How to spend one day in Gibraltar

Are you spending one day in Gibraltar? Perhaps as a cruise stop, a day trip from Spain or attending the Gibraltar Calling music festival or other cultural event?

Let me help you see the best the city has to offer with my guide on what to see in Gibraltar in one day.

The British overseas territory of Gibraltar is probably not the first place that springs to mind when you are putting together a travel wish list.

It certainly had never been on mine but when the chance to go to Gibraltar Calling came calling, I thought I’d make the most of the trip and take the opportunity to spend the weekend there. 

With the concert happening each night and Sunday a write off due to the weather (trust me to visit on the weekend Gibraltar sees it’s first rain for six months) I really only had one day to try to cram in as much as possible.  

So, if you are wondering what to do in Gibraltar in one day, read on for some suggestions.

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What to do in Gibraltar in one day

Thankfully a day is all you need to see Gibraltar’s best bits. Of course, if you have a few days spare you can take your time visiting all Gibraltar has to offer instead of rushing around. 

However, if you have popped over for the festival, are on a day trip to Gibraltar from Spain or on a cruise stop, then don’t worry, a day is plenty of time to see the main sights and attractions.

Here are my recommendations on some of the best things to do in Gibraltar.

• Explore the Rock of Gibraltar
• Stroll along Main Street
• Enjoy a drink in Casemates Square
• Visit Europa Point
• Watch planes take off and land
• Go for a walk around the botanical gardens
• Take a trip out to sea to watch dolphins

What to see in Gibraltar in one day

If you’ve heard of Gibraltar, you are likely to have heard of The Rock of Gibraltar. While there plenty of other things to do in and around the city, if you only have a day in Gibraltar this is where to spend most of your time. 

It is undoubtedly the star of the show and visiting all the attractions will easily take up most of your day.

Upper Rock Nature Reserve

Many of the Rocks attractions are in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve so it is worth doing some research before you visit to decide what you’d like to see. Are you are happy enough to just stroll around the nature reserve or do you want to explore the caves and tunnels? 

This will make buying your ticket a bit easier. Obviously, I hadn’t done that so had to make a decision on the spot and ended up buying the full ticket (including cable car ride). Thankfully it was the right choice!

The Nature Reserve, Upper Rock and attractions ticket incudes access to 

• Top of the Rock
• St Michael’s Cave
• Apes’ Den
• Great Siege Tunnels
• O’Hara’s Battery
• Under Siege Exhibition
• Moorish Castle 

For an extra fee you can also visit The World War II tunnels. Unfortunately I ran out of time to do this but from reading some reviews it sounds worth paying the extra.

Tip: If you would also like to take a dolphin watching cruise during your visit to Gibraltar then you can combine this with fast track access to the cable car to the top of the Rock.

How to get to the Top of the Rock of Gibraltar

As the name suggests, the Upper Rock Nature Reserve is at the top of the Rock. There are a couple of ways to get there. 

You can walk up (not for the faint hearted) or take a taxi tour stopping at many of the Rock’s best bits.

However, the quickest and most scenic way is to take the cable car. In just six minutes you will be 421m above sea level enjoying spectacular views over the Strait of Gibraltar. 

TIP:  Buy your cable car ticket in advance to avoid the queue. We didn’t do this and queued for an hour or so while those that had pre purchased tickets sailed past us straight to the cable car.

Barbary Macaques

Before I go into exploring the Rock I have to mention one of the things Gibraltar is most famous for is…the Barbary Macaques. 

Normally found in North Africa, legend has it that they travelled from Morocco via a tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar ending up in Gibraltar via St Michael’s Cave.

You will see them in packs on the Rock and they are not backwards in coming forward if they think you have something of interest.

Being so ‘friendly’ it is easy to forgot they are wild animals so you should keep a safe distance and not feed or touch them – for their sake as well as your own.

TIP: Guidelines on how to view the Barbary Macaque safely (and avoid them enjoying your lunch) can be found at Visit Gibraltar.

Top of the Rock Cable Car Station

Stepping out of the cable car at the Top of the Rock station you are pretty much greeted by the Barbary Macaque looking for their next unsuspecting victim.

