I've done a fair bit of Gibraltar based content in the past, but realised I haven't done an itinerary of what the perfect 2 day trip to Gibraltar would look like. There are a lot of tourists who come to Gibraltar for a day or on a cruise stop, so I wanted to show that Gibraltar is worth spending more than just 1 night in.
For those who have just heard of the place, Gibraltar is an overseas British Territory on the Southern tip of Europe. We border Spain, which means that because of Brexit tourists do need to have their passport stamped when crossing in and out. Whilst exploring Gibraltar, you'll notice the contrast between red telephone boxes and fish & chips, with tapas and hearing people speaking a mix of both English and Spanish. If you're looking to spend a weekend or 2 days in Gibraltar, this is the perfect itinerary.
Day 1
Breakfast
To start your trip, I would head to Hustle n Flow for breakfast if you like instagrammable food that doesn't compromise on flavour. This place has all the cosy vibes and even has a little play area for kids if you're travelling as a family. My personal favourites on the menu are the blue eyed girl and the French toast.
Explore the Rock of Gibraltar
Once you're all full up from breakfast, you can either choose to walk around 30 minutes to the rock of Gibraltar (before starting your incline) or crossing the road and catch the number 3 bus towards South Pavilion Steps Terminus. You can ask the bus driver to let you know the closest stop for going up the rock, which will be by the Old Casino.
Another way to get up the rock, is to walk up town or get the number 1 bus to Flat Bastion Road. Here you'll find a set of steps with the union jack which lead you to the Upper Rock. A lot of the attractions are found on the rock, so you can expect to spend a couple of hours here.
If you want to save money then I recommend buying a GibraltarPass - which will get you access to most of the attractions mentioned in this blog as well as restaurant discounts and a few freebies. Who doesn't love a free glass of wine? Some of the attractions included are the Mediterranean Steps, Skywalk, Cable Car, WW2 Tunnels, Wildlife Centre and you also get free transport on the Citibus.
You can use my code TWG23 for 5% off your pass!
Mediterranean Steps
If you're the outdoorsy type, then start off with the 1 hour trek through the Mediterranean Steps. You'll definitely be out of breath by the time you get to the top, but it's doable for people of all ages. To get here, find your way to the Pillars of Hercules and you'll see the starting point 20m from there. Entry for tourists is £16.
The Skywalk
This is one of Gibraltar's newer attractions, and was actually inaugurated by Mark Hamill back in 2018. The skywalk offers a glass walkway with 360 degree views of Gibraltar, and also allowing you to see both Africa and Spain. If you're afraid of heights, then you'll probably want to skip this one!
St Michael's Cave
I definitely recommend you stop by to visit the St Michael's Cave as the colours and formations are really something. This place is actually used as a theatre and over the last few years we've had several international comedians like Jimmy Carr and Alan Carr perform here.
If you're looking for something more adventurous, you can actually book a tour for Lower St Michael's Cave. This tour lasts 4 hours and involves scrambling and some rope climbing, and you can expect to get wet!
Suspension bridge
Again, if you're scared of heights then you might want to choose an easier path to get down the rock. If not, then you do get a bit of a thrill by walking across the suspension bridge and you get great views of Gibraltar.
Apes Den
I couldn't write this post without mentioning the Barbary Macaques. Even though most of them hang around Apes Den, you'll probably come across a few roaming around the rock of even upper parts of town. My suggestion, don't have food out or try to feed them and don't stare at their babies!
If you don't feel like walking much further after exploring the rock, you can catch the Cable Car back down for a fee.
Lunch
Next we're heading to Chatham Counterguard, where you'll find a strip of tapas restaurants. You'll find this area is the most vibrant on a Friday night or Saturday lunch time. My most visited restaurants in Chatham are probably:
- Vault 13 for their asian prawns, octopus and bao buns;
- My Wines for their duck nachos and lemon chicken fingers;
- Tapas by Gauchos for their steak tartare and truffled mash.
Gin Distillery tour
If you've a lover of gin, then you need to make time for Spirit of The Rock's gin distillery tour. The owner Peter will take you through a bit of history of where gin came from and how it made its way to Gibraltar.
You'll get to try 6 different gins (from the original purer forms to the newer gin mixes) and then you will get to enjoy your own gin based cocktail at the end. You can either choose to water down the gins or shot them straight, in which case I suggest you have a big meal beforehand! The tour times vary so I suggest looking on their website beforehand to see their availability.
Main Street
After the gin tasting tour you will find yourself at the top of Main Street. You'll want to make your way down to Casemates Square to see everything it has to offer. Along Main Street you'll find shops, bakeries and restaurants and a few alleyways to explore.
If you fancy an afternoon snack, then head to The Muscle Bakery on Cornwall's Lane. I buy treats from here almost every week because not only are they guilt free but I love the unique flavour combinations they come up with! They often have seasonal specials too for Halloween, Christmas and every other holiday in between. Their products are always gluten-free and if you're a gym goer, a lot of these baked treats are also made with a high amount of protein. My personal favourites are the skinny dream bars and the kinder doughnuts. They also have a savoury menu if you don't have much of a sweet tooth.
If you're visiting from the UK, you'll also recognise some of the high street shops such as Marks & Spencers, Superdry and Debenhams.
I'm assuming by this point, you'll want to head back to your room to freshen up, upload your instagram pics or just have a good ol' holiday nap.
