Gibraltar

[neil5054]

Can we see Gibraltar on our own? Any advice on sites to see would be appreciated.

[caripoo]

You can. You can walk to the top, but it is steep. You can have a cab drive you to the top. Everyone waits in line for the cable car up. We did a ship tour and it worked out better all the way around.:p:p

[mfantasia]

Sure you can. We did the Rock with the ship tour, but it is not necessay, in fact, we did the town ourselves. Taxis line up in the terminal parking lot for tours and they are very good, I didn't heard anyone complaining, in fact, it is very oorganized. We took the cable car to the rock instead of a car tour. If you go, please go early, there is no line for the cable car, but after 11:00Am the line is very large. The town is easy and we walked from the terminal to the old quarter, about 15 minutes, but you can take a taxi too. Gibraltar is very, very easy to do.

I know that you didn't ask, but just to clarify, the taxis will take Pounds, Euros and Dollars. There was a sign right in the terminal with the information. I'm posting that because a lot of people ask and some people won't answer kindly, but yes, they take american dollars.

[neil5054]

Sure you can. We did the Rock with the ship tour, but it is not necessay, in fact, we did the town ourselves. Taxis line up in the terminal parking lot for tours and they are very good, I didn't heard anyone complaining, in fact, it is very oorganized. We took the cable car to the rock instead of a car tour. If you go, please go early, there is no line for the cable car, but after 11:00Am the line is very large. The town is easy and we walked from the terminal to the old quarter, about 15 minutes, but you can take a taxi too. Gibraltar is very, very easy to do.

I know that you didn't ask, but just to clarify, the taxis will take Pounds, Euros and Dollars. There was a sign right in the terminal with the information. I'm posting that because a lot of people ask and some people won't answer kindly, but yes, they take american dollars.

thanks. Is the taxi primarily to go to the top or did you use it for tour of the city as well? How far is the cable car from the port?

[Hlitner]

You will find more info (and get more reponses) if you look at that "other Med port" board. Putting a Gibraltar question on a "Spain" board might not be well-recived by the Brits :)

 

 

Hank

[mfantasia]

You will find more info (and get more reponses) if you look at that "other Med port" board. Putting a Gibraltar question on a "Spain" board might not be well-recived by the Brits :)

 

 

Hank

 

Hlitner is right. I did a lot of research in the "other Med port". You will find posts with trip reports and advises for locals. They detail prices, places and so on...Sorry, I didn't realize that we were in the Spain forum

 

We walked in the afternoon to the town, we didn't take a taxi, it was hot, but we carried water and it is all flat. Sorry, I don't know the prices.

We went to the Rock in the morning, via cable car, early, so we didn't have to make a line. We took a bus from our ship to and back to the cable station and we did the Rock on our own, up and down. We saw the apes, a lot of them, one of them even jump to my daughter's head, I suppose that all Gibraltar heard my scream. I really don't know if they ever going to let me in again...People were very nice

[hkto]

If you want to get to the rock and see apes just walk to the cable car and buy round trip ticket. Rock is walkable but it takes around 2 hrs. Last year cable car was 8 gbp pp. You'll also see people selling a more complete minivan tours for 20 gbp pp. We didn't take it and did the right choice. Vans follow the same route and have to wait until others move; takes really long time in traffic breathing other car exhaust.

 

Otherwise Giblartar is tiny; main street is a big tourist trap with overpriced shops and smell of grease from numerous fish & chips places. The bargain is discounted cigarettes and alcohol.

[Hlitner]

Totally agree with the previous post. About the only thing we like about Gibraltar is that its a terrific place to walk after being cooped-up on a ship. We often just walk from the port to the cable car (about 30 min walk) and take the cable car to the top station. From there, we spend a couple of hours walking down the paths and road until we get to the middle station from where we catch the cable car back down to town. Doing this walk lets you see the fantastic views from the top of the Rock (both sides), visit the cave (for those that like stalactites and stalagmites) and see plenty of the little monkeys (who usually ignore tourists these days). As to the town, we have been horrified how its turned into a tourist trap but there still are a few nice outdoor cafes where one can enjoy a pint (or two) and people watch.

