Send parcel to Gibraltar

One postcode for the whole territory: how do you write the address?

Gibraltar fits into just under seven square kilometres, and for a territory that small a single postcode was enough: GX11 1AA covers every address, from the shop in the town centre to the office on the harbour. The layout is British, with one twist: the name of the building or complex often carries more weight than the street number, because that's how the territory is organised, between office blocks and residential developments overlooking the marinas. So the label needs the recipient, the building name if there is one with unit or floor, the street, the postcode and "Gibraltar" as the country. Like this: "John Smith, Suite 12, Ocean Village Business Centre, GX11 1AA, Gibraltar, tel. +350 ...". Main Street is the commercial spine where most of the shops are, while names like Ocean Village, Queensway Quay or Europort refer to entire complexes. If the recipient mentions one, write it out in full, because for the driver it's the real point of reference.

Where does the parcel enter, and how long does it take?

The whole journey is by road and takes 3 to 6 working days. The parcel travels down through France and across Spain to Andalusia, then enters Gibraltar through the only land access, the one that starts on the Spanish side at La Línea de la Concepción. This border is crossed every day by thousands of commuters who live in Spain and work on the Rock, so traffic builds up predictably in the early morning and late afternoon. Once inside, though, distances shrink to nothing: it's a few minutes from one end of the territory to the other, and final delivery is the easiest part of the trip. For business addresses it's still worth stating the office's opening hours.

Why does Gibraltar have customs of its own?

Because the territory has its own tax and customs system, separate from those of its neighbours, and every incoming parcel passes through its offices. The most visible difference for anyone shipping is that Gibraltar has no VAT. In its place there are import duties of its own, which vary by category of goods and which some types of product don't pay at all. It's also why the Rock has always been a shopping destination for visitors from Spain. In practice, parcels between private individuals need a precise description of the contents and an honestly declared value, while for commercial goods what counts is the invoice with each item described individually, the HS codes and a recipient whose registrations are in order. The official language is English, so documents need no translation.

Offices, yachts and restaurants: who is waiting for Italian parcels?

A small territory with a dense economy. Gibraltar is home to financial services firms, insurers and online gaming companies, and their offices order Italian furniture, seating and design pieces, a sector where Made in Italy is the natural benchmark. The port is one of the great refuelling stations of the Mediterranean, with ships that stop only long enough to bunker: spare parts, equipment and ship supplies have to arrive within a narrow, precise window. The marinas, from Ocean Village to Queensway Quay, keep afloat a world of yachts and boats that multiplies in summer and calls for components, fabrics, furnishings and provisions. Then there's the restaurant trade, grown on the back of tourism and cruise ships, which buys coffee machines, ovens, pasta, olive oil and preserves. And among the shops on Main Street, the fashion and perfume stores carry Italian brands too.

Why does nobody work in Gibraltar on 10 September?

Because it's National Day, the territory's own celebration, and the Rock dresses in red and white for the occasion: offices closed, streets packed and businesses shut for the entire day. It's the most heartfelt date of the year, but not the only one to keep an eye on, because the public holiday calendar follows the British model and doesn't line up with the Italian one. Several bank holidays are spread between spring and summer, while some dates that are holidays in Italy are ordinary working days here, and vice versa. At Christmas and Easter the closures stretch over several consecutive days. If you have a firm deadline, a delivery to an office or supplies tied to an event, check the local calendar before choosing the day of dispatch.