Ocean Village

Ocean Village is Gibraltar's newest major development, built on reclaimed land on the western side of the territory and designed as a self-contained leisure and residential quarter. Where Marina Bay has the old-money feel of established yachting culture, Ocean Village is sleeker and more contemporary, with glass-fronted apartment blocks rising above the waterfront and a purpose-built entertainment complex at its centre. The Sunborn Gibraltar, a permanently moored yacht hotel, is the most striking feature on the Ocean Village skyline. This floating hotel has become one of Gibraltar's more distinctive accommodation options and a recognisable landmark visible from the water and from the Spanish coast. The Gibraltar Casino occupies its own building nearby, and on evenings and weekends it draws a mixed crowd of locals and visitors looking for entertainment beyond the restaurant circuit. For eating, Ocean Village offers a broader range of options than almost anywhere else in Gibraltar. The food court brings together multiple cuisines under one roof, and a ring of independent restaurants faces the marina with terrace seating that is busy from lunch through to late evening. The quality varies, but the choice is wide, which makes it a practical option for groups with different tastes. The promenade connecting Ocean Village to Marina Bay is one of Gibraltar's better walks, particularly around sunset when the sky often turns dramatic shades of orange and pink over the Bay. The path is flat and fully accessible, popular with joggers and cyclists in the mornings and with couples and families in the evenings. Ocean Village is also one of the main venues for outdoor events and concerts during the summer months, and the wide open spaces around the marina make it better suited to large crowds than the narrower streets of the old town. The Gibraltar Music Festival and several other annual events use the Ocean Village area as either a primary or supplementary venue.