Malaga is among the most popular cities on the Costa del Sol, often serving as a starting point for exploring Andalusia. It is the perfect base for a vacation in Andalusia, primarily due to its airport, and secondly, because from Malaga, you can easily reach almost all tourist areas by car or public transport.
In addition to being a renowned city on Spain’s southern coast, Malaga is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, with a population of over 550,000 residents. Throughout its history, the city has been occupied by numerous peoples, each leaving their mark. This is best seen in the architecture, especially at the Alcazaba, where Roman and Islamic influences are evident at every step.
What to visit in Malaga – Must see tourist attractions
5 days Andalusia itinerary – What to visit in Andalusia
How to Get to Malaga
There are direct flights to Malaga from many major European cities with various airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, and British Airways. Prices can vary, so it’s worth checking a few weeks in advance for the best deals. Booking your tickets in advance can save you money, and last-minute Priority upgrades are often available at a discount.
How to Get from the Airport to Malaga
It is very easy to get from Malaga airport to the city center. You can take the train, line C1, which takes less than 15 minutes and costs €3 one way, or the bus line A, which you can find right outside the airport. The bus takes 20 minutes to the city, costs €5 one way, and runs every 30 minutes.
Transportation in Malaga
Malaga is not a city where you need transportation to explore it. Most tourist attractions are located in the city center, very close to each other, so you can walk.
As for public transport, Malaga has two metro lines. Line 1 connects the city center to the university area, and line 2 connects the western part of Malaga with the central area. Besides the metro, you can also travel by bus, which has several lines covering the city from end to end.
Accommodation in Malaga
The best area to stay in Malaga, especially if you don’t have a car, is the central area or as close to the city center as possible. The reason is simple. You will find many accommodation options based on this criterion, especially apartments and studios, at good prices. Plus, this way, you can walk to all the tourist attractions. We paid around €650 for a two-bedroom apartment, less than a 10-minute walk from the center. You can find the apartment we booked here.
Accommodation in Malaga:
Apartamente/Studiouri️
When to Visit Malaga
The best time to visit Malaga depends a lot on your tolerance to heat. It is very important to note that in all of Andalusia, temperatures are very high during the summer, and the heat becomes unbearable. We were in Malaga in the first week of June, and it was already very hot. I don’t want to imagine how it is there in July or August. Therefore, the most suitable time to visit Malaga is in spring (March or April) or autumn. Even the beginning of winter, if you are not going specifically for the beach.
How Many Days Do You Need to Visit Malaga
The most important tourist attractions in Malaga can be seen in one, maximum of two days. As I mentioned, Malaga usually serves as a base for a longer vacation in Andalusia.
We allocated only one day to Malaga out of the five we had available and I think it was enough. On the other days, we returned in the evening, when we went out to the center for dinner.
The Most Important Tourist Attractions in Malaga
- Alcazaba and Gibralfaro
- Malaga Cathedral
- Parque de Malaga
- Calle Larios
- Botanical Garden
Where to Park in Malaga
We rented a car for the entire vacation, so parking was an essential criterion in planning. We were a bit stressed about this, but throughout the city, there were paid underground parking lots (at more than reasonable prices). At the accommodation, although we did not have private parking, we always found free spots on the street, where we didn’t have to pay anything if we left by 09:00 in the morning.
Although I don’t usually recommend restaurants on the blog, simply because it is a very subjective choice to everyone’s liking, this time I want to mention a restaurant where, although it doesn’t excel in atmosphere (extraordinarily noisy), the food was sensational. It is called Casa Lola, and it has very good prices. We paid around €70 for a dinner for four people, with several dishes and drinks included. You will see that the menu is so varied that it will be very difficult to stick to just one dish. Personally, I loved the “Pulpo de Galicia,” octopus cooked according to the traditional Galician recipe. It was very, very well cooked, and I don’t even remember eating such good octopus in Galicia. It should be noted that there are several Casa Lola locations, almost one next to the other. We went to the one on Google Maps, which was also the most crowded. Unfortunately, I don’t know if the other locations had the same menu.
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Happy exploring! 🥰
