Currency / Language, Gibraltar

The official language of Gibraltar is English, but the people have a language of their own called 'Llanito'. Llanito is based on Spanish, with words borrowed from English, Hebrew even Italian, its become a unique language of its own.

It developed due to the unique immigration patterns to the peninsula, the main occupants being from Spain, Britain, Genoa, Jewish and Arabic with the Moors.

Spanish itself is also widely spoken.
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Prices are displayed in Sterling Pound and sometimes in Euro. You may choose which currency you're going to pay your products.

I had some Sterling Pound which I used to pay for fresh waters and coffee. When we bought the ice-creams I only had Euro with me and that wasn't a problem, they convert the prices at their exchange rate (similar in every shop). If I recall correctly, I got my change also in Euro.

However, if you're buying a more expensive product, such as electronics, beware about the shop's exchange rate; probably, it won't be as good for you as the one charged by your bank/ card issuer.

The official currency in Gibraltar is the Pound Sterling (GBP) which is also used in Great Britain. Like all the other British Overseas Territories, Gibraltar is also allowed to issue its own currency which is called Gibraltar Pound and it is fixed to the value of the Pound Sterling (1:1).

Nevertheless, the Euro is widely accepted in most shops, restaurants and cafes, but you will probably charged a higher exchange rate. So if you plan to spend a lot of money make sure to have Pound Stirling available. There are plenty of cash points all around the town.

If you speak to a Gibraltarian, they will (normally) happily answer you back in English or Spanish, but if you hear some of the oldtimers there talking together, they seem to be speaking a strange mix of "Spanglish" which is based around English and Spanish, but appears to have some extra words thrown in that may or may not come from Africa, or may just exist in the Gibraltarian dialect!

Don't worry though when talking to visitors though most Gibraltarians are happy to try and understand whatever you say to them!

Note to, that quite a lot of Spanish people come and work in Gibraltar during the day, so someone speaking Spanish may actually be a Spaniard!

In Gibraltar the currency is Gibraltan pounds. Its the same currency as the United Kingdom but it does have its own crest on it. UK money is accepted here as normal, but watch your change and make sure you spend it before leaving Gibraltar because you cannot spend it anywhere else, even in the UK.
The language in Gibraltar is mainly english and spanish, however the Gibraltarian who drove us up the rock said they also speak 'Spanglish' which is a mixture of both!

The currency of Gibraltar is the Gibraltar pounds which is currently almost at par with the Sterling Pound.

If you do require to change any other currency into pounds, there are a large number of banks and Bureaux de Change available here.

HOWEVER, I would suggest that you use your ATM cards to withdraw cash instead. IF your ATM card is linked to the international networks of 'Cirrus', 'Plus', 'The Exchange' etc, you can withdraw money from any ATM machines in the world. What's more, you'd even benefit from the low interbank exchange rates offered to you vis-a-vis if you were to change it at your local Bureaux de Change. I have survived on this method for ALL my trips abroad and so far, no ATM machines have failed me. Yes, even in the remotest villages in Africa. :-)) If you haven't tried
this method, I challenge you to do so today. And be pleasantly surprised at how much you can save at the
end of the day using this method. I kid you not!