Rick Steves Says You Should Avoid Eating Or Sleeping In This Touristy British Colony In Europe

While the British Empire once covered almost a quarter of the globe, it is now reduced to a handful of far-flung overseas territories, from the remote Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific Ocean to Saint Helena in the mid-Atlantic, where Napoleon spent his last days after exile. Closer to home is the sunny exclave of Gibraltar, a little taste of Britain on the tip of the Iberian Peninsula. It's a popular tourist destination where the amount of annual visitors vastly dwarfs the colony's 40,000 residents. While Rick Steves admits he "can't resist popping into the British colony" when he's in this part of Europe (per his website), he also warns that prices are marked up to take advantage of the influx of tourists.

Some might say that you don't need to visit Gibraltar to experience British culture in parts of coastal Spain. The rise of vacation packages that began in the 1950s is still going strong, and many resorts are full of pubs offering English Premier League matches, full English breakfasts, and a typically boisterous British drinking culture. But Gibraltar is something a little different: Here you can see red telephone boxes and police wearing traditional "bobby" helmets, British icons that seem a little surreal in a destination where the weather's always perfect – something that Brits often enjoy bemoaning the lack of back in Old Blighty itself. You also pay your way mostly in pound sterling, something that can make things a little pricey in the shadow of the Rock.

On his website, Rick Steves says Gibraltar's "hotels are twice as expensive as those across the border in Spain, but not as comfortable." He also notes that many British businesses are happy to accept the Euro instead of sterling from visitors, who may be unaware that they lose around 20% of the value due to the exchange rate. Steves claims: "Businesses here pad their bottom line by gouging anyone who comes in and spends euros." So make sure you have some sterling handy.

It is undeniable that prices for most things are notably higher than in Spain. The overall cost of living, likely to affect even the shortest visit, is around 31% higher than across the border. This touches just about everything, including buying a bottle of water in a store, eating at a restaurant, and taking a taxi ride. That's before you take into account "tourist tax," or markups in restaurants geared toward unwary visitors.

The prices might not seem so bad if you actually live and work in Gibraltar. Salaries are almost 36% higher than in Spain, and the cost of a visit can come as something of a surprise if you are arriving from the Spanish side. All that said, it is not as expensive as other touristy destinations like Paris and Amsterdam, but it is generally cheaper than visiting London. Your best bet to avoid a shock when it comes to the bill is to budget as if you are heading to the British capital itself.

Gibraltar covers just 2.6 square miles, but you can fly directly into its tiny airport, landing on one of the scariest runways in the world. The colony's strategic position overlooking the narrow strait leading from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean Sea has made it a prized asset for centuries. Although it also has some nice beaches, the star attraction for most visitors is the indomitable Rock of Gibraltar. It is a natural fortress riddled with 34 miles of tunnels (capable of housing 16,000 military personnel) and further reinforced with an ancient Moorish castle and a mighty cannon on the summit. The upper reaches of the Rock are a nature preserve and its most famous residents are around 300 friendly monkeys. A more recent addition is the Skywalk viewing platform, opened by Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, in 2018.

Rick Steves complains about the bad British food available, saying "the cliche is still accurate in Gibraltar," and there are plenty of bars and restaurants serving all-day breakfasts and pub grub if that's your thing. However, foodie travelers might find the Rock's surprisingly diverse array of international cuisine more appetizing. Check out La Tapilla Sixtina for delectable tapas; Aquaterra for highly-rated Mediterranean dishes (5 stars on Tripadvisor); or El Kasbah for a taste of what you might usually find across the Strait in Morocco. Little Bay is a terrific curry house that serves all the classics and wouldn't seem out of place back in Britain.