14 Fun Things to See and Do in Malaga, Spain

Málaga is a beautiful seaside city in Spain’s Andalusian region along the southern coast. We actually didn’t know much about Málaga before we went and to be honest we went there for medical tourism, rather than a vacation, but it actually ended up being one of our favorite places to stay long-term. It has Roman ruins, a medieval fortress, and a mixture of modern, renaissance, baroque, and moorish architecture. It’s also the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and is the capital of the Costa del Sol, known for its beaches and being sunny most of the year. So without further ado, here are 14 things to see and do in Málaga.  

Calle Larios 

Calle Larios, also known as Marquis de Larios, is one of the most popular streets in Málaga. It’s located in Málaga’s historic city center and dates back to the 1800s. The name Larios comes from the family who invested in building the street, helping transition Málaga from a fishing and agricultural based economy to a commercial economy. It’s known as one of the most beautiful streets in Málaga and was designed by local architect Eduardo Strachan, who was apparently inspired by Chicago. Today it’s a fully pedestrian street and the shopping center of Málaga, with plenty of shops, restaurants, and cafes to kill an afternoon. It’s also a must visit stop around festivals or holidays, with twinkling lights strung overhead and decorations running the length of the street.  

Mirador de Gibralfaro 

Mirador de Gibralfaro refers to two viewpoints on Mount Gibralfaro that provide the best views of the city. You can see the Plaza de Toros, Cathedral of La Encarnación, the port with various sailing and cruise ships, and La Malagueta Beach. It’s a little bit of a hike up there, but you can always take a segway tour or rent a scooter or bike to make it a bit easier. It would be a great spot to go during the golden hour or at sunrise or sunset.  

La Malagueta Bullring 

La Plaza de Toros or La Malagueta Bullring was built in 1874 and held its first bullfight in 1876.  The bullfighting ring also has a museum dedicated to the famous matador, Antonio Oróñez. And if you happen to be there during the week of Easter, we highly recommend trying to get tickets to a show, because the bullfighters wear costumes inspired by Pablo Picasso.  

Catedral de la Encarnación

Catedral de la Encarnación or ‘Cathedral of the Incarnation’ is the most famous cathedral in Málaga. Building first began during the 16th century over a spot where a mosque once stood and continued into the 17th and 18th centuries. You’d think 2 centuries would be ample time to finish the building, but the cathedral was never actually finished due to lack of funding and today it’s still missing the top of one of its towers, leading locals to refer to it as “La Manquita,” meaning “One-armed woman.” Aside from its beautiful architecture, the cathedral is known for its choir stalls, religious sculptures, organs, and museum.  

General admission to the cathedral is €8, with discounts for seniors, students, and groups. If you want to visit the cathedral’s roof, as well, it’s an additional €4. 

Alcazaba 

Alcazaba is a Moorish castle built over the 11th-14th century built for defense purposes. It has beautiful brick walls and floors, courtyards, and a manicured garden with a fountain. It’s not quite as awe inspiring as Alhambra in Granada, but it is significantly less crowded, allowing you to soak in its Moorish features and take photos without trying to dodge as many other tourists. And it provides great views of the city. You can even stop at a little cafe at the top to relax and take in the view while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea. 

Castillo de Gibralfaro 

Castillo de Gibralfaro or ‘Gibralfaro Castle’ sits on Mount Gibralfaro to the northeast of Alcazaba. It was originally built by Abd-al-Rahman III, Caliph of Cordoba, in the 10th century. However, the current structure primarily dates back to the 14th century (still pretty impressive), when it was bolstered for defense purposes. A corridor was also built between Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Castle, allowing soldiers to safely move between the two. The corridor is not open to visitors, but you can walk between the two in about 20-30 minutes. The castle once had a mosque, well, tower, and courtyard. Many of the buildings were destroyed, but like Mirador de Gibralfaro, it provides a great view of the city.   

Teatro Romano de Málaga 

El Teatro Romano de Málaga is an ancient Roman Theater dating back to the 1st century AD that sits in front of Alcazaba. For centuries it was hidden beneath the city and rediscovered in 1951. Despite its age, it’s very well preserved. The theater is made up of three parts: the cavea (stands), the orchestra (the semicircular area between the stands and stage for the wealthy elite), and the proscenium (stage). You can learn about the history of the theater at the nearby visitors center and get a glimpse further into the ruins from a glass pyramid on the street in front of the ruins.   

Pedregalejo

Pedregalejo is a traditional fishing neighborhood. It’s lined with smaller homes and businesses, old wooden fishing boats, and has a calmer, more relaxed vibe than you’ll find in the city center. You can come for a beach day or relax at one of the many beachside restaurants or bars. It’s a great place to try some local fish and other seafood. And they’re especially known for their espetos (sardine skewers). We enjoyed renting scooters and following the path along the coast from the city center. It’s a great way to cut down on travel time and take in the sites as you go! 

