are a highlight for us and probably the best thing to do in Gibraltar! 

The first monkeys we see are pretty chilled, wandering around the walls and sitting in the trees, not paying much attention to us as we walk past. 

But as we get further into the nature reserve, another guy gets a little too close trying to take their photo, and a big monkey jumps on his back and tries to steal his backpack!

TrovenTrippers Tip...

Reminder… don’t feed them, keep your belongings close, and give them plenty of personal space… they may look cute, but they are wild animals!

Fun fact… the Barbary macaques are one of the few species of monkeys without a tail (and remind us of the tailless cats we saw in the Isle of Man) and are the only wild monkey population in Europe. Legend says that if they ever leave Gibraltar, then British rule will also end!

Tickets for the nature reserve which include all of the below attractions are included in the GibraltarPass. It would cost £25 for a ticket, or £44 with a bundled ticket including the cable car.

Seeing 2 Continents at the Skywalk

The Skywalk is a cool concept, but we find the experience a bit disappointing. It does give great 360º views, but the floor isn’t very transparent so it doesn't look like we’re walking on the sky like we imagined it would!

The views all around are great though and one of the best viewpoints in Gibraltar… looking up the Rock in one direction, and seeing Africa in the other direction.

British Military History at O’Hara’s Battery

A short 10-minute walk further uphill brings us to O’Hara’s Battery. There’s a small museum and a chance to go underneath the enormous gun. And again, the views back up the Rock are stunning, with another impressive gun visible in the distance.

This is also the end of the famous Mediterranean Steps if you want to take the scenic walk up the Rock, although it sounds pretty challenging!

Amazing Lightshow at St Michael’s Cave

St Michael’s Cave is a real highlight of the Rock and another of the best things to do in Gibraltar. 

The rock formations inside the cave are incredible… they look like they belong in another world! And there’s a light show called the "Awakening" which is really cool, with a light show set against the rocks and music synced.

TrovenTrippers Tip...

Don’t miss the Angel of St Michael’s Cave which is our favourite. The rocks have formed an angel and it’s lit up in colours, so cool!

There’s also a café at the cave entrance so we grab a quick lunch… empanadas and a beer.

Windsor Suspension Bridge

Continuing down the Rock our next stop is the Windsor Suspension Bridge, although we almost miss it as it’s not very well signposted. If walking from St Michael’s Cave to the Ape’s Den, you need to take a left and double back on yourself on the Royal Anglian Way footpath to reach the bridge.

It’s worth the detour though, the bridge spans 70 metres over a deep ravine with more great views across the bay.

More Monkeys at the Apes Den

The Apes Den the home of the Barbary macaques on the Rock and one of the most popular spots to stop at.

If you haven’t already seen any monkeys roaming around, then you’re sure to see some here! There’s a small pond and feeding station, although ironically, we see less monkeys here than most of the other sites… they must all be out playing on the rock today rather than chilling at home!

Military History, Great Siege Tunnels & City Under Siege

The next stop is a 30-minute walk from Apes Den, to Princess Caroline’s Battery and The Great Siege Tunnels. 

The vantage point from here is perfect for watching planes take-off and land at the airport, but check the timetable as there are only a few flights each day if you do want to see one. Find it here… Gibraltar Airport.

The Great Siege Tunnels are a fascinating look into Gibraltar’s wartime past. We explore the tunnels and learn how they were built during the Great Siege of Gibraltar between 1779-1783, with information boards telling us about each section on the way.

And nearby is the City Under Siege exhibition which provides more insight into Gibraltar’s history, complete with models showing how the Garrison would have looked, and a short film.

Gibraltar's Islamic Past at the Moorish Castle

Our last stop on the Rock is the Moorish Castle. Dating back to 1160 it's one of the oldest structures on the Rock, and is really different to see. 

It shows the Islamic past of the country so is quite different from the more recent British Military sites we’ve seen so far, and is one of the best things to do in Gibraltar.

Evening on Main Street and Grand Casemates Square

Our legs are pretty tired from walking all the down from the Top of the Rock, but we just have enough energy left for some window shopping on Main Street. Shopping is duty-free in Gibraltar so you can pick up some bargains, although we found the prices to be mixed so check before you buy and don’t just assume everything is cheaper than in the UK.

We also see the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned and the Convent on Main Street, both of which are worth the effort to go and see.

But it’s been a long day sight-seeing so it’s time to hit Grand Casemates Square and take advantage of the free drinks and food discounts we get with the GibratarPass, and we’ve timed our visit perfectly as it’s also the Gibraltar Christmas Light switch on so we get to see that too!

Day 2… Exploring from Europa Point to Ocean Village

After spending yesterday exploring the Upper Rock Nature reserve and seeing the rest of Gibraltar from above, today we’re going to explore the rest of the country…

Best things to do in Gibraltar at Europa Point

There are a lot of things for us to see at Europa Point as well as the amazing views and Lighthouse… the General Sikorski Memorial, Harding’s Battery, and King Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Mosque. 

And there’s also some information boards which tell us about the history of the Point, including about Neanderthals, the geology and caves of the Rock, the wildlife found here, and some religious history of sailors stopping to pray for safe passage through the Strait.

Lunch with Views of the Gibraltar Strait

Another restaurant on our GibraltarPass list offering freebies is Bistro Point, and although our passes aren’t valid today as they were only 24-hour passes, we still get free glasses of prosecco… bonus!

The food is delicious too, and the outside terrace is a gorgeous sun trap… Paul gets sunburnt from sitting here too long!

