More than a shore excursion: why Gibraltar is worthy of a week-long holiday

A compact British Overseas Territory at the entrance to the Mediterranean, Gibraltar is often thought of as an island, but is in fact a peninsula bordering Spain with a towering rock at its centre.

Its location means warm shoulder seasons. There’s also a calendar of events to help you sell breaks year-round, from Christmas celebrations to a spring food festival and autumn literary festival.

Flights of three hours or under leave direct from Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester with easyJet, and from London with easyJet and BA, making the destination easily accessible. This year’s outline Brexit Treaty heralds Gibraltar’s integration into the Schengen area, easing border checks for anyone arriving through Spain, which is expected to be implemented in 2026. And, with sustainable targets for cruise ship visitor numbers, you needn’t worry about attractions being overrun by day-trippers. 

Here’s how to sell the destination: 

Things to do in Gibraltar 

Gibraltar’s rocky height and location at a continental crossroads have for hundreds of years made this 6.8-square-kilometre territory strategically important as a lookout and defensive post. 

Visitors can soak up incredible views from Gibraltar’s iconic Moorish Castle, which dates to the 14th century. Extensive restoration work is opening spaces unseen for centuries and creating new walkways that link the Castle directly to the revitalised Northern Defences – an immersive chain of bastions, tunnels, and gun positions that can now be explored. 

The Great Siege Tunnels is one of Gibraltar’s headline historical attractions, and the first stage of this impressive 55-kilometre defensive labyrinth was dug by hand and gunpowder in the late 18th century when the territory was threatened by a Franco-Spanish armada. The tunnels were extended during the Second World War for fortifications and gun emplacements. 

“The Tunnels – Gibraltar’s WWII Experience” relaunched in 2025 after a full upgrade. Visitors can see centuries-old graffiti, try out their espionage skills, enjoy interactive exhibits and period film clips, and explore the Spitfire Hall event space, complete with a replica of the formidable aircraft. 

St Michael’s Cave by contrast, is a natural chamber in the rock, filled with stalactites and stalagmites and atmospherically enlivened with a sound and light show. It’s sometimes even used as a concert venue.

Both the tunnels and cave are part of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, the top of which can be reached by cable car from the town, on foot or with a taxi tour. James Bond fans may know this landscape from the dramatic opening sequence of The Living Daylights, but its most famous association is as the home of Gibraltar’s barbary macaques, the cheeky monkeys which scale its cliffs and walls.

Your clients can test their own nerve at the Skywalk lookout, where they can see Europe and North Africa plus dizzying downwards views through glass panels. The Windsor Suspension Bridge is another structure for the daring. 

Naturally, with sea on three sides, Gibraltar has pleasing coastal attractions. Your clients can enjoy a dolphin-watching trip, a stand-up paddle boarding session or even a sailing lesson, then return to linger among the harbourside diversions of Ocean Village where yachts, bars, restaurants and casinos are clustered around a boardwalk. 

The more adventurous may tour the territory on e-bikes or even dive offshore wrecks.

A choice of hotels

Gibraltar’s accommodation has been modernised in recent years. It now includes smart four-star hotels and a floating five-star, all with views of the rock and sea. New hotels are in the pipeline, with more investment expected following Gibraltar’s integration with the Schengen Area.

The Eliott Hotel, well positioned just steps from Gibraltar’s Main Street, has contemporary rooms and a relaxing rooftop pool and lounge bar.

More classically styled with an Art Deco design, The Rock Hotel once attracted the likes of Winston Churchill and Sir Alec Guinness. It’s situated opposite the territory’s botanical gardens and makes a perfect venue for afternoon tea or a traditional Sunday roast. 

For a central location suggest the Holiday Inn Express by IH, which is located at the foot of the famous rock, and is just a short walk or drive to the shops in Main Street, Casemates Square and the buzzing harbour cafe and restaurants district. 

Self-catering options include new aparthotel E1 Suites where guests each have a terrace and, if they book the spa-inclusive rate, access to a 22-metre pool, sauna and hammam. There’s also a café with room service. 

For something extra special, offer your clients Sunborn, a 189-bedroom yacht hotel moored at Ocean Village. They can enjoy the cocktail bar, spa and fine dining inside, and lounge by the pool and accompanying bar out on deck. Your clients could even marry onboard. Gibraltar has long been a popular place to tie the knot, with John Lennon and Yoko Ono marrying on the Rock in 1969, while Sean Connery chose to take his vows in the destination twice.

Gibraltar is also a stand-out destination for events, and Sunborn’s flexible meeting suites can host up to 600 guests under crystal chandeliers. The destination is a popular choice among events planners, thanks to the broad range of modern and historical venues – with most key locations walkable by foot  – and the easy access provided from the UK and Europe.