How to plan a day trip to Gibraltar from Spain

Last Updated on March 10, 2024

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Visiting Gibraltar was on my radar for a quite a while. Even though I didn’t know much about it, I was fascinated by this unusual place, where a massive Rock standing at 426 m (1,398 ft) high dominates Gibraltar’s landscape. Also, I’m not going to lie, the fact that there are wild monkeys roaming freely was the main reason I wanted to visit. So once my travels brought me to the South of Spain for a couple of days, I jumped on the opportunity to make a day trip to Gibraltar. Visiting this unique place has far exceeded my expectations.

Gibraltar is an Overseas British Territory and shares a border with Spain. It can be visited as a day trip from cities like Malaga, Seville and Cadiz. There are organized tours you can book from Seville, like this one or from Malaga (like this one), but if you prefer to be independent, a day trip to Gibraltar can easily be done on your own.

About Gibraltar

There are many things that make Gibraltar a unique destination. Even though the location on the tip of the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean climate might fool you into thinking you’re still in Spain, Gibraltar is an Overseas British Territory. Fought over by Spain and Great Britain for centuries, it was handed over to the Brits as a result of the agreement between the Spanish and British in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The classic red telephone booths, British pubs and fish and chips are just a few reminders you are on the UK territory. With only 2.6 square miles and 34,000 residents, Gibraltar is the 5th most densely populated territory in the world.

The spectacular scenery alone makes taking a day trip to Gibraltar worthwhile. Its location allows you to see both Spain and Morocco from one spot. It’s crazy to think that Africa is just 7 miles away, and you can see it pretty well on a clear day, especially from the Upper Rock.

A day trip to Gibraltar – things to know before visiting

You will need your passport to enter Gibraltar – If you’re crossing the border on foot, this is a very quick process. It was definitely the easiest border passing I ever experienced. You just walk past the border official with the passport in your hand.

The official currency of Gibraltar is Pound Sterling -you can use the Pounds from UK in Gibraltar, but you cannot use the Gibraltar issued Pounds back in the UK. Euros are also accepted in many places, but you get a better deal paying in Pounds. Your change will also come in Pound Sterling.

The official language in Gibraltar is English – Spanish is widely spoken. Many Spaniards cross the border daily for work.

It will be a long day – a day trip to Gibraltar from Malaga or Seville will take up your whole day. Just the bus ride is 3 hours one way from Malaga and 4 hours from Seville. That’s why it only makes sense if you take the earliest bus possible.

How to get to Gibraltar from Spain

If you are in the southern region of Spain, a day trip to Gibraltar is not hard to pull off. You can easily get near Gibraltar from Málaga, Sevilla or Cadiz. Near being the key word, because there’s no bus going directly to Gibraltar. The closest you get to is La Línea de la Concepción, which is the last town on the Spanish side of the border. When you see the massive rock in the distance, you will know you arrived at your destination. From there, it’s just a short walk across the border and into town.

Getting to Gibraltar from Málaga

If you are coming from Málaga, there are a few buses daily run by the bus company Avanza. They leave from the Main bus station, which is right next to the Maria Zambrano train station. The prices vary depending on the time but are in the €13-17 range each way. Check out full schedule and buy tickets here.

The bus from Málaga to La Línea takes 3 hours. If this is just a day trip to Gibraltar for you, I highly recommend taking the earliest bus at 6:45 am to have a full day. Exploring the Nature Reserve can take up a few hours, and you might want to see other parts of Gibraltar as well.

Getting to Gibraltar from Sevilla

You can get from Sevilla to La Línea in about 4 hours via bus run by TG Comes. The buses leave from Prado San Sebastian bus station. You can check Sevilla to La Linea schedule and ticket prices here.

Gibraltar Nature Reserve Pass

The Rock is part of the Gibraltar Nature Reserve, which occupies about 40% of Gibraltar’s land. To be able to explore the area, you need to a pass, which gives you access to all the sites and attractions within the reserve. The All-Inclusive Pass is valid all day and costs £19 (£13 for a child).

The attractions withing the Gibraltar Nature Reserve, that the Pass covers are:

• St Michael’s Cave
• Skywalk
• Windsor Suspension Bridge
• O’Hara’s Battery
• Apes Den
• World War II tunnels

How to get to the top of the Rock

There are a couple of ways you can reach the top of the Gibraltar Rock, from the easy way in 6 minutes via cable car to hiking.

