Malaga
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Logistics
Getting There
Malaga is a common entry point to the Andalucia region of Spain. Found on the southern coast of Spain, Malaga has a sizable airport with direct flights to many places in Europe, and even outside of Europe (shockingly including a few fights to the US). From the airport, it’s a short 20 to 30 minute drive into the city depending on traffic. Ride sharing services are available to reach the city if not renting a car.
Getting Around
In order to take full advantage of the Andalucia region, it’s recommended to rent a car. This allows you flexibility to visit different areas including various towns, the coast, and the mountains. The airport has many typical car rental options, making it easy to start your road trip right after arriving. When traveling throughout Andalucia, many of the cities and town are walkable or have very cheap taxis.
Nevertheless, the city of Malaga is very walkable and you’ll only need the car once you decide to leave the city so plan to park it away while exploring the
Accommodations
When in Malaga, try to stay somewhat central where you are walkable to the Old Town. If you’ve rented a car, you may want to consider looking for accommodations with parking available for ease.
AC Hotel Malaga – a Marriott property minutes from the Malaga Cathedral, it is in a prime location for accessibility in Malaga. The hotel is very nice and includes access to a rooftop pool overlooking the coast. While it’s convenience is a positive, it is on the pricier side for what it is and therefore recommended only for ease.
Things to do and see
Placa de la Constitucion
One of the main squares in the city of Malaga
Cathedral of Malaga
Historic church found in the city center
Mercado de Atarazanas
Food market in the city centre. It’s great for a midday snack, whether you’re looking for a cone of jamon, smoothie, or fresh fruit.
Alcazaba
An old fort found not far from the old historic city center. You can get tickets to visit and choose if you’d like to take a guided tour or visit on your own
Frigiliana
Located about 45 minutes from Malaga, this is a small town known for being one of Andalucia’s white villages. It’s great for a stop on the way to Granada, to enjoy a smaller town and wander the streets. As it’s quite small, and can be frequented by tourists, it’s not somewhere the requires a long stop and instead is best for 1-2 hours to grab a coffee or snack.
Nerja
A nice coastal town about 45 minutes east from Malaga. It has a more relaxed vibe than Marbella, found west of Malaga. Nerja has beaches to visit, as well as nice streets to meander through and find shops to pop into or spots to grab a bite to eat. It’s a nice place to stop in on the way to or from Granada, and can easily be made into a day-trip if wanting to spend time at the beach.
Food and Drinks
Delicotte Specialty Coffee & Tea
Cafe
Malaga
Small coffee shop with great takeaway coffee
Jamones y Embutidos Melgar
Lunch
Malaga
Jamon shop where you can get a jamon sandwich to go and enjoy for lunch
Vinoteca Bouquet
Wine Bar
Malaga
Great wine shop with nice indoor and outdoor seating, with options to have a glass of wine and snacks. If you have time, consider doing a tasting here!
Helados y Turrones Casa Mira
Ice Cream
Malaga
Popular ice cream shop in town where you have to pull a number to get in the queue. It’s a bit overrated for what it is, but has a lot of flavors available.
Taberna Uvedoble
Dinner
Malaga
Casual tapas restaurant on calle Alcazabilla, a historic street in Malaga. This is a great spot to enjoy a Spanish meanl
Restaurante Benitez
Lunch
Nerja
Found in Nerja, this restaurant is on a side road, helping it to be less trafficked by other tourists. There’s a lovely back patio overlooking the sea here, making it a perfect spot to enjoy lunch.
Other Notes
Duration
Andalusia is the southern region of Spain, and spans the whole southern coast. As the second largest of Spain’s 17 regions, there is a lot to explore here. For that reason, I’d recommend 7 – 10 days to make the most of the visiting this region. That being said, there are many places within the region you can visit for shorter periods of time, and there’s always the opportunity to come back another time.
Specifically when visiting Malaga, for me personally, a day was enough time to see this city. It’s nice to add on day-trips from Malaga or drive to other towns to space out where you stay.
Sample Itinerary to explore Andalusia
Day 1: Arrival in Malaga and explore
Day 2: Drive from Malaga to Frigiliana to Nerja to Granada
- Head out of Malaga and drive 45 minutes to Frigiliana to walk around the white village and find a spot for a coffee
- Drive about 10 minutes to Nerja and check out the sea, before finding a spot for lunch
- Continue onward to Granada to spend the night
Day 3: Explore Granada
- Visit the Alhambra (book in advance!)
- Enjoy Spanish tapas for lunch
- Visit the Cathedral
- Take a siesta
- Grab drinks at a wine bar and enjoy a later dinner
Day 4: Drive to Ronda to Marbella
- Spend a few hours walking around the town
- Don’t miss seeing the iconic bridge
- Continue onward to Marbella
Day 5: Marbella
- Walk along the boardwalk
- Enjoy a beach day relaxing
Time of year
Located in Southern Spain, this region can be very hot in the summer. For that reason, it’s best to visit in the shoulder season, or even in the winter time if looking for some more moderate temperatures. By late May, temperatures were around the high 20s, low 30s already. As Malaga is on the coast, the breeze comes in to help cool it off. However, if you head inland, this breeze will disappear and the heat will feel that much stronger. Consider a March / April or September / October trip.
Hours
Dinner in Spain tends to be much later than in many other European countries. It can be quite normal to sit down for dinner at 10pm. That being said, many places do open earlier to accommodate norms from other cultures. The Spanish also embrace the siesta, especially helpful in the hotter months, to avoid the hottest parts of the day.