I was not able to get much sleep between arriving late and leaving early. I woke up and got ready. I walked to the bus stop and boarded the bus to La Línea de la Concepción. The ride was comfortable and I was able to take a nap on the way to make up for lost sleep the previous night.
After reaching La Línea de la Concepción, I walked to Cafe Eclen at the corner for a quick breakfast and then continued towards the border with Gibraltar.
Crossing the border was an interesting experience. First I walked through exit formalities for Spain and the Schengen region. Next was the entry formalities for Gibraltar. I was using my multiple-entry Schengen visa from Switzerland which gave me visa-free access to Gibraltar. The officer asked me to wait and took my passport and passed it to someone inside. After a few minutes he returned it to me with the stamp.
To get access to the main part of Gibraltar, everyone had to walk across the main runway of Gibraltar airport. When there is flight movement for arrivals or departures, the crossing is closed, and the pedestrians on either side have to wait for the aircraft to clear the runway before they can cross it. This was a new and fun experience for me.
After crossing the runway, I followed the sign to the center of town. The street and atmosphere felt like you were in the UK.
My first stop was the John Macintosh Square (La Piazza) where I saw the Gibraltar Parliament and the Gibraltar City Hall. I visited the tourist office there and got a map of Gibraltar and information about how to visit the Rock and what to see.
The plan was to climb from one side and get down from the other, seeing as much as I could on the way. I started from La Piazza, on to the Castle Steps towards the Moorish Castle. I bought the entry ticket and continued.
My first stop was the World War ll Tunnels which were an extensive network of tunnels carved into the limestone, creating an underground city.
Climbing further there was a vantage point with views of Gibraltar and also of the airport and runway.
Next I visited a labyrinth of tunnels known as The Great Siege Tunnels, perhaps the most impressive defence system devised at that time.
I continued to walk uphill and made it to the Charles V Wall, which led up to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar. There were lots of monkeys around and as I made my way up the stairs, some of them actually climbed on top of my and my backpack looking for food. I was able to eventually shake them off but it was quite an experience. The people behind me must have had quite a view of my adventure.
I reached the Barbary Macaque Feeding Station where lots of tourist were feeding the monkeys and climbed futher to the Signal Hill which was the upper station of the Gibraltar Cable Car. I wasn’t able to see Africa across the water but the views were amazing. I also visited the Skywalk which offered amazing views all around.
I then walked up to the O’Hara’s Battery, located at the highest point of the Rock of Gibraltar near the southern end of the Upper Rock Nature Reserve.
From here, I finally started walking downhill towards the main town again. I visited St.Michael’s Cave, with an immersive light and sound installation.
Descending further I saw the Windsor Suspension Bridge, 70m-long pedestrian suspension bridge spanning a deep gorge, offering views across the bay.
From there I visited the Devil’s Gap Battery and then walked down the Devil’s Gap Steps to reach the main town again.
There were no exit formalities while leaving Gibraltar, just like the UK. The Spanish immigration agent checked my visa and stamped my passport for entry back into the Schengen area. I was hungry since I had no time for lunch so I bought some grapes and water from a grocery store nearby.
I had booked 5:55 PM bus back to Malaga Airport. There were a lot of people waiting at the bus stop for this service but everyone was able to get a seat onboard. The ride was comfortable and I was able to relax a little after a lot of walking during the day. We reached the airport at approximately 7:50 PM.
I had a lot of time before my flight, so I visited the La Boutique Bar. With my Priority Pass, I could use the lounge visit entitlement to receive EUR 23 off the bill. I ordered a couple of slices of pizza and picked up some olives for a very late lunch.
After spending some time there, I visited the Sala VIP Lounge using by DreamFolks card and it was very spacious and nice to relax in before the flight.
The lounge was spacious and not very crowded. I got some things to eat and drink while I waited.
The flight was on time and boarding was quick. It took a long while for the air conditioning to be turned on after everyone had boarded, so it was quite uncomfortable until then. Once the doors were closed the air-conditioning was turned on and after that it was a quick flight to Barcelona.
After reaching Barcelona, I took the N17 night bus to Airhostel BCN. I got to my room and bed and quickly went to sleep.
🚍 Avanza Bus
🍽️ La Boutique / Heineken Bar
🍽️ Sala VIP Lounge
✈️ Ryanair 482
🛏️ Airhostel BCN