By Cheri Sicard
Jack and Darlene of Jack and Darlene Living an Amazing Life are American friends of mine currently on an extended European RV trip with their five (count them) dogs. Yes, the entire clan, human and canine, flew to Europe for this grand adventure. Be sure to subscribe to their channel to follow along on their travels. To give you a taste, the video at the end of this post describes a day visiting Gibraltar and staying overnight in sight of the famous rock!
Walking from Spain to Gibraltar
Crossing a border on foot is one thing. Doing it after parking an RV beside a marina, with the Rock of Gibraltar ahead, feels even better.
Jack and Darlene left Benalmadena, drove south to La Linea de la Concepcion, and turned one day into two distinct travel moods. On one side, they found Spanish markets and marina cafes. On the other, they stepped into Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory with fish and chips waiting at the end of a long walk.
Their base was Parking Continental Cadiz Alcaidesa Marina in La Linea de la Concepcion. The park-up (campground) cost about 15 euros for 24 hours and had what most RV travelers need: water fill, gray-water dump, and black-water dump. They stayed for 48 hours and felt safe the whole time.
The setting made the stop memorable. Yachts lined the marina, mountains sat in the background, and the Rock of Gibraltar dominated the view. They also noticed colorful houseboats with little rooftop terraces, which gave the waterfront a fun, lived-in feel.
Markets, cafe stops, and leaving the dogs behind
Before crossing the border, they spent time on the Spanish side. The town felt lively, with fish stalls, food stands, outdoor tapas spots, and plenty of street noise. More than anything, the place felt friendly. People smiled, chatted, and made the walk feel easy.
The couple paused at a cafe near the marina for a tinto de verano (“red wine of summer”) and a small beer while the dogs cooled off with water. Later, they made a smart call and left their five dogs in the RV before entering Gibraltar. That avoided the hassle of pet paperwork and made the crossing simpler.
The long walk into Gibraltar
After the checkpoint, the walk to the center took longer than expected. They followed the route past beach views and along the side of the massive rock, with old fortifications visible above them.
The strangest part was the tunnel under the airport runway. It turned a basic border walk into something far more unusual. They also hoped to see the Moorish Castle, but it was closed that day, so they kept moving toward the center instead.
Fish and chips on the British side
Once they reached town, the mood changed fast. Gibraltar felt more British, but also more touristy, with Starbucks, Burger King, Taco Bell, and other familiar names in the mix.
Even so, they went with the classic choice, fish and chips. Their meal came with cod, chips, and white wine, and after all that walking, it was a perfect stop. Later, they wandered the center a bit more before heading back to their mini motorhome.
Ending the day back at the marina
By 9:00 p.m., the sun was still bright enough for an evening walk with the dogs. Back at the marina, their small RV sat among oversized yachts, with calm water on one side and the Rock on the other.
That was the best part of this stop. In a single day, Jack and Darlene moved between Spanish market streets and British-style lunch, then returned to a peaceful park-up that felt like home.
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