# Visiting Gibraltar



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Hi All
My suegra celebrates her 80th birthday next month (February) and would rather like to visit Gib. We thought of staying at La Linea on a Saturday and Sunday night with a visit to Gib on the Sunday. 

Are things open on Sunday in Gib unlike where we live in Spain where almost everything is closed? 

We have heard that the best way is to take a bus into Gib, can anyone confirm this?

Is there anything we also ought to know?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> Hi All
> My suegra celebrates her 80th birthday next month (February) and would rather like to visit Gib. We thought of staying at La Linea on a Saturday and Sunday night with a visit to Gib on the Sunday.
> 
> Are things open on Sunday in Gib unlike where we live in Spain where almost everything is closed?
> ...


The tax-free shops on Main Street are closed, but actually they are a bit of a rip-off. All the touristy stuff is open, as is Morrisons supermarket, and some of the Ocean Village boutiques.

There is no bus into Gib from La Linea (queues of traffic can take an hour to get through) but if you walk across the border, after about 200m there is a red double-decker bus which takes you all round.

Make sure not to bring Gib coins off the Rock because they are not legal tender in the UK. And there is a strict Duty Free allowance as it is not strictly in the EU.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Sunday is indeed a good day for Morrisons. As Alca said, it's a short walk across the border to the bus.
It will be interesting to hear what you think of Gib.
I'm sure you won't be as daft as me and forget your passport...they wouldn't let me in Had to drive the hour back home.
You'll need a £ coin for your trolley.
If you are a tippler...Rives gin is £3.99 a litre, Claymore whiskey £3.45. I think the allowance is one litre per person.
And yes, the Main Street shops are very disappointing. Unless you want to buy your wife or mil some gold and diamonds as there are loads of 
jewellers.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Sunday is indeed a good day for Morrisons. As Alca said, it's a short walk across the border to the bus.
> It will be interesting to hear what you think of Gib.
> I'm sure you won't be as daft as me and forget your passport...they wouldn't let me in Had to drive the hour back home.
> You'll need a £ coin for your trolley.
> If you are a tippler...Rives gin is £3.99 a litre, Claymore whiskey £3.45.


But if you go to Morrisons you´ll need to take the car in. The queues aren´t too bad early Sunday morning.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

We only ever go to Gib on a Sunday - the queues aren't bad at all so you can either walk or drive in. 

I expect you will be able to find somewhere to stay in La Linea but there are other options quite close as well. If you let me know what kind of thing you are after I'll do some finding out.


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## Cazzy (Nov 23, 2008)

I would stay in Gib, there is plenty to see!! Try the Clipper in Irish town for good pub food.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Thank you all for your kind information but since they will not allow our dog to cross the border, we are going, instead, to Jerez to sample some sherries - get the old dear p*ssed! 

Alan


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Thank you all for your kind information but since they will not allow our dog to cross the border, we are going, instead, to Jerez to sample some sherries - get the old dear p*ssed!
> 
> Alan


In that case the Gonzalez Byass bodega is a must.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

jimenato said:


> In that case the Gonzalez Byass bodega is a must.


Currently trying to book visit with them but their visit schedule when trying to book places only covers the early part of this coming week and we want February 12th so I've sent an e-mail.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

We are obviously of the same mind...where our dog can't go, we don't go.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> Currently trying to book visit with them but their visit schedule when trying to book places only covers the early part of this coming week and we want February 12th so I've sent an e-mail.


You won't have any problem getting in at this time of year. She (and you all) will enjoy the little train ride round the garden!

The Alcazar is wonderful too, very close to Gonzalez Byass, and it is open on Sundays.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> You won't have any problem getting in at this time of year. She (and you all) will enjoy the little train ride round the garden!
> 
> The Alcazar is wonderful too, very close to Gonzalez Byass, and it is open on Sundays.


Thanks!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> You won't have any problem getting in at this time of year. She (and you all) will enjoy the little train ride round the garden!
> 
> The Alcazar is wonderful too, very close to Gonzalez Byass, and it is open on Sundays.


Yes, I wouldn't bother booking - we just turned up and slotted in to the next tour.


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

I would actually fancy a visit to Gibraltar, I'm curious to see if I would feel like being back in Ireland/UK (lived in Dublin 1 year and Belfast 2 years) or if it would just feel like a Spanish town with English road signs and pounds instead of euros... I'm curious. 

The problem is that Barcelona is far from the Rock, and I believe direct flights are still a bit of a hassle due to the hassle between both governments.

In fact it is odd: Madrid doesn't accept the Gibraltarians want to be British and makes a huge fuzz about this. Meanwhile they seem to find it very normal Ceuta and Melilla are still under Spanish reign, but when another country has an overseas territory the Spanish government screams scandal? Bit inconsequent when they have recently repeated that there's no way Melilla and Ceuta would be Moroccan anytime soon.

PS: would love to visit Ceuta as well. I guess a trip to Gibraltar and Ceuta can easily be combined in a long weekend since they are very close (the boat travel would probably be over before you know it)?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

jimenato said:


> Yes, I wouldn't bother booking - we just turned up and slotted in to the next tour.


