Málaga

Málaga is a city of 570,000 people (2018) in the southern Spanish region of Andalucia, and the largest city on the Costa del Sol. The city offers beaches, hiking, architectural sites, art museums, and excellent shopping and cuisine. While more laid back than Madrid or Barcelona, Málaga is still the centre and transport hub for the hugely popular Costa del Sol region, which is flooded with tourists in the summer. The city has cashed in on the sun and sand, with lots of new construction as well as hotels and facilities geared to tourists. However, Málaga also offers some genuinely interesting historical and cultural attractions in its old city, and its setting on the coast is still beautiful.

Understand
Málaga is capital of the Málaga Province. It has a typical Mediterranean climate, and was the birthplace of the artist Picasso.

Climate
Malaga's weather is quite mild throughout the year. The city is very sunny in summer and can also experience some sun in winter. Rainfall is generally scarce and normally takes place during the spring and autumn.

During summer temperatures rise over 30 °C, in some occasions reaching up to 38-39 °C. Winters experience colder temperatures, with January averaging 9.5 °C. In September, October, April and May, the weather is mild but usually maintains a cool regime, with temperatures rarely rising over 25 °C, making it ideal to go sightseeing the city and its surrounding areas without the heat of the summer. The winter months can witness unpleasant weather with temperatures feeling colder than they are due to the wind. Sunshine is scarce during the winter, and this causes the closure of most activities. It is therefore advisable to visit Malaga in June or September, as despite the possibility of rain, the city is less crowded and the temperatures more comfortable than those of the chilly winter and of the hot summer.

Humidity is relatively high due to the proximity to the sea, so normally thermal sensation makes it seem colder or hotter than it really is.

Tourist information

 * Málaga Tourism website

By plane
Getting there/away:
 * Bus. Line A express is very convenient, running every 20–25 minutes and stopping at Alameda Principal and Paseo del Parque, where most of the local buses that serve the city stop as well, costs €4 (Sept 2022). The route map for bus A can be seen online. The stop names are shown on an electronic display inside the bus so you can tell when to get off.
 * From the airport you can get a train (C1 line), that goes to Málaga Centro Alameda station in city center. It costs €1.8, runs every 20 to 40 minutes from about 7AM to 1AM and takes 8 minutes to reach the María Zambran station for transfer to Renfe's high-speed AVE service or the main bus station which is right next to the train station. Train route and timetables are here.
 * A taxi to the city center will cost about €20, a journey to Málaga Port will cost around €25. Taxis can be found at the airport's taxi rank just outside the arrivals hall of Terminal 2. Generally, there are taxis available, although you may have to queue and in summer the queues can be very long.
 * Minibus. Taxis can carry a maximum of 4 passengers regardless of passenger age. Although this can be cost effective if 4 passengers are travelling together over shorter distances, it can be expensive if travelling in large groups. Licensed minibus transfers can be ordered in advance that carry up to 17 passengers for a fixed fee and will meet you in the arrivals lounge of Terminal 2. Minibus companies can not be flagged down from outside Malaga Airport it is forbidden. A typical single transfer to Marbella will cost around €110.
 * Renting a car at Málaga's airport is relatively cheap, but it is advisable to book in advance.

By train
Note new promotion for FREE use of the Renfe train between Malaga and Fuengirola if you purchase the $10 Season pass card, for 2024-01-01 for 1st quarter, as a part of their green initiative to reduce car traffic.

, the city's sleek new train station, is about west of the city centre and served by RENFE's high-speed AVE service, which zips travelers to Madrid in 2½–3 hours (some with continuing service to Barcelona), Cordoba in 1 hour or Seville in 2 hours, with multiple trains running each line daily. Slower (and cheaper) trains are also available.

For Granada, take a train to Bobadilla and change to a Granada-bound train there.

RENFE also operates two Cercanías commuter rail lines out of Málaga, one west along the coast via the airport C1 and the nearby tourist towns of Torremolinos and Fuengirola and one inland C2. Both lines make two stops in Central Málaga: one at the María Zambrano station (where you can connect to RENFE and the bus station across the street) and one at the end of the line at Centro-Alameda, closer to the city center where Avenida de Andalucia crosses the Guadalmedina River.

