There are so many things to do in Malaga. This town has much to offer to the visitor aside from the obvious sun and beaches. The capital of the Costa del Sol is a very cultural city that currently has more than 30 museums, interesting historical monuments to visit, an attractive shopping offer and a rich and varied gastronomy.
If you are planning to visit this great city soon, you cannot miss our list of things to do in Malaga. Enjoy your holidays in Spain!
Sunbathing on its Beaches
La Malagueta, one of the most characteristic urban beaches of Malaga, is probably the most famous. Just ten minutes distance from downtown, it is accessible to anyone staying in the city. It offers 1,200 meters of dark sands beach with an average of 45 meters of width. Its waters are calm and crystalline. Its promenade, always very lively, offers a variety of beach bars known as ‘chiringuitos‘ where you can enjoy good sardines ‘al espeto‘ or a portion of fried fish.
If you have time we also advise you to take the car, or even more convenient, the train, and go to El Paseo de Los Álamos, just where Málaga ends on the West side and the municipality of Torremolinos starts. This promenade is full of cool chiringuitos with a surf vibe and healthy international menus that normally include salads, pokes and ceviches. Some of them offer Balinese beds apart from the typical hammocks.
Do sightseeing
The Roman Theater, the Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro Castle are unmissable. Also the gothic Cathedral, known as ‘La Manquita’ for lacking one tower.
The Alcazaba, located on Alcazabilla street, is a palace-fortress built in the 11th century by the Muslim rulers of the city, located on a hill on the slope of Mount Gibralfaro. The Roman Theater is located at the foot of the Alcazaba. Discovered in 1951, it was for many years half-hidden by the building of the so-called Casa de la Cultura, which was definitively demolished in 1992 to put in value this historic theater. The Castle of Gibralfaro receives its name by a lighthouse that had in its peak (Jabal-Faruk, the mount of the lighthouse). It was built by the Arabs in the 14th century, as a means to protect the nearby Alcazaba, as well as to house troops. The views from it are spectacular.
Visit the museums
Málaga is becoming a proper Museum destination offering more than 30 of them, among which there are some with an international reputation, such as Museo Picasso, Museo Carmen Thyssen, the CAC and the pop-up museum Pompidou which opened a few years ago in the Port area.
Shop till you drop
If you like shopping you cannot miss Larios street, whose official name is Marqués de Larios street. It has no loss since it is the main commercial artery of the city. Solemn and elegant, it has a length of 350 meters and has become the fifth most expensive street in Spain and one of the 50 most expensive streets in Europe. Perfect for shopping, walking or people watching in one of its pleasant terraces.
Visit the Port Area
With around three thousand years of antiquity, El Puerto de Málaga is one of the oldest in the world. Accessing from the main entrance to the left, we arrive to Muelle Dos. It is highly recommended to take a walk through the Palmeral de las Sorpresas, until arriving to Muelle Uno, which was inaugurated at the end of 2011. It basically an open-air shopping and leisure center, and here we will also find the subsidiary that the Pompidou Museum has opened in the capital of Malaga.
Enjoy tasty food
You cannot miss two delicacies from the sea, espetos and fritura malagueña. Espetos are basically sardines, skewered and cooked over a pit of coals by the sea. Season them with sea salt and a bit of lemon. Fritura malagueña includes a wide variety of seafood from the area, such as squid or cuttlefish, but mainly little fish like anchovies, coated in flour and fried in very hot oil. Don’t forget to try the berenjenas con miel de caña (fried aubergines) either, they are deep-fried in batter and then drizzled with honey, really yummy!
Watch a flamenco show
Flamenco is a traditional style of Spanish folk music originating in the region of Andalucía around 500 years ago. This flamboyant, seductive art thought to have been originated by Romani gypsies includes singing (cante), guitar playing (toque), dancing (baile) and handclapping (palmas). There are a few venues in Malaga in which you can enjoy a good flamenco show but the Tablao Los Amayas and Kalipé Centro de Arte Flamenco are on top of our ranking, both located in the city center.
Have a drink in a rooftop
Now that the summer has started, it is officially rooftop season. As you will discover, having a drink at sunset on a terrace overlooking the city is another of the pleasures that Malaga offers. There is a wide variety, most of them located in hotels and hostels, but here is a selection of our favourites: Molina Lario, AC Málaga Palacio, Oasis Lounge, Room Mate Larios terrace, Room Mate Valeria terrace, Hotel Sallés, Alcazaba Premium Hostel, San Juan Terrace.
Also you can check our best Tours in Malaga on the next links:
