Malaga What to see and do to fully enjoy this city?

The magnificent city of Malaga, nestled on the Andalusian Costa del Sol, has one of the richest cultural heritages in Europe. Malaga has it all: from movie beaches to centuries-old castles, through wonderful natural landscapes and excellent restaurants. Malaga is beautiful and hospitable: it welcomes sporadic tourists and repeat visitors with the same warmth as its own citizens. It is the birthplace of world-renowned artists and singers such as Pablo Alborán or Antonio Banderas, and has a different way of understanding the world in which “ a smurf with shadow ” can be a breakfast. Malaga is a city to celebrate and have fun, to fall in love for the first time, to sit and grow old smelling jasmine. Whatever you come for, Malaga can offer it to you; But here we tell you the 8 things you cannot miss.

1. Stroll through Muelle Uno, the Palm Grove of surprises and get on the Ferris wheel

Built a few years ago, El Muelle Uno is located in the Port of Malaga and has become one of the most fashionable leisure spots in the city . It has clothing stores, restaurants, gardens, boats, monuments, varied activities and the Pompidou Center, one of the other interesting museums in Malaga to visit. Continue your walk through “The Palm Grove of Surprises” to reach the city center while you relax watching the sea, and ride the Ferris wheel that you will find at the end to enjoy a luxurious panoramic view of the entire city.

2. Visit Calle Larios, Plaza de la Merced and the Picasso Museum

Going to Malaga and not visiting Calle Larios is like going to New York and not walking down Fifth Avenue. The popular street in the capital of the Costa del Sol contains all kinds of traditional companies and the world’s leading fashion brands. The street is located in the center of Malaga, and in it you can order a coffee in the Malaga style – cloud, shade, short … The explanatory tile on the wall will help you – at the Café Central or an ice cream at Casa Mira, two classics of the capital.

Calle Larios Málaga

Another classic of the city is Pablo Picasso, whose works you can find in the Picasso Museum located in the Palacio de Buenavista, an impressive example of Andalusian architecture. It exhibits a selection of Picasso’s work from the late 19th century until his death in 1973. The 230 different works offer a unique insight into his style and are completed by ever-changing contemporary exhibitions. The Museo Picasso Málaga is located in the center of the old town, near the Plaza de la Merced – Malaga’s historic square that was an old Muslim necropolis and where centuries later the famous painter was born, whose statue you can find on a bench in the square -.

3. Marvel at the Cathedral of Malaga and stroll through its rooftops.

Malaga Cathedral, known among the locals as La Manquita ” due to the fact that it has a single tower , is located in the historic center of the city and was designed by Diego de Siloé in a Renaissance style but it took more than 150 years to complete. be built, so it is a kind of mixture of Renaissance styles -in the interior- and Baroque -on the front-, and also has an impressive Elizabethan Gothic portico on one of its sides that was opened in 1498 at the base from the minaret of the old mosque, through which you can access the Iglesia del Sagrario.

Catedral de Málaga

Inside it has a beautiful choir carved in wood, numerous frescoes and sculptural works by Pedro de Mena . The north tower of the cathedral is 84 meters high, and is the second tallest in Andalusia only surpassed by La Giralda in Seville, and is among one of the fifteen tallest temples in Europe. It is possible to access the vaults of the cathedral, at a height of almost fifty meters, and contemplate the wonderful landscape that can be seen from the entire perimeter of the city.

4. Soak up the history of the city at the Roman Theater and the Alcazaba

Both monuments are vestiges of the historical occupations that the city suffered and that have marked it the most and can be easily visited, since they are located in the historic center and access is easy on foot.

Roman times

The Roman Theater is estimated to have been built in the 1st century AD. C. under the dominion of the emperor Augustus. The theater represents the traditional architecture of the Roman theater, with the typical tiered seats and a grand entrance. It remained in use until the 3rd century until it fell into oblivion and was later used as a quarry – precisely to build the Alcazaba – by the Arab conquerors.