By bus
The main bus station is right across the street from the train station, a km or so west of the city centre on Paseo de los Tilos. The station serves buses from all over Spain and is a major transfer point if you're passing through the region.

A substation, the, is located along Avenida de Manuel Agustin Heredia, adjacent to the port and handles many of the regional buses that serve the Málaga province, such as those going to nearby beach towns, many of which are operated by the Málaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium.

By car
The A-7 E-15 motorway runs along the coast to from Gibraltar to Almeria and through Murcia and on.

The A-45 motorway runs from Cordoba to Málaga.

By boat
There is a ferry route between Málaga and Melilla in North Africa with Transmediterranea. Book early.

Cruise ships plying the Mediterranean call at.

By foot
The best way to get an impression of Málaga is to discover the charming corners, stunning sights and lovely neighborhoods by wandering the streets and narrow roads on foot: take a stop for churros con chocolate, ice-cream, a coffee or some tapas and enjoy the Andalusian atmosphere.

By bicycle
Málaga is making big improvements when it comes to cycling. Nowadays Malagueños use their bikes more often to go to work or for recreational use in the weekends. Also Málaga established a cycling association supported by the local public transport association. The use of bicycles is promoted as being eco-friendly, fun, safe and healthy. Promotional campaigns in the form of group cycle activities or excursions outside Málaga are being introduced and this has led to big success.

Meanwhile, Málaga also constructed several bike lanes. Due to this construction the centre is also better connected with the Northern part of the city. The historical centre of Málaga is already free of motorized vehicles, which makes cycling much safer than in the past. Also spots like the boulevard and the harbour are only accessible for pedestrians and cyclists. This 2-km-long boulevard is wide enough for cyclists to enjoy and cycle in a relaxing fashion.

Besides cycling in the city the coast area of Málaga is also worth exploring by bike. Going east from Málaga is probably the most popular route as its possible to travel along a route through the twin traditional fishing villages of Pedregalejo and El Palo all the way to the end of Rincon De La Victoria without going on the main road. Travelling west along the coast is not quite as straightforward, for example biking from Málaga to Torremolinos is a popular route but it is difficult to find a good route away from busy highways but it is possible.

Cycling inland north from Málaga is characterized by steep climbs with little in the way of long easy winding routes. The Montes de Málaga is probably the most notable mountain route from the city where an elevation of over 900 m can be reached in less than 15 km, this route is known locally as "The Reina" and is not for the lazy cyclist. Other notable climbs include a section known locally as "The Wall" which is a terrifying descent or climber's challenge depending on what direction it's cycled. "The Wall" is a 9 km section between Moclinejo and Almáchar (this is the terrifying descent direction) on an inland route from Malaga to the coastal resort of Torre Del Mar.

An alternative mountain route for the committed cyclist is around the "Sierra de Mijas". The route goes west from Málaga on quite a busy main road past the airport, then up a steep country road to the white villages of Benalmadena Pueblo and Mijas Pueblo, dropping down then to Alhaurin el Grande and back on the north side of Sierra de Mijas to Málaga via Alhaurin de la Torre.



By public transport
A small two line light metro covers parts of the city. Line 1 runs west from the center, while Line 2 runs south. Bus routes here, metro here. As of August 2023, 2 new metro stations, Atarazanas and Guadalmedina, have been opened right in the centre of Málaga.

Car parking Malaga airport
If you want to park at Malaga airport, there are many private car parks around the airport which are much cheaper than the official airport car park.

By car rental
There are many car rental companies in Malaga. Most of them are located near the airport.

See
Málaga has become a well-known place for visiting art galleries, historical sites and monuments in the South of Europe:









From 2015 to 2023, the most visited monument in Malaga was the Alcazaba (1,785,162 visitors in 2023), whereas the most successful museum was the Picasso Museum (779,279 visitors in 2023).