 

Hank

[John Bull]

I'll disagree with HKTO & Hank - if only to provide a balance between cablecar & taxi/van :)

 

The cablecar is about a 30 min walk (level ground) or a taxi/van ride from the port and a ten minute walk back from the cablecar to the top of the town, whereas the taxi/van Rock tours will take you from the port & drop you at the bottom of town (or port if you prefer). And the taxi tour cost (around €20 pp) includes admissions to St Michael's cave & Seige Tunnels. So cost-wise there's little to choose, regardless of your numbers, so don't let cost affect your choice.

 

Cablecar involves walking at the top if you want to see the cave & esp the Seige Tunnels, and this is not level ground- though by taking the cablecar to the top station & returning from the middle station most of the walking is downhill. Taxis/vans do not go to the very top - though apart from the Med view (not visible from elsewhere) theres only a grubby cafe there.

 

Cablecar means you do things at your own speed, though taxi/van drivers allow timings which suit pretty-well everyone.

 

Traffic hold-ups are confined mainly to the approach to the apes den, you can get out of the vehicle & walk the short line to the apes, where your vehicle will join you in a few minutes.

 

A vehicle means if anyone in your party is nervous, they can stay in the vehicle & watch the apes climb over it. And of course you can leave belongings in the vehicle, to save carrying them everywhere.

 

There are frequently long lines at the bottom cablecar station, esp mid-morning onwards. Though I've never seen long lines waiting to go back down :confused:

 

Biggest downer with the cablecar is reliability - apart from occasional gremlins, the cablecars are frequently suspended (pun intended :D) in moderately windy conditions.

 

For those with walking difficulties a taxi/van is the answer, for others there's pros & cons.

 

As other posters, the town is small (effectively one mainly-pedestrianised street) & all on level ground, very easily walkable - a tour is pretty pointless.

But you could round off the day with a short taxi tour round the base of the Rock, including Europa Point at the southern end, Catalan Bay on the Med side, and the airport/border on the northern end, peraps ending back at the ship.

 

 

Hank bemoans Gib not being what it used to be. Those of us who've known the place for decades will agree, those for whom it will be a first time will not have that same disappointment, its still a unique place.

 

John Bull

BTW, Hank, I have no problem with the OP putting the thread on the "Spain" forum. I've simply informed the Admiralty & its up to them what action to take against the OP :D

[frogsgirl]

Can we see Gibraltar on our own? Any advice on sites to see would be appreciated.

We walked to the cable car station which was a stroll of about 30mins from the ship but the queue for the cable car was about 1.5 hrs:eek: The queue snakes so just when you think you may have made it:(...

When we eventually got to the front of the queue there was one woman taking payment and every other person seemed to stand & chat to her about the trip so we decided to do a straightforward up to the top, look at the apes & come back down again.

There are 2 cars working in tandem and they hold around 20 folk.

There were plenty of taxis as everyone has said but if you want shopping then walking is the way to go. If you google map the location it gives a good indicator of what to expect.

[UKBayern]

We were there on a Saturday, when hordes of Spanish go to Gibraltar to buy cheap booze and cigarettes. Traffic jams all around. We got on the hop-on-hop-off bus, but decided to walk after getting stuck in traffic. Gibraltar is very small, and there is absolutely no need to take a tour. Also, everybody speaks english, so no possible barrier there either.

[hkto]

We walked to cable car from the ship (no more than 30 min and may be even faster) and there was absolutely no lineup at the cable car (I think we were there around 9-9:30am). However lineup was there when we went down. Most ships dock early in the AM so the best is to go there right away and return by noon. If I remember correctly there also was bus (city shuttle - not free) that came to port terminal.

[neil5054]

Thanks all - we are perfectly fine with the walk to the cable car and walking, so will try to see the site. Could just pass on the cig/liquor shops but it's only a day!! No offense to any Spanish posters by putting the question here! didn't realize there was an "other ports" location.