What You Need to Know About Gibraltar
Gibraltar (near Andalucía)
From where can I plan this day trip? Málaga, Tarifa, Cádiz and basically anywhere in the Andalucía region. (My first day trip to Gibraltar was made on the way to Morocco, so it could easily be coupled with a trip across the strait. If you’re in the area why not check out Ceuta, too?)
What is it? Gibraltar is an British Overseas Territory and so it is not part of Spain, although you may hear some arguments from Spaniards about this. This territory, which is but 6.7 km2 (2.6 sq mi), is quite important strategically as half the world’s seaborne trade must pass through the Strait of Gibraltar.
How to prepare ahead of time: Not much concrete preparation is required ahead of time, although you ought to spend some time researching beforehand to determine the most time-effective plan for yourself. We recommend purchasing the Nature Reserve Pass as this grants you access to St. Michael’s Cave, Apes’ Den, Great Siege Tunnels, Moorish Castle, City Under Siege Exhibition, Military Heritage Centre, O’Hara’s Battery & 100 Ton Gun. However, if you’re doing a day trip it would most likely not be feasible to do everything as you’ll also probably want to fit in some exploration of The Rock of Gibraltar, the Skywalk, and all those monkeys! Choose according to your own interests (and plan a longer trip if you just can’t cut anything).
How to get there: Car, bus, train, plane, and boat
Gibraltar is incredibly accessible due to its location along the southern coast of Spain, its railway system, and its own airport. The official tourism site of Gibraltar has already done an amazing job compiling all the details of the different transportation options so I’ll simply drop their link here.
Don’t forget YOU ARE LEAVING SPAIN when you visit Gibraltar therefore this day trip will involve crossing a border and an official passport check. If you arrive by car or bus you can simply walk over the border but this will still involve the need to present a valid passport so don’t forget yours at home!
Recommended time of year to visit: As with most most cities on the southern coast of Spain, the climate is relatively temperate all year round. However, the winter tends to be a wet period and so I would recommend planning a trip between March and September to catch the best conditions.
