Málaga is not only the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and the second largest city in Andalusia, but also offers many other fantastic spots. The city is located directly on the Mediterranean and is surrounded by mountains, which makes for a pleasantly mild climate. In this article, I’ll give you 16 Málaga tips that you shouldn’t miss when visiting the city.
Many tourists visit Málaga on their Andalusia trip, as there is an international airport here. Málaga is often used as a base for excursions to the mountains in the north or the Camenito del Rey, one of the most famous hiking trails in Spain. But there are also many great sights in the city itself. You should plan at least 1-2 days to explore the highlights of Málaga
If you don’t have much time, I recommend simply strolling through the old town and getting a little lost in the narrow streets of Málaga.
All the Málaga tips mentioned in this article can also be found here on the map.
1. follow in the footsteps of Pablo Picasso
One of the most famous sons of Malaga is the painter Pablo Picasso. A visit to the Picasso Museum is therefore a must on your Málaga city trip. You can see many of Picasso’s works here. However, you should expect a long queue outside the museum.
Admission costs €12. However, there are also additional exhibitions from time to time, which you can book for an extra charge.
A guided tour with lots of information about Picasso’s works from a guide and a skip-the-line ticket, which means you don’t have to queue for long, you can get here.
In addition to the museum, there is also Picasso’s birthplace to visit. For €4 you get access and an audio guide to an exhibition and to the rooms where Picasso once lived.
Admission to the birthplace plus an app with lots of highlights about Picasso throughout Malaga can be purchased for €9.50 here.
2. Discover Moorish Málaga in the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro
The Alcazaba is a fortress that was built in Málaga during the Moorish period. It is a historical testimony to Arab architecture. The gardens inside the “citadel” with small water features and Moorish archways are particularly beautiful.
From the Alcazaba, you can also see the even higher Castillo de Gibralfaro. Although you can buy a ticket for both sights together, there is no direct connection between the Alcazaba and the castle. To reach the castle, you have to walk up a small path along the mountain. This path is a bit strenuous, but the view and the scented gardens make up for it.
The special thing about the Gibralfaro Castle is that you can walk around the entire length of the fortress walls and get a perfect panoramic view of the whole of Málaga.
The castle is located on a 130-metre-high hill in the middle of the city. Inside the complex there are also many places where you can have a picnic, for example. There is also a small café in the center of the castle.
Get some figs and almonds at the mercado (see highlight 6) and have a picnic at the castle.
There is another great viewpoint a little further east of the castle. From the Mirrador de Gibralfaro you have a wonderful view over the coast and the bullring.
You pay the entrance fee somewhat old-fashioned at cash machines. They accept coins and bills. The entrance fee is:
- Gibralfao or Alcazaba individually: €3.50
- Both together: €5.50
You can also buy tickets for it here online.
Next to the entrance to the Alcazaba is a Roman theater, which you can even visit for free.
3. Admire Spanish art from the 19th and 20th centuries at the Carmen Thyssen Museum
The Carmen Thyssen Museum is one of my favorite art museums in all of Spain. Here you can view works by Spanish painters from the 19th and 20th centuries. Each painting also has a QR code that you can use to download lots more information to your cell phone.
Admission costs €11 for a combined ticket (this also includes temporary exhibitions that are constantly changing and an audio guide).
4. In the rain: Take a museum tour
Málaga has a very high density of excellent museums in relation to the size of the city. So you’ll definitely have something to do here, even on a rainy day.
Here is an overview of the best museums in Málaga:
- Picasso Musuem: Already mentioned in tip 1
- Carmen Thyssen Museum: Already mentioned in tip 3
- Museum of Glass and Crystal: Not so well known but very interesting. The private collection comprises more than 3,000 individual pieces of glass from several eras and is housed in a restored 18th century villa.
- MAUS: The Málaga Arte Urbane SOHO is a great museum for street art.
- CAC (the Center for Contemporary Art): The CAC is the museum for contemporary art in Málaga. There are changing art exhibitions here. Admission is free
- Automobile Museum: This museum is located in “La Tabacalera”, a former tobacco factory.
- Wine Museum: This museum is dedicated to Malaga’s wine culture. A visit costs €5 and also includes two wine tastings
- MIMMA (Museo Interactivo de la Música de Málaga): This museum is home to more than 300 instruments from different countries and eras. Most of them can even be played by visitors.
5. Drink wine and eat tapas at El Pimpi
The El Pimpi is one of the most popular tapas bars among Malaga’s locals. They often come here in the afternoon to drink wine
El Pimpi consists of several small bars on 3 levels, which are connected by a network of picturesque patios. The walls are full of pictures of celebrities who once paid their respects in the wine cellar. There is a very pleasant atmosphere here. Tapas are only available in the lower area of El Pimpi.
There are also many other small tapas bars dotted around the city. Here are my favorites:
- La Taberno de Alvaro
- Casa Lola
If you want to discover other places where the locals love to eat, then join a tapas tour. There are various options:
- Normal tapas tour (3 hours)
- The real wine & tapas tour (3.5 hours)
6. Get fresh Andalusian specialties at the Mercado Central de Atarazanas
A culinary highlight of Malága awaits you at the Mercado Central de Atarazanas. This busy market is one of the most beautiful in all of Andalusia, but is only open on Saturdays until 3 p.m.
