Five ways expats can feel at home in Gibraltar, at home in a foreign land, Building guide, New life advice

Five Ways Expats Can Feel at Home in Gibraltar

20 February 2025

Gibraltar isn’t as much of a culture shock as some parts of neighbouring Spain. The main spoken language is English, there are more Irish pubs than anywhere else in the world, and a lot of the population is English.

Still, it’s nice to have a guide to help you settle in and actually make it feel like home. Read on to find out more.

Join Local Clubs and Social Groups

Relocating to Gibraltar and joining local groups and community groups is one of the best ways to meet people. If you don’t know anyone, we’d highly recommend putting yourself out there and joining a group or two. It could be a local gym class, a social expat outing (use websites like Meetup), or a community support group.

There’s a big expat community in Gibraltar, so you shouldn’t have much trouble. The Gibraltar Hash House Harriers organises regular running and social events or there are tons of events on Facebook.

Explore the Local Food and Social Scene

If you spend enough time in one place, you realise it’s the regular spot for so many people. You’d be surprised how easy it is to meet someone if you’re always bumping into the same person at the coffee shop, bar, etc.

Eating out in Gibraltar is more common than in the UK, for example, and being out is more of a social event. It’s not like walking into your local Wetherspoons and keeping your head down to avoid talking to anyone!

The blend of British and Mediterranean influences has created some incredible restaurants. We’d recommend:

Aquaterra
The Klipper
Paparazzi Steakhouse

The Lounge Gastro Bar

Most expats love popular spots like Ocean Village or Casemates Square!

Get Involved in Community Events

You’ll always find a local event to go to. And you’ll also find that most of the expats living in Gibraltar are at these events!

From the festivals of the great Calentita Food Festival and National Day in September celebrations to the Gibraltar Literary Festival, there are plenty of opportunities to meet or just to learn about the history of Gibraltar.

You can find out about most of these events on Facebook pages or you’ll hear about them in the local newspaper, etc.

Learn the Local Language and Customs

English is the primary language – there isn’t as much of an issue with communicating as in mainland Spain. Still, there’s a mix of English and Spanish spoken on the island. It wouldn’t hurt to know some Spanish, even some simple basics like you can learn on Duolingo. Some residents also speak some Genoese known as Llanito, but you won’t really need to use that or hear it being spoken.

Following traditions is also essential. Simple things like being cordial, saying hello, and appreciating the local pace of life make integration easier.

Outdoor Activities and Nature

Gibraltar is a beautiful part of the world – if you weren’t a fan of being outdoors, you would be in Gibraltar. The Upper Rock Nature Reserve has great hiking trails and wonderful views of the surroundings. The Eastern Beach and Catalan Bay are great locations to enjoy nature and sunbathe.

Gibraltar has something for everyone, you don’t need to be on the move outdoors to be enjoying it!

Some people might also like to join the Gibraltar Yacht Club, but you do need a licence for it (something you can easily do in Gibraltar).

Life in Gibraltar is bliss. There’s so much to do here and the way of life is one you can slot right into. With that sprinkle of British life throughout, we don’t think you’ll find a move difficult!

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