Have a Beach Day

With Málaga being part of the Costa del Sol, your trip isn’t complete without a trip to the beach and Málaga has plenty to offer. There are several beaches along the coast to choose from. The most popular is probably Playa La Malagueta due to its proximity to the city center, but if you’re willing to travel a bit further you can find ones that are less crowded. You can work on your tan, relax with a good book, take a dip, and grab a drink at a chiringuito (beach bar). You can also rent a couple beach chairs and an umbrella for anywhere from $4-8 on up, depending on the location. Those can go fast though, especially in the more popular areas on the weekend. So, it’s best to get there early to stake out your territory.  

Palmeral de las Sorpresas & Muelle Uno

Palmeral de las Sorpresas is the promenade along the main port known for the Pérgolas de la Victoria, a white wave-like sculpture that provides shade to pedestrians on the promenade. And as you follow the promenade east, you’ll hit Muelle Uno, the Pier One shops and restaurants. In addition to shops and restaurants, this area also has a few other tourist attractions, including Centre Pompidou Malaga (a Parisian contemporary art museum), the Chapel of the Port of Malaga, and La Farola de Málaga lighthouse.  

Parque de Málaga

El Parque de Málaga is a park and botanical garden that runs along the coast adjacent to Palmeral de las Sorpresas. It has renaissance and baroque features and a variety of plants, sculptures, and fountains. And it’s a nice stroll as you make your way to the beach or Muelle Uno. 

Take a Boat Ride

Last, but not least, we recommend signing up for one of the many boat excursions out of the main port. There are a variety of options to choose from: sunset cruises, dinner cruises, dolphin watching, swimming, snorkeling, and more! We actually did two boat excursions, one swimming trip and one sunset cruise. You can sign up ahead of time or catch one last minute on the pier.

We do recommend getting there a little early though so you have first dibs on the boat. If you do one of the short group trips, prices are very reasonable. Ours were about 1.5 hours and $15/person. We laid out on the nets in front of the boat, enjoyed some drinks, and jumped off the side into the water. My only complaint is that I would have done a longer one. 

Jardín Botánico Histórico – La Concepción

If you’re in Malaga for a few days, consider heading out to the Botanical Garden. You’ll get some impressive views, and with multiple routes, you can do some short hikes to stretch your legs pretty easily. I will admit that the botanical garden didn’t have as many colorful plants as I’ve seen in other perhaps more impressive gardens. It felt more like you’re exploring the estate of some elegant manor–which makes sense given that’s what it used to be!

Learning about the history is part of the fun. There are a couple of neat historical exhibits which are worth exploring–and not long enough to bore you. Plus a, ahem, interesting Barbie display mimicking old photographs that I believe belonged to the previous private owners. It’s interesting enough to spend a few hours wandering around the grounds, getting some magnificent views of another side of the city, and perhaps even having stopping at the on-site cafe if you need a bite to eat or want something to drink.

Explore Old Town

Okay, so like many European towns, it’s easy to say “just explore Old Town”. But really, do it. Walking through all the winding streets, we were constantly finding new bars to enjoy wine and tapas or discovering cute shops and art galleries. Malaga’s romantic Old Town is worth getting lost in. Have some gelato at Helados Bico de Xeado Málaga, eat tapas at La Taberna del Pintxo Larios, visit the Picasso statue at Plaza Merced, relax at a Hammam, and drop into a palace-turned-museum like Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga. Having a leisurely day or two just wandering the winding streets is honestly an adventure in and of itself.

Bonus: Caminito del Rey

If you have the chance to take this hike outside of Malaga, do it! The Caminito del Rey a gorgeous walk through a ravine, and a thing you must do if you like the outdoors. The hike itself is very easy, with mostly flat terrain to cover. However, if you’re afraid of heights, you might want to carefully consider this one. You follow a pathway suspended along the side of the ravine, following high above the river below. Tickets to visit the park here sell out well in advance, so make sure to reserve your spot as soon as you can. You will not regret this beautiful walk out in the Andalusian countryside.

Final Tips

• Malaga is a great jumping-off point for a road trip through Andalucia. It’s an easy drive to visit wonderful places like Granada, Seville, and Ronda, which are filled with unmissable things to do if you’re in the area.
• Malaga is a cruise town, so if you want to avoid the days when cruise ships are visiting, check out the schedule here. That being said, when we were there, it wasn’t every really too bad, even with the cruise ships in port. We always had no problem getting into most restaurants or attractions.
• As mentioned above, book Caminito del Rey well in advance if you’d like to visit. We almost missed it because most excursions and tickets were sold out when we were looking almost a week-and-a-half ahead! For all other attractions, you can typically show up day of without an issue.
• Base yourself in a hotel or AirBNB somewhere around Old Town. You’ll almost never need a cab or need to take public transit that way. most everything here is within walking distance (sometimes up a hill!), except for the Botanical Garden.