Travel Report: Cool Spots Around Gibraltar.

Cool Spots Around Gibraltar.

March 2017.

I will always look back on my visit to Gibraltar with a lot of fondness. I arrived as a somewhat curious traveller keen to hike its famous rock and check out what Spanish Britain looked and felt like.

What I found was a tiny territory that is a visual feast, a rival even to some of mainland Spain’s Andalusian highlights. My priority had been to explore the varied wonders of Gibraltar Nature Reserve. It did not disappoint. Neither did the wondrous Mediterranean Steps hike, with its delicious sea views and historic batteries.

Having already published those magnificent highlights, this piece wraps up the rest of my explorations. So, without further ado, here are my Cool Spots Around Gibraltar. 

My wanderings around the town began at Grand Casemates Square, which dates back to 1817. In fact, Gibraltar’s largest public square takes its name from the bombproof military barracks that once operated here. The renowned British Army engineer William Green was largely responsible for the design of the barracks, while the square soon served as the site of Gibraltar’s military parades. And, naturally, public executions.

Cool Spots Around Gibraltar.

What remains of those barracks now houses Gibraltar’s main bubble of cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants. When the weather is fine, chairs and tables fill the square, the entire place awash with chatter and the clinking of knives, forks and spoons. 

Above all, I liked how the square celebrates its history. Not only with the barracks themselves, but through the little souvenir stores selling British Army badges, fridge magnets and toy soldiers. One store even had a guy outside dressed in a retro Royal Gibraltar Regiment uniform. Yes, he was more than happy to pose for photographs. 

Back in 2017, Grand Casemates Square was also home to Gibraltar Crystal, a handmade glassware museum and factory. For decades this impressive store showcased some of the finest glass art products in Europe.

Photo courtesy of Eric Roy. 

Moreover, the space included a small workshop where you could watch highly skilled glass-blowers at work. Unfortunately, Gibraltar Crystal closed down in September 2019. A branch of the Hong-Kong based digital bank, Xapo, replaced it. Depressing.  

Gibraltar Crystal.

After a year living in the Spanish city of Malaga, I was excited at the prospect of an authentic English breakfast. And boy oh boy was I spoilt for choice, with just about every place on the square claiming to have the best in town. Eventually, after several loops, I put my trust in the Lord Nelson Pub. 

Inside, the pub channels the vibe of Admiral Horatio Nelson and The Battle of Trafalgar. There are sails on the ceiling, along with a giant Union Jack, designed to feel like the great man’s legendary ship, HMS Victory.

Furthermore, one can find a veritable gallery of black and white photos from the archives. Some may find the place a bit kitschy, others will feel it has genuine charm. My own position, however, was somewhere between the two.

According to online reviews, Lord Nelson is one of Gibraltar’s most boisterous spots. Indeed they show live sports and regularly hold quiz and karaoke nights. From what I hear it can get quite rowdy, with several reviewers complaining of antisocial behaviour. Hm, I’m definitely pleased that I went for a morning visit. As for the breakfast, it was solid if not spectacular, nicely setting me up for my first hike up The Rock.  

From Grand Casemates Square I took a stroll down Main Street. Although it dates back to the 14th century, the street was obliterated by French and Spanish forces in a combined attack during the Great Siege of Gibraltar between 1779-1783. 

Cool Spots Around Gibraltar.

Its subsequent regeneration began in the early 1800s. Today the street buzzes with pedestrians, even on a rainy day like this one. For me, it was simply a wonder to experience this typical British high street with its Boots, WH Smith and red telephone boxes and postboxes.

In Malaga I had no access to authentic British treats. Hence I excitedly ducked into Bubbles Newsagents to grab a few of my favourite chocolate bars: a Double Decker and a Galaxy Ripple. What’s more, I picked up a copy of The Daily Telegraph, why not.

And of course Gibraltar couldn’t be an authentic British territory without lots and lots of pubs. Indeed I passed plenty more as I explored Main Street and its many side lanes. The Star Bar, for example, is reportedly Gibraltar’s oldest drinking den. They say Christopher Columbus once popped in for a meal on his way to the Americas! Elsewhere, I caught glimpses of The Horseshoe and The Angry Friar, all charming enough from the outside but with very patchy online reviews.

