Gibraltar, the tiny British Overseas Territory at the southern most tip of Spain, has navigated the COVID years pretty well, seeing that it was the most vaccinated jurisdiction in the world (over 97% of the population). While tourism is now back in full swing on the famous Rock, it’s important to note a few changes that have taken place.
So here are our top tips for visiting Gibraltar in the post-COVID era:
- Cars are no longer allowed in the Nature Reserve! If you are looking to see the monkeys, you will have to reach the Upper Rock Nature Reserve either by Cable-Car or by doing a minibus Rock Tour. Visitors are no longer allowed to drive through the Nature Reserve and are advised to leave their cars either at the car park next to the cable car or at the MidTown multi-storey car park from where minibus tours depart.
- Get the GibraltarPass for a hassle-free, all inclusive one day pass to all of Gibraltar’s attractions! The recently launched GibraltarPass combines all of Gibraltar’s top attractions under one ticket, including the cable-car, minibus Rock tour, the Skywalk, St Michael’s Cave, Apes Den and much more. It also includes free public bus transportation from the border to the city centre and to the cable-car, along with a variety of freebies, perks and discounts in over 100 shops, restaurants and activity providers across Gibraltar. This digital pass is available for purchase online at www.GibraltarPass.com and is sent to your mobile device to be scanned at all participating attractions, to gain entrance at no further cost. The GibraltarPass provides a convenient, value-for-money and superior experience of Gibraltar.
- Park on the Spanish side! Besides COVID, Gibraltar has also undergone Brexit over the last couple of years, meaning stricter Passport checks at the border which often result in long queues to get in and out of Gibraltar during peak times. If you don’t want to spend a long time in border queues, the best advice is to park at the car-park adjacent to the border on the Spanish side and cross on foot into Gibraltar. Once on the Gibraltar side you can either take bus routes 5 & 10 (included in the www.GibraltarPass.com ) to the city centre and cable-car, or continue on foot to the city centre (about 20minutes) whilst enjoying the unique experience of walking on the runway, as Gibraltar’s airport landing strip doubles as a road open for pedestrians and vehicles.
- Taste healthy fusion cuisine! Gone are the days of Fish & Chips…the eating healthy trend has also arrived in Gibraltar with a variety of restaurants and cafes offering healthy options with a fusion of tastes combining Mediterranean dishes with Asian and North African flavours. Amongst the new eateries that have opened up, we can mention Hustle & Flow in Europort, Freska in World Trade Centre, Moniques in the prestigious Queensway Quay marina, along with several new places in the thriving Ocean Village marina. Worth checking for some freebies and discounts at these restaurants as part of the GibraltarPass.
- Experience the “Awakening” at St Michael’s Cave! One of the latest additions to Gibraltar’s tourism experience is the Awakening show. This is an immersive light and sound show expressing layers upon layers of history fused with the Rock. The experience culminates within the main cavern in a 360-degree projection and light spectacle, taking visitors through an illuminated journey back into ancient history when the famous Rock was formed.