You can buy fresh fruit & vegetables, fish, meat and Andalusian specialties here. You can even try many of them before you buy. My tip: sweet figs, combined with salted almonds from the region – tastes super delicious.
7. Relax in the botanical garden La Concepción Historical
One of the highlights of my visits to Málaga was the botanical garden, which is located just outside, north of the city. The easiest way to reach the garden is by cab. However, there is also a shuttle bus. Entry to the park is free
Opening times:
- In summer: 9:30 am to 8:30 pm
- In winter until 9:30 am to 5:30 pm
The park consists of several zones. In the west there is a small lake around which freshly scented lemon and orange trees have been planted. These alone will make you completely forget about the bad weather from home, and you can also pick and taste the fruit.
Further north is a pavilion with views over Málaga. From here, a path leads through the forest to the tropical area of the park.
I also found the area around the Casa Palacio in the eastern part of the park particularly beautiful. This is where the landlords used to organize informal meetings with the important people of the city, which were even reported on in detail in the newspapers of the time.
At the entrance to the garden, there are also refreshments and delicious dishes in the Cafetería Jardin Botánico.
8. Discover the Nightlife in Málaga & party through the night
To warm up, the locals usually go to a tapas bar and eat with friends. Typical for Andalusia: nightlife starts very late by German standards. Before 23:00, there are often only tourists out and about.
To start, you can then go to a bar, such as the Sala Premier. The special thing about this cozy store is the decoration, which is reminiscent of various Hollywood films.
At later hours, from around 1:00 a.m., the clubs also fill up. The area around Plaza de Uncibay and Plaza del Marqués del Valdo del Maestre is the busiest. One of the best-known clubs is Sala Gold. Admission costs around €10 to €20, depending on the event. If you come earlier, it’s often cheaper. The guests are a mixture of locals, tourists and Erasmus students.
9. Hike along the Acueducto
Somewhat hidden in the very north of the city, there are great hiking trails. One of them leads over an old aqueduct. Here you can enjoy the tranquillity of nature and take great pictures. You can reach the aqueduct on foot from the entrance to the botanical garden in around 15 minutes.
10. Relax on the beach
Málaga is located directly on the Mediterranean. Accordingly, the city is also popular with beachgoers.
The most famous is the Playa de Malagueta right in the center. It has white sand and relaxed beach bars and restaurants.
In my opinion, the best beach area in Málaga is in the east of the city in the el Palo district. The Playas del Palo is a great place to relax. And there is always a lot going on in the area in the evenings. To the west of the beach section, there are many bars and restaurants that are open late into the night.
11. Stroll along the Muelle Uno harbor district
There is an open shopping center with many stores, bars and restaurants right by the port of Málaga. The area here is super for a walk. Start at the Parque de Málaga and walk to the Farola de Málaga lighthouse. This is also where Playa la Malagueta begins
12. visit the bullring
The Plaza de Toros de La Malagueta, built in the 19th century, is one of the most famous bullrings of its kind and can accommodate more than 9,000 spectators. The arena is home to the Antonio Ordóñez Bullfighting Museum (admission: €2).
Bullfights are still held here during the season from April to September and especially at Easter. If you are interested in visiting the arena, please be aware that this tradition is considered by many, including the majority of Spaniards themselves, to be cruel to animals. Here is more information about it.
13. visit the cathedral of Málaga
The Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica de la Encarnación is one of the city’s main buildings. It is very impressive both from the outside and the inside.
The cathedral was built at the beginning of the 16th century. A ticket costs €6. You can either buy it directly at the main entrance or here online. For €10 you also get entry to Ars Málaga, an exhibition space, and the roofs of the cathedral
14. explore the street art in Málaga
If you like street art, then you’ll love Málaga. Many famous graffiti artists have immortalized themselves in Soho, Malaga’s artistic district.
But also in other parts of the city, such as the Zentro, around the Plaza de la Victoria, there is new art to discover on every corner. A walk in this area will definitely not be boring.
There are also street art tours such as:
15th Hike the Caminito del Rey
The Caminito de Rey is probably the most famous hiking trail in Spain. It leads along a deep gorge over wooden paths on the walls. In the past, the path was very dangerous and even claimed a few lives when people fell into the depths. Today, however, the path is safe for tourists and only the legendary call from the past gives visitors the shivers.
To hike the Caminito, you don’t even have to drive there yourself. There are many bookable tours from Málaga that include the entrance fee and the reservation for the hiking ticket:
- From Málaga: Caminito del Rey guided tour by bus
- From the Costa del Sol & Málaga: Caminito del Rey Guided Tour
16. visit a flamenco show
Flamenco belongs to Andalusia like beer belongs to Oktoberfest. So you should definitely go to a live flamenco show at least once. You can experience one of the most famous in Málaga at the Theatro Club Málaga.
You can get tickets for this online directly here.
Accommodation in Málaga
There are many great hotels in the city center, but also on the beach. How about, for example, the Madeinterranea Suites in the middle of the old town, or the luxurious Gran Hotel Miramar GL in a listed building with a wellness area right on the beach.
More activities in Málaga
There are also some other great activities in Malaga that you can try during your visit. How about …
- A traditional Andalusian bath and ritual
- a flamenco show at Tablao Alegría
- a pub and club tour
- a city tour in an electric tuk-tuk
- a 2-hour sightseeing tour with Segway
As you can see, there are some cool Málaga tips to discover. Have I forgotten anything and do you have any other tips? Then write me a comment.
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