Dinner
Last year I did a survey to find out what the best places for a meal out in Gibraltar were, according to locals. Little Bay in Ocean Village came in the top 3 and it's no surprise why! The indian food here is delicious and I've never had a bad meal here.
This place is always full so expect to wait a while for your food, but it is worth the wait. My usual orders when I go are the chilli cheese naan, the pomegranate aloo tikki chana masala, the anardana jhinga which is a prawn dish, and the chicken murgh makhani. For dessert, the pistachio kulfi is lovely. I also recommend checking out their signature cocktail menu!
Nightlife
One thing which you might find a little different when visiting Gibraltar, is that the nightlife is more buzzing on a Friday. If you're looking for a place to end your night then your best options are Bruno's or Viceroy Nightclub. Both venues are open late on Fridays and Saturdays. Bruno's is free entry and although it's technically a restaurant, they turn the inside space into a dance floor on the weekends.
Viceroy opened its doors this summer and has an over 25 door policy and charges £10 entry after 11pm on Fridays (Saturday nights are usually free!). If you just fancy some cocktails during the day then it's free to enter and they have a lovely outside area for it. They sometimes have events on with international DJs so it's worth having a look at their website to see what's on!
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| Photo by @viceroygib on Instagram |
Day 2
Breakfast
When I asked 400 locals what their favourite breakfast spot in Gibraltar was, My Wines was a clear winner. Whether you’re looking for something sweet or savoury, or having breakfast with your family there’s something for everyone. I recommend the pancakes, bacon eggs benedict or a simple mollete bread with tomato and jamon serrano if you want a typical Andalusian breakfast. If you visit around autumn/winter, they also have pumpkin spiced lattes on the menu. An interesting breakfast item they have is the ‘breakfast hunger killer’. This combines their famous lemon chicken fingers in a warm mollete with melted cheese.
If you're a fan of bottomless brunches, then keep your eyes peeled on their Instagram account, as they regularly do 'Brunch n Boogie' events on their terrace.
Escape Room
If you happen to be staying in the Holiday Inn, then you'll only have a short 5 minute walk to reach the Rock Escape Rooms. I've done a few of these myself and they're always a lot of fun (with a few jump scares here and there). I recommend doing the Jack the Ripper or the Prison Break rooms!
Lunch
From the escape rooms, you can reach the beaches within 10 minutes. First you'll come across Eastern Beach and at the entrance, you'll find Karma Chiringuito. Here you'll find Mediterranean dishes such as paella, fresh seafood, fish and meat.
They occasionally run wine pairing events too, so make sure to check their Facebook page to see if they're holding one whilst you're here!
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| Photo from @karmachiringuito on instagram |
Beach day
After lunch, you can choose to stay at Eastern Beach or keep walking another 10 minutes towards Catalan Bay or Sandy Bay. Catalan is definitely the prettiest as you'll find a backdrop of colourful houses that will have you thinking you're in Italy. In terms of the actual beach and water, Sandy bay has the softest sand in my opinion!
Tip from a local: ask for a 'frozen sun top' at the kiosk, it's been a beach staple at the beach in Gibraltar since I was little!
Lighthouse & Europa Point
Before heading home, catch the number 2 bus to Europa Point to see Gibraltar's lighthouse and some great views of Africa. Here you'll also find the Gibraltar University and the Bistro Point Restaurant, if you want to sit and have a drink with a view.
Dinner
After you've freshened up, head to Queensway Quay where you'll find a number of restaurants that in my opinion, are the perfect places for a date night or a celebration. Some of these are pricier than other parts of Gibraltar, but the quality of the food matches it. Some of my favourites are:
- Monique's Bistro for their duck salad and mushroom pilpil;
- The Lounge for their crispy pork belly with potato terrine;
- and Rendezvous for their steaks!
Quiz, Karaoke?
If you head to Ocean Village, you'll find something going on most nights. For reference, here is a weekly summary of what's on in Gibraltar at the time of me writing this article.
Wednesday: Karaoke at Allswell, Bingo at The Hendrix
Thursday: Quiz & Karaoke at The Ship
Friday: Quiz at Hendrix
Saturday: Karaoke at Hendrix or Lord Nelson
Sunday: Quiz at The Bridge
USEFUL INFO
- Our first language is English, but you'll find a lot of us also speak Spanish and there are also a lot of spanish nationals working in Gibraltar.
- We use pounds in Gibraltar, but you might find some of the notes and coins look slightly different. That's because we also circulate the Gibraltar Pound (GIP) which won't work in the UK, so make sure you get them changed. Euros also work in any shop.
- If you're feeling lazy or you've arrived late and want to order food, download the Hungry Monkey app. You can actually claim 10% off your order using my code TEAWITHGI when you checkout.
- Please don't refer to Gibraltarians as Spanish, we've fought hard to stay British! ;)
- Most hotels are quite central, Sunborn Gibraltar is on the higher price range but in the heart of Ocean Village, but the Holiday Inn is just 10 minutes away from it. If you'd rather stay in town, then Elliot's Hotel is your best bet. There are also a lot of Gibraltar AirBnBs popping up, so make sure to look their too!
I hope you've found this post useful! if you want any further info or even fancy meeting up for a coffee when you're in Gibraltar you can reach me on any of my socials below.
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