“I had planned to use Malaga as a jumping-off point because I didn’t expect much from the city itself, but in fact the atmosphere downtown is excellent. Finding the main sights isn’t difficult – the Alcazaba is a very visible landmark in the city center. Parking can be a bit of a hassle, but fortunately, there are plenty of multi-story parking lots.
Andalusian cities are characterized by a diverse cultural mix: downtown you can find a Roman theater right next to the Alcazaba, which itself is a piece of Moorish heritage. A few hundred meters away is the cathedral, which of course is a Christian monument. There’s nothing jarring about all this, they all compliment one another perfectly. The Spanish did not bulldoze the remnants of previous cultures (as happened in, for example, Split, Croatia) but rather maintained them in excellent condition.”--------------------
“Malaga may be the most ‘touristy’ city in this region. It’s a bustling, buzzing city with a lot of pedestrian streets, and these were crowded every evening. Apart from the Alcazaba, it’s also worth walking up to the castle of Gibralfaro.
Other points of interest include 1: On Sunday mornings there’s a market by the harbor, with a lot of handmade goods and clothes. 2. The huge gardens down by the seashore are full of green parrots, who live freely in the area and make a lot of noise.
The biggest and tastiest pizza I’ve ever eaten is Spain was also down by the harbor (O Mamma Mia) while the best pork cheek was served to me in Los Gatos, in the city center (you can also get white sangria here… divine :D ).
I was there in early June, so there were hardly any crowds anywhere, and the weather was perfect for sightseeing and exploring. There’s no way I would bear the heat here in high summer (though Seville is the worst in this regard – its record last summer was 47.5°C).
The water, on the other hand, is cool, but after a dip, you can always warm up again in the sun. I only bought tickets in advance for the obligatory Caminito del Rey and Alhambra. Everywhere else I just bought a ticket at the entrance. Even the worst queue was no longer than 30 minutes, though I guess they could get longer in July and August. (b. e. 2018)
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“To me, every old town is like a jewelry box, and Malaga is no exception – in fact, it might even be my favorite. I love the narrow streets and colorful tiles on the house walls. This is further enhanced by the colorful flowers that bloom on every wall and fill the air with fresh, balmy scents. For me, it’s so relaxing to sit in a café in the old town, drinking delicious Spanish coffee and people-watching, while soaking up the bright Andalusian sunshine. Also, if you’re in Malaga, don’t miss the market, the Mercado de Atarazanas. It’s the largest market in the area, and all stimuli for eye and mouth can be found here, including fresh meat and fish straight from local producers and fishermen. You could call it the taste of Andalusia.” (2018)
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“Before we arrived I pictured the city more as a springboard than a destination – I really didn’t expect much from Malaga itself, but in fact the atmosphere downtown is fantastic. Finding the things we wanted to see was no trouble, and the Alcazaba is a very visible element in the city. Parking can be a bit awkward, but fortunately, parking garages are popular here.
Andalusian cities are characterized by a lot of cultural mixing. There’s a Roman theater in the city center, right next to the Alcazaba, which is a Moorish fortress. A few hundred meters away is the cathedral, which is obviously a Christian monument. The funny thing is, there’s nothing discordant about this mix – they complement each other perfectly. They did not bulldoze the remains of former cultures (see Split) but wisely chose to preserve them”
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“Malaga is perhaps the most ‘touristy’ city in the region It’s youthful and lively, with a bustling pedestrian zone. The streets are crowded in the evening. In addition to the Alcazaba, it’s worth taking a walk up to Gibralfaro. Curiosity No. 1: There is a market by the harbor on Sunday mornings, with lots of handicrafts and clothes. 2. The gardens by the coast are full of loud green parrots that live wild in the city. We ate the biggest and most delicious pizza in all Spain (Mamma Mia) down by the harbor and the best pork cheek in the central district of Los Gatos (you can also get excellent white sangria here :D)
We were there in early June, so there were almost no crowds, and it was perfect for sightseeing. I’m not sure I could have stood it in the full heat of summer (in Seville, for instance, temperatures can rise as high as 47.5˚C). Being there so early in the year meant the sea was still cold, but at least we could sunbathe. The only tickets we bought in advance were for the Caminitora and Alhambra, where it is obligatory. Everything else we bought on the spot. Even the longest line took less than 30 minutes, though I guess it could be longer in July and August.” (b.é., 2018)
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“At noon we walked down the Malaga’s huge sandy beach, where we soaked our bodies, then baked ourselves in the warm sunshine. The city’s most famous beach is Malagueta, which is right next to the port for ocean liners and ferries to Africa, so you can admire the giant ships as they pass. There are plenty of fish fryers on the beach, so the beachfront promenade is filled with a delicious, smoky fish aroma, and the roar of the waves is complemented by the cheerful trills of the resident parakeets :D.
We spent our first day at Malagueta beach, but somehow it never quite felt like the real thing. There was some kind of greenish-yellow gunk floating near the shore, and the water shelved off very quickly. Also, we had to fight our way across a one-meter-wide strip of shellfish debris and gravel. The next day we decided to change our plans and went instead to a slightly more secluded beach, Playa de la Caleta, where there were only a few other people. There were hardly any shells either, though the HUGE waves broke relentlessly. No gunk, though. 😊
In addition to the beach, the sights of Malaga are also worth a few hours, so on the morning of our departure, we took a quick tour of the city’s lively downtown (we also went in one evening) and saw the citadel and the palace, which is called the Alhambra, but is smaller than the one is Granada. This city has everything – a market, cool shops, a cathedral, a bullring, and parks as far as the eye can see. Our favorite attraction was the color-changing fountain – my partner, expressing our boredom with medieval objects, wrote ‘another bloody big jug’ in our joint travel diary. :D” (2017)
Krista photo
Krista photo
Kr photo