• Cable car – it’s the quickest way to reach the top of the Rock. It runs every day from 9.30 am – 7.15 pm, every 10-15 minutes. The return trip costs £19 (£9 child). If you purchase the return trip with your Nature Reserve ticket, it’s £37 (£21 child). The cable car reaches the Top in 6 minutes, and as you exit, Barbary Macaques will be your welcoming committee.
• hike via Mediterranean Steps – this 0.86-mile hike starts at the Jew’s Gate and ends at the O’Hara’s Battery, which at 426 m is the highest point. Challenging at times, but reward comes from spectacular views along the way.

Hiking the Mediterranean steps

Without a doubt the most adventurous and scenic way to reach the top of the Rock is hiking up via Mediterranean Steps. The views along the way are beyond incredible and will compensate for this hard at times hike. It took me about 45 minutes to reach the Top, which included a few photo and quick rest stops.

One thing to keep in mind, as incredible as it is, this is not an easy hike. It has many very steep parts, and some of the spots are quite rocky and uneven. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape and found the climb challenging at times. This is in no way a lame attempt to brag, just a reference point to know what you’re signing up for. Definitely not for someone with any kind of mobility issues.

The start of the Mediterranean Steps is at Jews Gate, right by the Pillars of Hercules. Coming from town, this is not the easiest to find because of the lack of signs guiding to it. To get there, follow the road out of town through the Southport gate and head up Europa Rd. When the road splits, branch all the way to the left and head up Engineer Rd. This will be a pretty hilly walk that will eventually lead you to the Gibraltar Nature Reserve Welcome Sign. If you want to save your energy for the hike itself, you can always grab a taxi to drop you off at the Jews Gate.

Things you will need on your hike:

• comfortable shoes
• sunscreen
• lots of water
• camera

Barbary Macaques

The official residents of the Gibraltar Rock and the biggest tourist attraction are the Barbary Macaques, one of the two kinds of monkeys without a tail. There are about 300 of them living on the Upper Rock Natural Reserve. This makes Gibraltar the only place in Europe, that is home to wild monkeys. Once endangered, the population of them has actually increased in recent years. It’s said, that as long as Barbary Macaques reside in Gibraltar, the territory will remain under British rule.

A lot of effort is being made to ensure the monkeys are well taken care of, by providing them with daily feedings of healthy and balanced diet. Bags of fresh fruit and vegetables get delivered twice a day, but that of course doesn’t stop them from looking for more. They use any opportunity to score extras, which usually come from unsuspecting tourists. Using their human like hands they have no problems opening backpacks and going through bags at any indication, that there mind be food in there. So, if you don’t want to fall victim to the monkey robbery, do not carry any food or plastic bags as you roam around the Upper Rock.

There are many signs around the town and the Rock reminding visitors not to feed the monkeys, and this is strictly enforced. The area is monitored, and if you get caught be prepared for a hefty £4,000 fine.

As one of the biggest tourist attractions in Gibraltar, the monkeys are used to people around and are very comfortable around them. Very often you will see them approach and climb on people, but an important thing to remember is that they are wild animals. They might become aggressive if provoked or if they feel threatened. Don’t grab them, don’t force them for pictures. While most of them are friendly, some can become vicious.

St Michael’s Cave

St Michael’s cave, found at 300 m above sea level, is one of the nature’s most amazing creations. It was created by the water seeping slowly through the rock. The result was the formation of stunning stalactites and stalagmites.

In the past, the caves were used to defend Gibraltar from the attacks from the Moors and the Spanish. Also, during World War II, preparations were made to use the cave as a military hospital, but in the end, there was no need for it.

The great acoustics make St Michael’s Cave a great venue for concerts, and it’s been used as such occasionally. The display of brightly color lights changing every few seconds makes for a cool effect, although I think it takes away a bit from the natural beauty of the place.

Duty free shopping in Gibraltar

Aside from all the beautiful scenery, Gibraltar is also every shopper’s paradise, all thanks to the duty-free shopping. Deals you can score will depend on the brand and what you purchase, but generally prices are about 20% lower than those found in the UK. If you are a smoker or a drinker, you will be especially pleased and will find prices of cigarettes and alcohol to be a bargain.

Main street is where you want to go if you want to take advantage of the duty-free shopping. The street starts at Casamates Square, and is lined with many stores, a mix of many prestigious brands, and tacky souvenir stores.

Organized Gibraltar tours

As always, I like to explore places on my own, but if you prefer an organized tour, there are many options to choose from. They are great if you are short on time and want to make the most out of your day trip to Gibraltar. The Upper Rock Reserve is a large area, and there is a lot of walking that involves many hills and steps, so an organized tour is best for people with mobility issues.

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