Gibraltar

[Becki52]

We will be in Gibraltar for 5 hours in Sept. 2019. The ship tours do not go to all the places we would like to see (and they are short in length, we like to spend time at our interests). We mainly want to seeThe Gibraltar Nature Reserve, Upper Rock, St. Michael's Cave, Apes Den, Great Siege Tunnels, Moorish Castle, O'Hara's Battery, the Skywalk, the cable car and Windsor Suspension Bridge on the Rock of Gibraltar. Is there a bus line that goes to this area? Have you used taxis in Gibraltar to tour? Is there a reliable tour company that does private tours? Thank you for your input. Becki

Edited December 4, 2018 by Becki52

[John Bull]

There are no service bus routes that go anywhere near these sights, other than Moorish Castle.. Altho' the bus company has small buses as well a double-deckers, the roads on the Upper Rock are narrow, steep, and twisty. And some are one-way.

Additionally there's no demand (eg from locals) for a regular service to these places

 

Van tours are available at the cruise terminal - they charge a standard rate per person for a standard tour in a shared 6-8 seater van. I'm a little out-of-date on cost, but a couple of years back it was €25 /£ 22 (both currencies accepted, same as pretty-well everywhere in Gib.) Tour lasts about 2 hours & includes St M's Cave, the Apes Den,  and the Great Siege tunnels. It goes past the Moorish Castle on its way back - you can hop off at the Moorish Castle ( tho its very small), most folk hop off back in town at the bottom of Main Street, some go all the way back to the ship.

Almost all of the Upper Rock, and therefore the tour is in the Nature Reserve - but it's nothing special, its just protected from development etc. 

 

Ships' tours are probably identical or might include other sights such as Europa Point & the 100-ton Gun.

Probably just as flexible about leaving the tour at the Moorish Castle or Main Street.

From what I've seen om Cruise Critic ships' tours are more expensive (no surprise there ) but some cruise lines' prices aren't as over-the-top as usual.

 

You can build the other sights into a tailor-made tour via the internet, and you could include  all that you've listed into four hours or less.  You can make a start at http://www.gibraltartaxiassociation.com/tours

 

The cablecar is more of an alternative way to go up the Rock. It takes you to the summit - from here its about a 15 min walk south to St M's Cave, or 25 mins north to the Great Siege Tunnels. Folk who take the cablecar are more the sort of folk who prefer independent hiking, and many of them walk back down.

The bottom cablecar station is about 35 minutes in foot, or a taxi ride, from the cruise terminal. Lines build after about 9.30am when trippers arrive from the Spanish resorts, normally no line to come back down. The service is suspended (awful pun intended) in high winds.

 

Hope this helps

 

JB 

Edited December 4, 2018 by John Bull

[grnrab]

John Bull's price observations for Gibraltar cabbie led minivan tours were accurate during September 2018. Vans will be waiting just outside the port terminal recruiting customers. We took one and it was very good and yes we left van at the top of main street returning. Most ship organized excursions are on larger buses and can only get so far up the rock because of the narrow roads - rest of the way you'll be led by foot.

 

[casofilia]

A change in outlook!!!

 

We will be in Gibraltar on a tour from Granada using an NCL tour.  I am a coin collector and want to get a couple of sets of Gibraltar coins.  Any advice as to the best place?  Post office or bank?

 

Will I be able to pay in Sterling?

 

 

Mike

[John Bull]

13 hours ago, casofilia said:

A change in outlook!!!

 

We will be in Gibraltar on a tour from Granada using an NCL tour.  I am a coin collector and want to get a couple of sets of Gibraltar coins.  Any advice as to the best place?  Post office or bank?

 

Will I be able to pay in Sterling?

 

 

Mike

 

 

 Hi, Mike,

Sterling (either Gib or UK ) is accepted everywhere, Euros are also accepted everywhere that a tourist would want to spend money. But in some tourist shops beware of sticker prices - they're mainly dual-priced but if the price is quoted only in sterling and you're using euros, or vice-versa,  do the mental arithmetic because some will give a disadvantageous exchange rate.