Do

 * Visit the newly remodelled Port Area (south of the Plaza de Toros de la Malagueta). A hive of activity, especially at weekends, the new Port Area or Muelle Uno is a wonderful seaside addition to the city. Bars and restaurants abound overlooking the harbour and there are normally free music concerts and market stalls at weekends. A great place to people watch.
 * Rock Climb. There is lots of great rock climbing in and around Málaga. The amazing El Chorro gorge is 50 minutes drive to the North West and this also features the - an amazing pathway suspended high above the gorge. There is also Via Ferrata and rock climbing at.
 * Beaches: The nearest beach to the centre is La Malagueta - this is fine for a day's sunbathing although quieter and prettier beaches can be found further east or west. It can be a nice (if rather long!) walk along the waterfront to reach these beaches, otherwise you could get a bus from near the bull ring in the direction of El Palo (e.g. line 33). Malaga East tends to have smaller beaches while Malaga West have long stretches of beaches.

Learn

 * Spanish & Culture: If you have a school group, consider one of the immersion language courses at the On Spain Language School, including cultural and sports activity programme.
 * Spanish: Take an intensive Spanish course at Málaga University and put it into practice at one of the city's many exciting bars.
 * Spanish: Linguaschools Málaga is specialised in teaching Spanish in the old centre of Málaga since 1982.
 * Spanish: There are many private language schools in Málaga offering a wide range of Spanish courses. You can search and compare online.
 * Spanish: Hispania Schools Málaga Spanish courses for all ages, intensive or private. Start any Monday of the year in Malaga center.
 * Salsa: Many bars and discos in Málaga offer free Salsa classes, such as The Sound in the center and The Swan in the trendy suburb town of Pedregalejo.

Buy
Most merchants are able to accept Credit Cards, and can use contactless tap. Although tipping is not required, if you want to add a tip you need to tell the merchant before they put the amount into the credit card machine, because there is no option to add the tip in the machine. Otherwise tip with cash. Even most bank ATM's are able to do contactless (e.g. Apple Pay) withdrawals.
 * Plaza Mayor. A shopping centre full of boutiques of almost every major luxury brand in the world, including Armani, Prada, and Versace, rivalled only by Puerto Banús in Marbella. You can get there by bus, line 10, M-136 and M-123, or by train, get off on the stop "Plaza Mayor".
 * El Corte Ingles A huge department store right in the heart of Málaga, it also has a huge selection of luxury brands, but its main advantage over Plaza Mayor is the selection of fragrance and its location. The metro station Guadalmedina stops right in front of it.
 * Librería Rayuela idiomas, on Calle Cárcer . A valuable resource, offering textbooks and dictionaries for learning just about any European language you could desire.
 * Librería Rayuela idiomas, on Calle Cárcer . A valuable resource, offering textbooks and dictionaries for learning just about any European language you could desire.

Eat
Along the coast there are dozens of restaurants and chiringuitos (beach restaurants) where you can have fish, seafood, paella, sangria, etc. One of the most famous chiringuitos is El Tintero, at the east end, where there is no menu: the waiters sing out what they are carrying and they leave you a plate at your signal. From time to time, one of them offers to give you the bill.

The most typical thing to eat in Málaga is espetos, sardines squewered on a bamboo stick and grilled over a fire (typically driftwood); and pescaíto frito: all types of deep-fried fish from anchovies to squid. A speciality of Andalucia is fish (most commonly dogfish "cazon", although sometimes other fish such as tuna, "atun") marinated in garlic and vinegar - look on the menu for Cazon en adobo. Try also the coquinas (small clams cooked in white wine). Simply delicious!

Jamon is a regional specialty, and is an aged, salted ham, from acorn-fed pork, similar to prosciutto.

One final note: do not bother picking oranges from the trees that grow all over the city. They are of a very bitter variety and are not good to eat. You can however make marmalade out of them, if you were so inclined!

Budget
Beware of places that seem to have prices too good to be true like Bar Aduana Vieja near Malaga Museum. They'll give you extremely tiny portions but luckily they are easy to avoid - they have horrible reviews on Google Maps.

Centro historico
There are several inexpensive restaurants in the historical center.



Around the train station María Zambrano
There is also some fast food like Taco Bell or Carl's Jr.

