Malaga: practical info + itineraries
Or another in a series of articles about off-season travel. We have
visited Andalusia three times already, each time in winter and each time
it was absolutely amazing! Not that we don't enjoy shoveling snow and
ice off the car on the way to and from work, but... what can we say,
every degree above zero and every ray of sunshine on your face comes in
handy in January. Andalusia has won us over with its
unique hilly landscape full of beautiful views, mountains and
slopes covered in the ubiquitous olive trees,
hiking opportunities and on the other hand, urban walks and
historical sites. The perfect combination.
We visited Malaga for the first time in 2019 with Pepi and visited the
most attractive places for us at that time (itineraries below). At the end
of 2022, we took Nina on a trip to
beautiful Seville
and combined it with Córdoba as well. And beyond? There were still plenty
of interesting places left, and the flights over the winter were quite ok
prices, so there was no waiting around. In February 2025 we will show
Andalusia to Jony too!
Rent a car
...was inevitable on both visits, because there are so many destinations
around Malaga.
In the following lines I will throw our itineraries with specific places for
trips and overnight stays. Of course, if you have more time on your hands,
feel free to combine them. Other car related costs - we carried our
own car seats for the kids as Ryanair carries them for free.
In neither case did we pay any tolls, but beware - there are
motorways here! They just don't always present the quickest option for you,
so always check your sat nav. You can usually get free parking, but
it's a bit of a hassle in some places. For bigger cities and staying in the
centre (e.g. Malaga, Granada) I find it better to use a parking
house/garage. The last item is fuel, and for an idea in 2025 (= itinerary 2)
we paid all in all €50. In fact, petrol prices are exactly the same in Spain
this year as in the Czech.
Our itinerary no. 1
Our itinerary no. 2
Zahara de la Sierra
Setenil de las Bodegas
Malaga
+ DAY 6 morning car return and departure
MALAGA
Malaga, the second largest city in Andalusia (after Seville), is characterised by its sunny weather and very mild winters. This is why it is a popular holiday destination all year round.
Transport - if you're not planning on renting a car right away (or at all) and just want to get from the airport to the city centre, simply take the C1 suburban train. It runs every 20 minutes and the ticket will set you back a nice €1.80, which will get you into the centre in 12 minutes. One of the easiest journeys from the airport ever :) Those who like the convenience of shuttle buses can use Terravision and buy tickets online see Malaga Airport - Malaga Bus Transfer. It has the advantage of offering other destinations besides Malaga city centre, such as Marbella or Nerja.
Accommodation - We spent one night in Malaga on each trip and each time it was just for an early morning flight. For the first time, the Ibis Budget near the airport served us best (€46/room/night). So it looks much closer on the map, but nothing an Uber, a few minutes away and less than €7 can't fix. The second time the choice falls on a very nice Hostal Boutique Los Geranios del Pinar, where we paid €56 for all of us and they lent us a cot for Jony for free. It took us 8 minutes to get to the airport.
More tips for accommodation in central Malaga:
- cheap: Hostal Guillot - cca €36 per room for two with shared bathroom
- medium: Centro Malaga - a beautiful new apartment for about €68 per night or hotel room in Hotel Goartín for about the same price
- more expensive: Halcyon Days - luxury apartment for design lovers, approx. €160/night
1) ALCAZABA + GIBRALFARO - both situated on a hill in the centre of the town. The Alcazaba is a medieval Moorish fortress, which is lower down. Gibralfaro Castle towers above it. It's an easy walk up to the castle, just expect a slight incline. In some summer thirties it can be quite a massacre. But take solace in the beautiful views of the harbour and the La Malaqueta bullring. You'll find the official viewpoint on the map as Mirador Gibralfaro, but this panorama will accompany you all the way.
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Once you've climbed up, for €3.50 you can walk around the castle walls, where there are many, many more views + a small museum. Definitely recommended. You can also get a sort of bargain combo ticket here with the fortress for €5.50 (separately, the Alcazaba is also €3.50). Alternatively, info here on the official website. But beware! The two attractions are not connected, they are two separate units, so expect it to take some time. The Alcazaba also includes the Roman Amphitheatre, which you don't even pay any admission to, and which you can also see just from the street.
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2) CATEDRAL de la ENCARNACIÓN - a local landmark that took so long to build that it mixes several styles. Originally, the cathedral was supposed to have 2 towers, but somehow there was no money left for the second one, so it was called La Manquita (from the Spanish "The Little One-Handed Lady"). For more info about opening hours and entrance fees check their official website.
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The surrounding streets are a mix of souvenir shops, local jamón shops, and various restaurants and bars that have tables set up outside even in winter. You'll notice the colourful Picasso motifs at the aforementioned souvenir shops. The world-famous painter was born here and spent a few years of his childhood here. Art fans will be in for a treat in Malaga, as the Pablo Picasso Museum contains dozens of his works, arranged in chronological order. Not far from the cathedral, you can soak up even more local atmosphere at the historic Mercado de Atarazanas. Markets in foreign countries are always a treat - so many smells, tastes... and you don't know what to expect.)
3) THE MARINA - Malaga has a beautiful new promenade stretching around the harbour, which is also backed by a landscaped park full of palm trees and flowering plants. There's also a large Ferris wheel, the Noria de Málaga, on one side, so we didn't go on that, but the view from it will definitely be nice. We preferred to head towards the colourful glass rubik's cube... Oh, really. The most striking part of the Pompidou art centre is shaped exactly like this. This is where the band is playing and people are sitting on the original pallet seats, drinking and chatting... chill and relaxed.
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Further along, the promenade is lined with a large number of shops, restaurants and ice cream shops. After that, you will reach the La Farola lighthouse, where only the long, wide and sandy beach of La Malagueta awaits you around the bend. Of course, it's not the only one, there are more than 15 km of beaches in Malaga. The local Costa del Sol (Sunshine Coast) is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, so there's definitely a lot to like... winter or summer, it doesn't matter :)
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That's enough Malaga for today, let's take a look at what's worth a visit in its surroundings. I've divided the articles into inland and coastal locations for clarity. In particular, I've written a bit more about Caminito del Rey and Seville and Gibraltar has also earned a special article. So here it is:
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