I did e-mail Gonzalez Byass and they e-mailed back "just turn up about 10 minutes before time..."


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> I did e-mail Gonzalez Byass and they e-mailed back "just turn up about 10 minutes before time..."


I did the G-B tour with my 80 year old mother last year. It is all very well organised. They sort you into groups according to language, so you get a tour in English, then you are escorted round on a little train. Unfortunately you can´t get off and explore the gardens, like you can in some of the smaller bodegas.

They will offer a tapas option with your "free samples" at the end, which helps soak up the sherry. The portions are very small though so it is not a substitute for lunch - five minutes away in the Plaze del Arenal there are lots of good cafes and restaurants.

Also don´t buy bottles of sherry in the bodega shop - they are a lot cheaper in supermarkets!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> I did the G-B tour with my 80 year old mother last year. It is all very well organised. They sort you into groups according to language, so you get a tour in English, then you are escorted round on a little train. Unfortunately you can´t get off and explore the gardens, like you can in some of the smaller bodegas.
> 
> They will offer a tapas option with your "free samples" at the end, which helps soak up the sherry. The portions are very small though so it is not a substitute for lunch - five minutes away in the Plaze del Arenal there are lots of good cafes and restaurants.
> 
> Also don´t buy bottles of sherry in the bodega shop - they are a lot cheaper in supermarkets!


Thanks for that Claire. It is always so useful, to get info from somebody who has actual experience rather that from guide books, etc, when the latter can so often have financial backing from the very place you are looking at.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

gerrit said:


> I would actually fancy a visit to Gibraltar, I'm curious to see if I would feel like being back in Ireland/UK (lived in Dublin 1 year and Belfast 2 years) or if it would just feel like a Spanish town with English road signs and pounds instead of euros... I'm curious.
> 
> The problem is that Barcelona is far from the Rock, and I believe direct flights are still a bit of a hassle due to the hassle between both governments.
> 
> ...


Gibraltar feels nothing like England and nothing like Spain - it´s a runique mixture and there are people from lots of other cultures too - including Indian, Moroccan, Italian and Jewish. The _llanitos_ (native Gibraltarians) speak a strange hybrid language. The British military installations dominate the coast alongside the luxury yacht marinas.

There isn´t a problem with flights from Spain any more, but I think the direct flights from Madrid were stopped last year because of lack of interest. You do have to go through customs and there is a duty free allowance of 250 cigarettes and a litre of spirits. They are very strict because there is a lot of smuggling.

You have to go along the coast to Algeciras to get a ferry to Ceuta, but you could probably do it all in a long weekend.


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Have you been in Ceuta? If yes, does it feel very Spanish or do you have that Moroccon atmosphere dominantly all over the town?

PS your post made me even more curious to see Gibraltar  I don't think there's direct flights from Barcelona so the itinary to get there would be quite complex. I can see myself fly to Gatwick and then to Gibraltar while Gibraltar is closer to BCN than London


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

gerrit said:


> Have you been in Ceuta? If yes, does it feel very Spanish or do you have that Moroccon atmosphere dominantly all over the town?
> 
> PS your post made me even more curious to see Gibraltar  I don't think there's direct flights from Barcelona so the itinary to get there would be quite complex. I can see myself fly to Gatwick and then to Gibraltar while Gibraltar is closer to BCN than London


I haven't been to Ceuta, we keep promising ourselves to go but haven't got round to it yet. Many of the Spanish cities in this corner of Spain have historic Moorish quarters, so I don't suppose it will be much different from them except that it is surrounded by sea and has a horrid great fence to keep the Moroccans out. Just after we moved here, there were lots of shootings as they tried to storm the fence - I think that may be what has put us off going.

Vueling fly from Barcelona to Jerez de la Frontera, which is about 100 km away and there are regular buses to Algeciras. The ferry takes 35 minutes and you quite often see dolphins and pilot whales.


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

gerrit said:


> Have you been in Ceuta? If yes, does it feel very Spanish or do you have that Moroccon atmosphere dominantly all over the town?
> 
> PS your post made me even more curious to see Gibraltar  I don't think there's direct flights from Barcelona so the itinary to get there would be quite complex. I can see myself fly to Gatwick and then to Gibraltar while Gibraltar is closer to BCN than London


I havent been to Ceuta but I have been to Melilla. You can get a ferry from Malaga, although it takes a lot longer than Algeciras to Ceuta obviously. At the time, the Melilla Tourist Board were offering weekend package deals and we went because we thought it was somewhere a bit different to go. We went by hydrofoil, which took nearly four hours (and that was the fast ferry!). Plus, the sea off Malaga is often rough and a lot of people were very sick on the boat there. Our return ferry was cancelled because of the weather so we had to come back on the overnight ferry, which was a huge ship and took about 8 hours! (I swore that if I ever returned, it would be by plane!)

Melilla has a very Moroccan feel, and also has a history of different cultures and religions living alongside each other. I dont know if there really is that much to see, but we were only there a few days and didnt see that much because I was there with my elderly parents and it was too hot to walk about much.


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