Things to do in Upper Rock

Best time to visit Upper Rock

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• March to May

  Mild, green Rock, thin crowds; good walking weather

• June to August

  Hot; the Levanter cloud can sit on the Rock for days; book everything ahead

• September and October

  Warm sea, calmer; good beach weather at Catalan Bay

• November to February

  Mild but wet and windy; some Upper Rock paths close in high wind

What's on

• Gibraltar National Day 10 September

  Political rally at Casemates and a packed town; book hotels early

• Calentita food festival June

  Food stalls across the town centre

Best things to do in Upper Rock

• Apes' Den

  $$$

  The Barbary macaques at the top station; go early, never feed them.

• St. Michael's Cave

  $$$

  The big show cave with the Cathedral Chamber used for concerts.

• Great Siege Tunnels

  $$$

  18th-century siege tunnels with cannon galleries cut into the rock face.

• Skywalk Gibraltar

  $$$

  Glass platform over the east face; only worth it on a clear day.

• O'Hara's Battery

  $$$

  The 9.2-inch gun at 419m, the highest point of the Rock.

• Windsor Suspension Bridge

  $$$

  70m suspension bridge over the gorge; skip if heights bother you.

• Moorish Castle

  $$$

  Tower of Homage and Moorish fortifications, the Rock's oldest structure.

• Pillars of Hercules

  $$$

  Monument at Jews' Gate with the first big Strait-to-Africa view.

Best restaurants in Upper Rock

• Biancas Restaurant

  $$

  Marina-front all-day restaurant; gambas pil pil and reliable steak.

• Roy's Cod Place

  $

  Fish and chips on Casemates Square; cheap, fast, lunchtime queue.

• The Ocean Restaurant

  $$

  Seafood and Spanish-leaning menu near Casemates; get the fish platter.

• GAUCHOS Steakhouse

  $$$

  Steakhouse off Main Street; ribeye with chimichurri.

• The Clipper

  $$

  Irish Town pub-restaurant, good for a long lunch off the square.

• Paparazzi Steakhouse

  $$$

  Old-town lanes steakhouse; a local favourite for meat.

• Little Bay Indian Tapas Bar & Restaurant

  $$

  Indian tapas near Main Street; the mixed grill platter.

• Gallo Nero

  $$

  Italian and pizza; the reliable family dinner when someone wants pasta.

Best bars in Upper Rock

• The Lord Nelson

  $

  Old-town pub for a pint after the Rock; a naval fixture.

Outdoor things to do in Upper Rock

• Mediterranean Steps

  $$$

  Steep staircase up the east face; go early, carry water, clear days only.

• Europa Point

  Free

  Lighthouse, mosque and shrine at the bottom of Europe; Morocco across the water.

• Napier of Magdala Battery

  $$$

  The Victorian 100-ton gun at Rosia Bay, one of two left in the world.

• Catalan Bay

  Free

  The small fishing-village beach under the east face; go weekday mornings.

• Dolphin Adventure

  $$

  Two-hour Strait trips for common, striped and bottlenose dolphins.

Best hotels in Upper Rock

• The Eliott Hotel

  $$$

  Premium four-star in the town centre with strait views and a rooftop pool.

• Bristol Hotel

  $$

  Long-standing central mid-range on Cathedral Square; solid, no frills.

• The Rock Hotel

  $$$$

  Gibraltar's iconic hotel since 1932; Wisteria Terrace and garden pool.

• Sunborn Gibraltar

  $$$$

  Five-star yacht hotel moored at Ocean Village; the most unusual stay.

• Holiday Inn Express Gibraltar

  $$

  Practical airport-end base; quiet rooms and good value.

• The Caleta Hotel

  $$$

  Above Catalan Bay beach with a sea-view restaurant and the best pool area.

Is Upper Rock expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Apes' Den: a few days ahead
• Gibraltar Cable Car: a few days ahead
• Dolphin Adventure: a few days ahead
• GAUCHOS Steakhouse: a few days ahead
• Paparazzi Steakhouse: a few days ahead
• Aquaterra: a few days ahead
• The Eliott Hotel: weeks ahead
• Bristol Hotel: weeks ahead

• Cable car plus reserve ticket: buy online the night before in July and August
• Dolphin boats: book the day before in summer
• The Rock Hotel and Sunborn: weeks ahead in summer and around National Day

Is Upper Rock safe?

• Gibraltar is very safe with low street crime. Pickpocketing concentrates around Main Street and Casemates on busy cruise-ship days; keep phones and wallets in front pockets. The apes are the main injury risk: do not feed or touch them. Emergency numbers 112 and 999.

Upper Rock travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Main Street duty free: the real bargains are tobacco, spirits and perfume; the rest is priced normally
• The border run to La Linea for cheap Spain: the queue each way can eat two hours
• Ape selfies: macaques bite and scratch; the photo is not worth the clinic visit

Getting around Upper Rock: public transport and more

• Walk the town: Main Street to the cable car base is 15 minutes on foot
• Citibus routes 4 and 9 reach the cable car base; routes 5 and 10 serve the town; buy fares on board
• Cable car is the fast way up; the combined reserve ticket is the simplest purchase
• Shared taxi tours of the Upper Rock run from the rank by the cable car; agree route and price first
• The frontier is a 20-minute walk from Main Street; allow an hour for the queue at peak

Who Upper Rock suits

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