With years of experience they know what they are looking for and how to get it. If you don’t keep an eye on your bag you can say goodbye to your lunch.

And don’t think zipping up your bag will put them off, they know where the zip is and how to unzip it.

Don’t miss the spectacular views over the straits. If you can look that is, you’ll find your eyes will be darting between cooing over the cute baby macaques and keeping a watch on the adults who are still after your bag. 

At the top station there is a café, restaurant, a gift shop and plenty of spots to enjoy the view/hide from the macaques.

Skywalk – gaze across two continents 

A short walk from the cable car station is the Skywalk. Built on an old military platform the glass platform provides 360 degree views over three countries. 

However, you may not want to look down as the platform is make out of 4cm thick glass! 

Fun fact: the skywalk was opened by Star Wars legend Mark Hamill (yes really).

You can pick up one of the many walking trails here but it’s easier to just follow the main paths. My friends and I discovered this too late and enjoyed a scenic but strenuous walk to our next stop.

Marvel at St Michael’s Cave – and see a show if you can

This was my favourite bit of the Rock. You think you are going into an unexciting dark and dingy cave but when you turn the corner, you’ll be in one of the most stunning venues in the world.

That’s right, the cave is used as a theatre and concert venue. I definitely wasn’t expecting that.

Set up with a stage and seating for around 600 guests I can imagine some spectacular shows being held here. Even the music they were piping in – recent pop songs – sounded incredible echoing around the cave. 

The cave was created by rainwater seeping through the rock which turned into acid that slowly dissolved the rock. Over thousands of years cracks in the rock turned into large caverns.

This process also created some pretty amazing stalactites and stalagmites which are lit up in a multi coloured light show.

Unsurprisingly it is one of the top tourist attractions in Gibraltar and receives over a million visitors a year.

That said it wasn’t crowded at all when I visited. Am not sure if I timed it right or whether the size of it accommodates crowds without it feeling busy.

Continuing our walk down the Rock our next stop was Gibraltar’s newest attraction.

Windsor Bridge

If you’ve ever wanted to do the winners walk on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, this is your chance. 

The Windsor Suspension Bridge is suspended across a 50-meter-deep gorge. Looking down is not for the faint hearted and being 71 meters long it gives you plenty of time to practice your winners pose at the end.

Apes Den

With the Barbary Macaques seemingly all over the Rock (I’m sure they were following my friends and I the whole way round) you don’t really need to go to Apes Den but as it is on the walk down it is worth popping by.

You won’t find a den though, more an open space where the macaques hang out. We actually saw more by the top cable car station so if you’ve had enough monkeying around for one day then you can skip this.

The Great Siege Tunnels

Around half an hour further down the rock you’ll reach the Great Siege Tunnels. The maze of tunnels were dug out (by hand!) by the British to defend Gibraltar from Spanish and French forces trying to recapture Gibraltar.

Parts of the tunnels have been fitted out to show what it would have looked like during the siege complete with voice enabled mannequins.

Don’t be surprised to hear a ‘halt who goes there’ when you least expect it! Gives quite a fright, trust me!

World War II Tunnels

Unfortunately, by the time we reached the World War II tunnels, the next stop on the walk down the Rock, they were closed for the day.

A lesson learnt that you need to start early if you want to fully explore the Rock in one day. 

During World War II it was believed an attack on Gibraltar was imminent, so a network of tunnels was built. The underground fortress could accommodate 16,000 men, supplies and ammunition. 

These tunnels are not included in the full attractions ticket so if you wish to explore you’ll need pay an extra fee of £8.

Learn more about Gibraltar’s past on a guided history tour. As well as exploring the rock you will see the oldest building in Gibraltar and the lighthouse at Europa Point.

Other things to do in Gibraltar

While The Rock is one of the most popular places to visit in Gibraltar, there is is plenty more to see and do here. A few of which my friends and I managed to squeeze in during our short visit… 

Watch planes take off and land 

I know watching planes take off and land doesn’t sound very exciting unless you are a plane spotter, but Gibraltar is home to the world’s fifth most dangerous airport.