Over lunch we discuss what our afternoon plans should be… we want to see a few things on the East coast, but there doesn’t seem to be any buses which run from Europa Point. So we order a taxi and ask for multiple drop-off points, so that we can try and cover as much as possible and see the best things to do in Gibraltar on the East coast…

Neanderthal History at Gorham’s Cave

Gorham’s Cave is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it’s one of the most important Neanderthal sites in the world. The caves can only be visited during the summer on guided tours to protect them, and the viewing platform and Interpretation Centre are only open on weekdays, but we still want to go and see what we can see.

Our taxi driver pulls up and says it’s closed and looks a little bewildered when we say we’re going to take a look anyway… but despite not being able to get onto the viewing platform, we can still see the caves from the roadside so it’s a tick in the box!

Sandy Bay and Catalan Bay

We have a quick photo stop at Sandy Bay beach, before getting dropped off at Catalan Bay to have more of a look around. 

The Bay is surrounded by colourful buildings, little alleys to explore, and a beautiful small church. And Sneha can’t resist collecting some shells from the beach and getting her feet wet in the sea. It’s one of the most scenic spots we’ve been to, and one of the best things to do in Gibraltar.

Gibraltar Botanic Gardens

After our trip to the beach our next stop is at Gibraltar Botanic Gardens, a beautiful spot in the city centre and one of the few green spaces. There are loads of Mediterranean and indigenous plants and trees to see, and for a nature lover like Sneha, she loves seeing all the different species on show.

There’s also a Wildlife park inside the gardens (which the GibraltarPass includes entry for), but it’s closed by the time we reach so we just have a walk around the peaceful gardens and relax for a while.

Ocean Village Bars & Restaurants

It’s nearing time for us to head back to the airport for our flight home, so our last stop on our trip is at Ocean Village, a marina with lots of shops, bars and restaurants.

Many of them have offers with the GibraltarPass so be sure to check, and it’s one of the best things to do in Gibraltar for entertainment. We grab a free glass of wine from The Bridge Bar & Grill and sit at the marina, and then go for food at O'Reilly's Irish Bar before heading back to the airport.

Our best things to do in Gibraltar

Gibraltar may be small, but it’s packed with history, natural beauty, and unique experiences. 

Exploring the Rock, seeing the stunning views and the Barbary macaques was the highlight of our trip. But the scenic spots at Europa Point and Catalan Bay were great too. And with sunny and warm weather at the end of November, it was a great weekend escape which we’d definitely recommend!

Using the GibraltarPass was an easy way to get access to the main sights, but the emphasis of the pass is to give visitors a better experience of Gibraltar besides just visiting the included attractions, so you have to make the most of the included freebies and discounts on offer to make it worthwhile. And one thing we found was that even if our pass wasn’t valid on the day, the buses, bars and restaurants were still happy to give the offers to us so be sure to ask!

Where to eat & drink in Gibraltar

The main areas for pubs and restaurants are on and around Grand Casemates Square, Ocean Village, and Queensway Quay.

We can recommend the Lord Nelson, Little Rock and Latinos on Grand Casemates Square… good drinks, and an amazing sharing fish platter at Latinos!

In Ocean Village The Bridge Bar & Grill is good for a drink with nice views of the marina, and O’Reilly’s Irish Pub & Steakhouse is good for food… the steaks and burgers are great!

The Queensway Quay is a bit more upmarket and fancy, we had dessert at The Lounge Bar & Gastro Bar, a delicious chocolate fondant.

The best restaurant we go to though is Bistro Point at Europa Point. The food and drink are good, but it’s the terrace which is the real highlight with stunning views over the Strait of Gibraltar.

Where to stay… Gibraltar Hotels

We stayed at the Rock Hotel, a Colonial style hotel with great views and a rich history. Previous guests range from King Charles and Winston Churchill to Sir Alex Ferguson and James Arthur.

We had a room with a balcony and amazing views over the Bay of Gibraltar, and while some may say it’s not “picture perfect” due to the shipping lanes and industry, we found it really interesting watching the ships go by! Just watch out for the monkeys… we had one on our balcony and had to close the day quick! 

How to get around Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a really small country, it's possible to walk from the airport in the North to the Southern tip at Europa Point in just over 1 hour. But it is very hilly too, so while walking is a great way to explore the country, there is a good bus network you ca use to get around.

The GibraltarPass includes travel on the number 5 and 10 bus routes from the Airport into the city centre. The number 2 bus runs to Europa Point in the South, and the number 4 runs to Catalan Bay in the East, with the Market Place being the central bus station for all buses. Single trips cost £1.60 and you can also buy return or day hopper tickets... check out the Gibraltar Bus Company website for more details.

The GibraltarPass also gives the option of a guided minibus Rock Tour which takes visitors to Europa Point, St. Michael’s Cave, encounter with the monkeys and some other viewpoints if you don't fancy the walk or using the public transport.

How to travel to Gibraltar from the UK

easyJet fly direct from London Gatwick daily, and from Manchester 3 times per week on Tuesday's, Thursday's and Saturday's. Another popular route to Gibraltar is to fly to Malaga in Spain and then it's around a 1.5 hour drive to the border.

Is Gibraltar part of the UK?

Gibraltar is not part of the UK, but it is a British Overseas Territory. You can visit with a British Residence Permit without the need for a further visa, and you also need to take your passport as there is still immigration checks, even if you're a British Passport holder. If you are planning to visit Gibraltar from Spain, then there is a hard border and you will need the relevant documentation to travel between Spain and the UK. Before travelling please check the Gibraltar Immigration Website for the latest information.