Gibraltar walking tour
Shore excursion from port of Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Duration 2h
- Activity level medium
What you'll do
Upon arrival of your cruise ship our guide will be waiting for you at the port, identified with the Shorexc sign.
We will walk to the center of the city, known as Main Street "Royal Street", where we will stroll through the narrow streets of the city and admire the military fortifications. We will discuss the importance of Casemates Square, the larger of the two main squares within Gibraltar's city center. The square takes its name from the Grand Casemates built by the British, a bombproof casemate and barracks at the northern end of the square completed in 1817.
On the way downtown we pass Devil's Tongue Battery. This battery protected the entrance to Gibraltar during the reign of Philip II. We will also visit the statue of Admiral George Rooke, who captained the British fleet that conquered Gibraltar in 1704.
Before entering Casemates Square, we will talk about Landport Gate, the only entrance to Gibraltar during the 18th century; the city walls, we will understand their importance in the past for the defense of Gibraltar; and the famous Gibraltar Castle, Tower of Homage, built during the Muslim occupation.
From Casemates, we will continue our itinerary admiring the architecture of Irish Town. In the period when Gibraltar was Spanish, this street was called St. Anne Street, also the site of a convent for nuns founded in 1587. When the Anglo-Dutch forces conquered Gibraltar in 1704, the nuns abandoned the convent of Santa Clara and the Royal Navy occupied the convent of La Merced to use it as warehouses and apartments for provision sellers. Our guide will explain its importance during the 17th and 19th centuries. Probably the most important public building in Irish Town is the old Victorian police station of 1864. In the early 20th century, a bustling and commercial Irish Town was home to tobacco factories, coffee roasting factories and many post offices, the appearance of the street changed radically in the late 20th century when it was pedestrianized. In addition to its traditional activities and numerous stores, the street took on a new focus, oriented towards leisure and gastronomy, with numerous stores, bars and restaurants.
At the end of the Irish Town Street, we will visit the Parliament Square where the current parliament of Gibraltar is located.
We will continue to the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, (we can visit the interior if no religious ceremony is held), the church was originally a Mosque during the Muslim occupation, was destroyed and later restored during the Spanish occupation of Gibraltar. Guests who do not wish to visit the cathedral will have free time.
Finally, we will visit the Convent, official residence of the governor of Gibraltar since 1728. It was originally a convent of Franciscan friars, hence its name, and was completed in 1531. Directly opposite is The 6 Convent Place colloquially known in Gibraltar as "Number 6", the seat of Her Majesty's Government in Gibraltar and the office of the Prime Minister.
At the end of the visit of The Convent, the guide will return to the port with the group or those who prefer may enjoy some free time on Main Street to sample the local cuisine, shop or stroll around and return to the ship on our own.
Details
- DURATION: GUIDE AVAILABLE UP TO 2 HOURS
- NO SUPPLEMENTS
REMARKS
- Level Easy/Panoramic/Cultural
- It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes.
- The cathedral can only be visited if there is no religious event scheduled, in which case the visit will be outside.
- People with reduced mobility who use wheelchairs must be accompanied by another person who can help them. Shore2Shore is not responsible if the client does not inform of their situation at the time of booking.