Classic 6-Hour Gibraltar Cruise Stop

There is a particular feeling you get when you step off a cruise ship in Gibraltar and look up at the Rock for the first time. It is enormous, and it is right there, and you have six hours before the gangway lifts again. This itinerary makes every minute count. The Gibraltar Cable Car is currently closed for refurbishment, so the Upper Rock is reached on foot or by taxi. A taxi from the cruise terminal to the top of the Rock takes about ten minutes and costs around £10 each way. Alternatively, the walk up via Willis Road and the Upper Rock road takes about 45 minutes. Either way, buy your Upper Rock ticket at the entrance gate. The ticket costs £30 per adult and covers all seven attractions inside the reserve, including Apes Den, St Michael's Cave, the Great Siege Tunnels, the Moorish Castle, the Skywalk, and the Mediterranean Steps viewpoints. At the top, the views across the Strait of Gibraltar on a clear morning are extraordinary. Spain behind you, Morocco ahead, and the whole of the western Mediterranean opening up to your right. Take a moment before the macaques find you. Because they will find you. The Barbary macaques at Apes Den are Gibraltar's most famous residents, and they are completely unafraid of people. They will sit on your shoulder if you let them. Do not bring food out in the open, do not hold eye contact too long, and keep bags closed. They are entertaining, occasionally chaotic, and entirely wild. From the apes it is a short walk along the Upper Rock path to St Michael's Cave. The cave is a vast natural limestone cathedral with stalactites and stalagmites built up over millions of years. The concert hall inside regularly hosts live performances. Allow forty-five minutes and do not rush it. Coming back down, take a taxi from the top (around £10) or walk down via the Upper Rock road, about 40 minutes. Casemates Square is the heart of Gibraltar's old town, ringed with restaurants. Grab a table, order something with local fish, and take your time. After lunch, the Gibraltar Museum is just a short stroll down Main Street. The Moorish Baths inside date back to the fourteenth century, and the displays covering Gibraltar's layered history from prehistory through the Great Siege are surprisingly good for a small national museum. You will be back at the port with time to spare.