 

If you want some souvenir coins it's easy enough to get them in any shop (or next day from fellow-cruisers who unwittingly accepted them in their change ).

But I'm guessing you want sets in mint condition, so your best bet is probably the philatelic shop in the Post Office, 104 Main Street. It's on the west side, a five minute walk up Main Street from Casemates Square & opposite the Bell Lane corner.

 Pretty convenient, cos most tourists walk Main Street at some time during the day.

But its the sort of place that might not accept euros, tho there are plenty of exchange bureaux

 

JB 

Edited December 30, 2018 by John Bull

[fabnfortysomething]

we utilised services of John Lopez with Gibraltar-rock-tours

He has an 8 seater minivan and runs private or semiprivate tours

we saw a lot more of Gibraltar than the nature reserve and he will customise for you

However you would need to find extra cruisers via your roll call to fill the van unless you are prepared to pay for exclusive use

[John Bull]

3 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Oooops, double-post.

Not for the first time with this new CC format  

 

JB 

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by John Bull

[casofilia]

Hello "John Bull"

 

Thank you.  I had expected that UK coins would be accepted as that is what I used when in the Falklands to pay for sets of coins.  The bank there had them in bags ready for tourists!!

 

I want to get circulation coins at "face" not in the "smart and expensive" collectors packs.  I just want a "type" set.

 

Mike

[John Bull]

18 hours ago, casofilia said:

Hello "John Bull"

 

Thank you.  I had expected that UK coins would be accepted as that is what I used when in the Falklands to pay for sets of coins.  The bank there had them in bags ready for tourists!!

 

I want to get circulation coins at "face" not in the "smart and expensive" collectors packs.  I just want a "type" set.

 

Mike

 

Coin collecting isn't my scene, Mike, but I reckon your best starting point is the post office itself (one of the regular counters). They might even have sets ready-bagged as you found in the Falklands.

 If no joy there the staff can probably best advise - a local bank, for instance. The town is very compact,  everywhere is in walking distance.

 

Simply trawling the shops should easily produce 7 of the 9 denominations if you find a shopkeeper willing to sift through his cash register, you might have difficulty with the £2 coin and I'm sure you'll have difficulty with the £5 coin - until this thread I didn't even know that such a coin existed

 

JB 

[casofilia]

Thanks JB

I didn't know that there was a £5 coin in circulation

Mike

[John Bull]

21 hours ago, casofilia said:

Thanks JB

I didn't know that there was a £5 coin in circulation

Mike

 

 

That was the first I'd heard of one too, my Kiwi friend.

Quite possibly not in general circulation, legal tender but perhaps just something for collectors

 

Kia Ora

 

JB  

ps I was going to wish you a happy Matariki - but apparently the Maori New Year is in June . That's something else I've learned by being on this thread

[casofilia]

Matariki, the Maori New Year, occurs the the Pleiades first reappear in the skies over New Zealand.  This can be any time from late May to Early July.  It is eagerly awaited here.

[lovesickmelodyx]

On 12/30/2018 at 6:15 PM, casofilia said:

Hello "John Bull"

 

Thank you.  I had expected that UK coins would be accepted as that is what I used when in the Falklands to pay for sets of coins.  The bank there had them in bags ready for tourists!!

 

I want to get circulation coins at "face" not in the "smart and expensive" collectors packs.  I just want a "type" set.

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike, 

 

Gibraltarian local here! Please do visit the post office at 104 Main Street, I am sure they have coins sets and stamps for you to purchase from the philatelic shop. You can't miss it, big red British post box outside the front door. Around a 10/15 minute walk from the port.

If you just want 'normal' everyday coins, visit any shop in Main Street, pay in cash and ask politely for your change in Gibraltar pounds. Cant imagine that would be a problem whatsoever. 

 

Have a wonderful trip!