The structure was rediscovered in 1951 and considering everything that has happened, it is in very good condition today. It has several levels of cavea seats (spectator seats) that remain intact and there is a recently opened visitor center that displays some of the finds at the site, including amphorae and everyday tools. Next to the theater, you can also see under a glass pyramid the foundations of the stone vats where the “ garum ” was prepared, a fish sauce that in Roman times was as famous and coveted as caviar is now, and which was exported from Malaga and Cádiz for the entire Empire.

Alcazaba y teatro romano de Málaga

The Arab heritage

Above the Roman theater is the Alcazaba, which, for its part, is the most emblematic monument in Malaga and the best-preserved Arab fortress palace in Spain . The fortress was built by the Hammudid dynasty in the early 11th century and then captured by Ferdinand and Isabella after the siege of Malaga in 1487. The outer citadel contains the impressive palace gardens with fountains and portals that the Arabs built with the ancient Roman columns. . Within the second group of walls are the palace and stately homes that extend through three gardens and courtyards.

5. Have a sweet wine at “El Pimpi”

El Pimpi is a culinary and oenological institution in Malaga, and everyone who visits the city should go for a drink there at least once. Inside the premises, set in the style of an old Andalusian patio, you can admire its magnificent wine barrels signed by celebrities such as Penélope Cruz or Sean Connery, and see the photos of the most illustrious visits. In addition, concerts and flamenco shows are occasionally offered in the upper room, so if you are lucky you may be able to try the full experience.

Without a doubt, El Pimpi is one of the best bars in the city, especially if you want to try a variety of delicious sweet Malaga wines (such as Malaga Virgen, a sweet wine made with Pedro Jiménez grapes that has been aged for 24 months in oak barrels. American) with a platter of local cheeses and cold cuts , and you’ll be in heaven.

6. Delight in the views from the Castle and the Gibralfaro Viewpoint

The Gibralfaro Castle is a Moorish palace that had a more warlike purpose than that of the Alcazaba fortress, with watchtowers and walls that are still standing. It dates back to the 10th century and is located on the Gibralfaro hill, used for protection purposes since Phoenician times more than 2,500 years ago.

Vistas desde el mirador del Castillo de Gibralfaro

This castle was the scene where the Malaga Muslims faced King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella for three months before surrendering when they ran out of food in the reconquest of 1487. The castle has been restored in and also has a military museum. It can be reached by bus or on foot, but it is worth doing the ascent on foot to enjoy the incredible panoramic view of the city offered by the viewpoint located on Paseo Don Juan de Temboury, which connects the Alcazaba and the Castle.

7. Bathe on the beaches of Pedregalejo and eat espetos and fish in El Tintero

Malaga has up to 15 different beaches , each with a more charming location than the last. The best ones are those of Pedregalejo and El Palo, about ten minutes from the center by public transport (bus line 11). In them you can not only get tanned and enjoy a refreshing swim, but also enjoy a beautiful sunset with views of the city of Malaga on the horizon. In addition, this area is perfect if you want to try two of the town’s star dishes at a much better price than in the beach bars closest to the center: fried fish and sardine skewers.

Espetos de sardinas, típicos Málaga

The skewer is a dish that is on the way to becoming UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (a petition has been initiated by the Senate Committee on Culture), and the way to cook it consists of digging a hole in the sand to make a fire, and then roast the sardines skewered on sugar cane sticks over the coals . They are enjoyed accompanied by coarse salt and a splash of lemon, and you can try them in any of the chiringuitos in the area, although “El Tintero” is especially famous for its fish auction system in which there is no menu and the dishes go away. choosing from among those offered by the waiters in passing.

8. Enjoy nature in the Botanical Garden of La Concepción

Jardín Botánico de la Concepción, Málaga

A few kilometers from the city center, the Malaga botanical garden extends over 25,000 square meters of land and has more than 2000 different plant species from Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Oceania, as well as a great variety of species of birds . It was built in 1850 by the aristocratic couple, Jorge Loring Oyarzábal and Amalia Heredia Livermore, and successfully combines formal gardens with more tropical gardens, which immediately enchant the visitor and take them deeper and deeper into its green jungles. It is outside the city center but can be easily reached by bus in about twenty minutes.