A ladies weekend beckoned to celebrate Joy’s birthday and as Joy’s sister in law lives in Gibraltar we decided to go and spend a long weekend there. I had been to Gibraltar before but only for a day trip so was excited to spend more time there; especially as we had booked a beach chalet and the forecast in September was pretty nice.
The trip was kindly organised between Joy’s husband and Sister in Law Deb and so Joy, Ginny and myself set off in style from Gatwick. As it was a birthday treat I decided to organise lounge passes for the airport which also included fast track through airport security which was amazing. If you consider the normal ‘LAPTOPS, IPADS, TOILETRIES OUT’ barking and chaos you normally get in airport security this was a very civilised and calm affair- a real added bonus! No being shouted at or barked at really does set you in a better mood for the airport experience.
We visited the No 1. Lounge at Gatwick North which was busy and not the best I had seen it but it was a lovely treat for the birthday girl and we chilled in the lounge making the most of our wait with some food, celebratory prosecco and wine before heading to our departure gate.
The flight went smoothly and we were greeted at the airport by Deb – We had arrived and were excited for the weekend ahead!
Accommodation
Our apartment was located in the Both Worlds complex on Sandy Bay; the only real beach around Gibraltar. Away from the busyness of central Gibraltar it was just what we needed for a rest. The 2 bedroom apartment was more like a holiday chalet but had everything we needed and the location was perfect with the most amazing sunrises.
The Rock
When I came last time there were no barbary apes in sight which I was told was very unusual but this time I hoped I would be lucky. Ginny had never been here before so it was a new experience for her also. In order to visit the top there is a choice of walking or getting the rather expensive cable car; we chose the latter. A return trip costs £34 including the nature reserve. We had a gorgeous day for the trip up and amazing views!
As soon as we got off the cable car there were apes everywhere! Big ones, little ones, grumpy ones, sleepy ones you name it! I am still amazed how I missed them all last time. We learnt very quickly to keep hold of everything and hide away food and drink; especially when we saw a young child screaming as one of them had run off with their backpack!
At the top of the Rock is a bar and restaurant, the Mons Calpe Suite. We had already eaten so stopped for a drink taking in the lovely views before making our next move. It was pretty hot and sweaty in September and we were very fortunate with the weather our whole time there.
Exploring the top of the rock we ventured towards the Upper Rock Nature reserve and the Skywalk. The Skywalk is taller than the Shard and gives great views of 2 different continents and 3 Countries. It is not for the faint hearted but luckily we were all good with heights and the 360 views were more than worth it.
It was then that we decided we had come this far we may as well walk the rest of the way down…. big mistake on our part. Joy was of the opinion it wouldn’t take long however it took us a good couple of hours with a stop for ice cream on the way. There was no doubt it was spectacular and passing the Windsor Suspension Bridge was also not for the faint hearted!
Eventually we made it back down to earth, or the main town which was a big relief. It was a lovely walk but it was a bit too hot and the terrain was rough in places. In all fairness we may not have exactly known where we were going and may have accidentally taken the wrong path a couple of times. Word to the wise, take a map and lots of drink and sunscreen. We did pay for this for a few days afterwards!
Food and Drink
We had the type of break where lots of wine was consumed and lots of lovely food. Thanks to Deb she was able to show us some of the nicest places around Gibraltar and here are a few of the places we visited.
Bianca’s
We visited here on our first night after arriving and had some nice food and wine in a great, friendly atmosphere. Located in Marina Bay, Biancas Cafe Bar and Restaurant was the perfect location for some snacks drinks and a good old catch up!
Rendezvous Chargrill
A sunset visit to Queensway Quay was made all the better by a lovely meal at Rendezvous. The setting on the quay was amazing especially at sunset and we had a brilliant meal with lots of laughs and lots of wine.
Charlies Steak House and Grill
Another little gem in Marina Bay Deb introduced us to was Charlies; despite its name we went there for a rather lovely indian. Deb brought her partner Barry who had the hottest curry they could make without breaking into a sweat. The food was fab and we all enjoyed it, as well as giggling at the fact Deb thought poppadoms were called pompadoms! We had a great meal with great service.
Getting Around
We had a lot to check out we decided we would get the bus and go up the Rock. We headed out with our sun hats on to the bus stop where we waited for a while but eventually it did turn up and we were on our way….or so we thought. The bus moved one stop and then the driver got out for his tea break! Bus number 4 took a long time to get to our destination but it got there! It seems like it’s all Spanish time when it comes to transport here!
Taxis were another mode of transport we used; sometimes rather unsuccessfully and it could be very hit and miss. It appears to be a who you know not what you know in Gibraltar, Deb knew who to call but we didn’t so we struggled maybe more than maybe a local would.
Final Thoughts
Gibraltar was an amazing place for the kind of trip we needed to celebrate with Joy; with such a variety of food and drink, an amazing apartment on a sandy beach, lovely weather and company what more could we ask for. In addition the flight in and out is one of the best ones I have ever experienced in terms of views and so I will finish this post with our take off heading home.
Thank you Deb and Phil for organising such a great weekend
Carol, Joy and Ginny xx
September 2022
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“Wow.Have been there twice on a day trip from Spain but never saw all that you ladies did..Thanksso much for sharing..