A tiny peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar has a long and interesting history. Between 2021 and 2023 we spent over 16 weeks there, staying at Queensway Quay Marina. We explored in and around "the Rock" as much as possible and from those adventures here's our top ten things to see and do in Gibraltar that are off the beaten path.
1. Visit the Northern Defences
The Northern Defences, formerly called "The Jungle" is a huge complex of 1700's tunnels, bunkers and ruins that were reused during World War 2. The whole area used to be overgrown but in recent years an effort has been made to clear it out making it easier to explore. When we went, there was no entry fee and many locals actually used it to walk their dog. Unfortunately there were some signs that it may be developed in future.
Expect to spend 3-4 hours exploring the Northern Defences and make sure you take a reliable torch or headlamp. We prefer to use Petzl.
The entrance is marked on the map at the bottom of this page. From there, follow the Princes Line path. If you look down to the left as you walk along the path, you might spot the WW2 bunker we spent New Years Eve in! When you get almost to the end of the path you'll need to go down the stairs on your left to reach the main part of the complex. As long as you're fine with stairs this is somewhere most people can visit, including kids.
2. Climb under the Northern Defences
Within the Northern Defences there's a long staircase that leads down to a lower level. From there you can climb out a window, over a ledge and into a WW2 bunker that not many other people make it out to. We explored it during our second trip to Gibraltar and while it isn't as clean as the rest of the Northern Defences, it's still cool to be able to get into somewhere that not many other people go.
3. Hike above the Northern Defences
Moving on up, you can head to some tunnels hidden in the rock above the Northern Defences. The easiest way to get there is to take the right path at the fork near 36.1447, -5.3504, then follow it all the way up. There's a short tunnel complex called Lower Union Galley which only took us 10-15 minutes to explore.
From documentation we found online it appear the galley was originally part of a communication line that ran along the Rock towards Hanover Battery.
4. Scramble up Forbes Quarry
Dug by the British, Forbes Quarry's claim to fame is being the site of the discovery of a female Neanderthal skull back in 1848. The cave the skull was found in is long gone, but at the back of the quarry there's an access shaft to some World War Two tunnels. It seems the tunnels were once part of the Forbes Battery complex which is at the northern end of the Northern Defences.
Climbing up the shaft is not for the faint of heart and you'll likely need a rope, but it doesn't get much more off the beaten path than this.
5. Discover the secrets of Talus Slope Nature Reserve
Visiting Talus Slope Nature Reserve is about what's on the inside of the Rock, rather than the outside. When we were in Gibraltar there was an open entrance at the back of the reserve that you could go inside of to explore World War 2 era tunnels. We suggest you take a headlamp, jacket and be wary of entering anything that looks like it's from the 21st century. It is well worth a visit!
6. Look beyond the norm at Europa Point
If you've sailed in or out of Gibraltar then you will have seen the iconic lighthouse and mosque at the end of Europa Point. It is a fairly standard place for tourists to go, but there's more to the point than meets the eye. When we went, there was an old WW2 gun laying on the ground and a tunnel on the eastern side towards the road. We'd recommend avoiding the tunnel (it's a dumping ground) but the gun is cool. Then, above Europa Advance Road there's a path cut through the hill which gives amazing views of the Mediterranean Sea.
7. Jump out the window at Douglas Path
At the top of the rock inside the Gibraltar Nature Reserve is trail called Douglas Path. Down to the right there's a small building structure that you can go into and look around.
If you climb out one of the southern windows, you'll be rewarded with incredible views of the Rock of Gibraltar. Just be careful near the edge, it's high and there's no barriers or fences to hold you back!
8. Check out Spur Battery
While walking through the Gibraltar Nature Reserve we decided to head towards the southern end and take a look at Spur Battery. Since it's a bit further away than the other sites it seems that less tourists visit it; most of the people we met were locals who'd come to hang out and watch the sun set.
From Spur Battery there are expansive views that overlook Spain, Morocco, the Mediterranean Sea and Gibraltar. The Barbary macaque's like to hang around and if you go down the stairs to the old ammo storage, it might be unlocked.
9. Walk to Princess Anne's Battery
Overlooking the north end of Gibraltar are the artillery guns of Princess Anne's Battery. The guns are worth a look but if you walk up behind them there's also the old military lookout and storage areas for the battery. When we went it was a bit overgrown but you could go inside the main buildings and have a look.
10. PUB TIME!
Okay, okay, okay, it might not be off the beaten path BUT all good adventures should end with a pint at the pub and Gibraltar has no shortage of these! The peninsular is proud of its British heritage and there are traditional style British pubs all over the place.
Personally we liked the price and cider selections at All's Well in Casemates Square if we'd been north and The Angry Friar if we'd been south.
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Yay my home! <3