On my second day, I went for a drink and a bite in The Clipper, located in Irish Town. The interior is a mix of modern decor and a traditional nautical theme, while I had no complaints about my cold beer and beefy burger. In contrast, I was less impressed when the waiter didn’t bring me any change after I paid. Several online reviewers have mentioned that staff here typically assume that they can keep what’s left as a tip. Very cheeky. 

Irishtown.

A short walk from The Clipper lies John Mackintosh Square, home to the handsome City Hall, where the mayor of Gibraltar has his office. John Mackintosh was a Gibraltar-born businessman who made his fortune selling coal to The British Navy. He was also a committed philanthropist who focused on the needs of the sick and poor. Among his many other efforts, he set up a public education trust fund and paid for an extension to the territory’s main hospital.

As for City Hall, constructed in 1819, this was once the private mansion of a wealthy Jewish English merchant by the name of Aaron Cardozo. In his later years he acted as the consul to Tunis and Algiers. Some articles claim he was even friends with Lord Nelson, who came to the house several times for dinner. 

Speaking of Nelson, you can find a statue dedicated to the great man at Gibraltar’s South Bastion, a surviving part of the town’s fortifications. Local authorities unveiled the statue in 2005 to celebrate the 200 year anniversary of his triumph (and death) at the Battle of Trafalgar. Amazingly, several pieces of copper in the statue came directly from the remains of HMS Victory! 

Staying with The Battle of Trafalgar, some of the men killed in action rest right here at Trafalgar Cemetery. It’s a very pretty graveyard and a much welcome leafy respite from the buzz of the town. 

Cool Spots Around Gibraltar.

Trafalgar Cemetery served as Gibraltar’s main graveyard until 1814, after which it fell into disrepair. Originally known as Southport Ditch Cemetery, it enjoyed a big cleanup and some landscaping throughout the 1980s and 90s. Burials no longer take place here, but it does host an annual ceremony to mark Trafalgar Day on October the 21st. 

If you appreciate the cemetery’s peaceful greenery, chances are you’re going to love the splendid Gibraltar Botanic Gardens. Created in 1816, this lush 15-acre compound was the brainchild of Sir George Don, then Gibraltar Lieutenant-Governor. 

Don’s vision was that the gardens would provide the territory’s soldiers with a place to relax when not on duty up at the fortress. It was a fantastic gesture, no wonder the compound’s main gates are named after him. 

The gardens open between 08:00 and (roughly) sunset every day. I spent a lovely hour strolling along the various Jurassic limestone rock pathways. So much care has gone into the place and its immaculate collections of flowers, plants, bushes and towering cacti.

Gibraltar Botanic Gardens.

Here and there, I came across wooden benches dedicated to the lives of dearly missed Gibraltarians. A statue of the James Joyce character Molly Bloom meanwhile (from his 1922 novel Ulysses) joined the garden in 2001 to celebrate 200 years of the Gibraltar Chronicle, the territory’s national newspaper.

It was also fun to see how local children contribute to Gibraltar Botanic Gardens. My favourite project was this playful Vegetable Patch, complete with homemade scarecrows and a Bee Hotel for the local honey-making community.

The gardens also gave me a look at the wonderful Rock Hotel, Gibraltar’s iconic white Art Deco delight. Built in 1932 by the Scottish peer John Crichton-Stuart, it has hosted a string of high profile guests during its 90 year history. Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston, got married to Thomas Touchet-Jesson in the hotel in 1962.

The actor Sean Connery spent his honeymoon here following his marriage to the actress and author Diane Cilento. As did John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who stayed for a few days in March, 1969. A few years later I would see an exhibit on their Gibraltar stay in the excellent  Double Fantasy Exhibition at The Museum of Liverpool.

Cool Spots Around Gibraltar.

Last… but definitely not least… I simply could not leave this British territory without grabbing a much-missed Indian feast. Luckily there are plentiful options scattered around town. In the end, I went for an early evening thali set at Curry and Sushi on Parliament Lane.

Putting the weird Indian-Japanese thing to one side, I can report that the food was both excellent and reasonably priced. The location is great too, tucked away in a quiet side street. Cheers Gibraltar, you “rock”.

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