Unusually for an airport you can walk across the runway (yes really) which cuts across a four lane road.

So, if you are going to do some plane spotting, this is the place to do it. 

The best places to watch the planes are from viewpoints on the Rock, if you want an ariel view. 

Or if you want to get up close, head down to Winston Churchill Avenue. Just be prepared to leg it off the runway when the alarms sound.

They give you plenty of warning though!

Hang out in Casemates Square

Gibraltar has two main squares, but Casemates Square is one you are more likely to come across. Surrounded by cafes, restaurants and bars, it is a great place to grab a drink or bite to eat. 

The square takes its name from the British built casemate (an armoured room in wall of a fortress from which guns could be fired from) and barracks that were at the northern end of the square.

These days the square is also Gibraltar’s entertainment centre and plays host to cultural events such as Gibraltar’s National Day celebrations and New Year’s Eve. 

Wander down Main Street

The pedestrianised Main Street is kind of like a British high street of years gone by. It was certainly busier and had more open shops than my local high street does these days. 

The street runs almost the length of the city and as well as many well-known British brands there are lots of local shops mixed in. 

Botanical Gardens

If you are looking for a bit of peace and quiet then the Alameda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens are an oasis at the end of the hustle and bustle of Main Street.

Six hectares and over 2000 different plants and trees, the gardens also host an open air theatre and the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park.

Spend the afternoon at the beach

Did you know Gibraltar had a beach? Well six actually. I didn’t. Seems obvious now but who knew? Not me.  

Go dolphin watching

If there is ever an opportunity to see whales or dolphins I’m there so as I had a free morning before heading home, I took a trip out to the bay and strait area to see some dolphins. 

There are two dolphin operators in Gibraltar. 

As a cruise ship was in town and the trips were likely to be busy, I picked the operator with the smaller boat to avoid a crowd. 

I have a dubious track record seeing dolphins (say around 60/40 in favour of seeing dolphins) so I wasn’t overly hopeful but you can see them almost daily here.

The trip didn’t start of promising but after about an hour we did manage to find some dolphins and had around half hour watching them play in the waves.

Visit Dolphin Adventure or Dolphin Safari for more information.

If you also plan to visit the Rock, then a dolphin watch cruise and cable car fast track ticket is available from Get Your Guide. As well as making it nice and easy to book, they offer free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance. So if your plans change you don’t need to worry.

Visit Europa Point

If you are going to Gibraltar Calling you’ll be down here for the show but if not it is still worth a visit.

You can view the lighthouse (dating from 1841) and if the weather is on your side get a glimpse of North Africa over the strait of Gibraltar.

Enjoy a drink at Ocean Marina/Village

If you are looking for a night out in Gibraltar, it’s likely you’ll end up here at some point. With bars, restaurants and a casino it was pretty hopping the night I visited.

So if you are looking for a bit of atmosphere with your evening meal/drink this is the place.

Cross the border into Spain

This wasn’t actually on my list of things to do but the bad luck of being caught up in an airline strike had a silver lining in one way.

As I had to fly home from Spain, it gave me the opportunity to walk from one country into another – complete with suitcase in hand.

The border between Gibraltar and Spain is open 24 hours, 7 days a week and many people make the journey across it each day to get to work. There was a short queue but we got across in a matter of minutes.

You could even make a day trip out of it. Spain is great in all seasons, so you could even visit Marbella or Malaga in winter.

The Last Word

I hope that gives you some ideas of what do in Gibraltar for a day should be you be planning a visit.

So is Gibraltar worth visiting?

If I’m being honest, I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t what I thought it would be like. It’s like the UK but not like the UK. It feels like stepping back in time a little bit. I’m glad I’ve visited but not sure I’d rush back.

If you get the opportunity for a short visit, perhaps as a day trip from Spain or as a cruise stop then there are plenty of things to see in Gibraltar. I’m just not sure it would be first choice for a weekend break or holiday.

Have you visited Gibraltar before? Or are thinking about it? Let me know in the comments below.

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