Mid-range

 * Cafetería of Hotel Castilla Guerrero, Situated in street Córdoba, nº 7 in Málaga center, between the Port and Alameda Principal. Offers traditional and typical Andalucian dishes, including soups, salads, meats and fishes or sandwiches, cakes, croissants or baguettes. Star dishes include: Gazpacho andaluz, Paella, Porra Antequerana, Rabo de Toro, Croquetas caseras, and many more. Breakfasts and meals with inexpensive prices.
 * Cafetería of Hotel Castilla Guerrero, Situated in street Córdoba, nº 7 in Málaga center, between the Port and Alameda Principal. Offers traditional and typical Andalucian dishes, including soups, salads, meats and fishes or sandwiches, cakes, croissants or baguettes. Star dishes include: Gazpacho andaluz, Paella, Porra Antequerana, Rabo de Toro, Croquetas caseras, and many more. Breakfasts and meals with inexpensive prices.
 * Cafetería of Hotel Castilla Guerrero, Situated in street Córdoba, nº 7 in Málaga center, between the Port and Alameda Principal. Offers traditional and typical Andalucian dishes, including soups, salads, meats and fishes or sandwiches, cakes, croissants or baguettes. Star dishes include: Gazpacho andaluz, Paella, Porra Antequerana, Rabo de Toro, Croquetas caseras, and many more. Breakfasts and meals with inexpensive prices.
 * Cafetería of Hotel Castilla Guerrero, Situated in street Córdoba, nº 7 in Málaga center, between the Port and Alameda Principal. Offers traditional and typical Andalucian dishes, including soups, salads, meats and fishes or sandwiches, cakes, croissants or baguettes. Star dishes include: Gazpacho andaluz, Paella, Porra Antequerana, Rabo de Toro, Croquetas caseras, and many more. Breakfasts and meals with inexpensive prices.
 * Cafetería of Hotel Castilla Guerrero, Situated in street Córdoba, nº 7 in Málaga center, between the Port and Alameda Principal. Offers traditional and typical Andalucian dishes, including soups, salads, meats and fishes or sandwiches, cakes, croissants or baguettes. Star dishes include: Gazpacho andaluz, Paella, Porra Antequerana, Rabo de Toro, Croquetas caseras, and many more. Breakfasts and meals with inexpensive prices.

Drink
Málaga has a local sweet wine called Moscatel made from muscat grapes. It can be tasted in popular pubs in the city center, like the famous old La Casa del Guardia (Avenue Alameda Principal) or the well-known El Pimpi.

Málaga nightlife will make you think that nobody sleeps in this town even during the work week! It is especially busy from Thursday to Sunday, where people buy drinks at supermarkets and drink them at night in controlled areas known as "botellodromos" in the city center, before going into the clubs:


 * Metropol, Cosa Nostra, Vaticano, Andén (big busy Latin club)
 * Velvet Club (aka Sonic, plays metal, hardcore, punk) [not open Sundays]
 * Nyx, Urbano, Village Green (Rock, Indie, etc.)
 * White, Abyssinia, Bar El Sound (Rap, Hip Hop, R&B)
 * Paradise/Punto G, Warhol (gay)
 * ChillHouse ( house-dance music)
 * There are several nice Moroccan-style tea houses in town, serving an amazing variety of teas in addition to other interesting non-alcoholic drinks.

Sleep
There are basically two good locations for tourist lodging in town: At the beach, or in or near the pedestrian zone in the center. The cheapest beds are found in the red light district between the center and the port.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, the city has 4G from Masmovil / Yoigo, and 5G from the other carriers.

Go next
Málaga has exceptional road and motorway links, making it an excellent base for exploring the nearby villages and towns. Wonderful drives inland reveal the hidden gems of this region, with small restaurants nestling in the hills where you can experience a authentic taste of Andalucia.

There are also several tourist holiday resorts within reach: Torremolinos, Nerja and Marbella.

Berrocal's Museum System. Exhibition venue around the work of the sculptor Miguel Berrocal in the Andalusian village of Villanueva de Algaidas, in the outskirts of Málaga. The project offers the possibility to visit 3 exhibit spaces:


 * The Museum has its first wing dedicated to painting and graphical works.
 * The Studio-Workshop is devoted to the creative and technological processes behind his sculptures, particularly the puzzle sculptures that are made to be disassembled.
 * The House-Museum focusses on the personality and life of Berrocal, and houses artworks made by his friends