I already had a ticket to Malaga in January 2024, but unfortunately, the trip was canceled due to a death. So when I saw a round-trip ticket for 58 € in early December, there was no question about booking it.
Departure Saturday morning, return Tuesday noon, so I had nearly 3 days available. Saturday and Sunday were spent in Malaga, Monday in Granada, about which I wrote separately.
Table of Contents
Saturday
The plane landed around 11, and the easiest way to get to the city center from the airport is by train (line C-1). It takes 11 minutes to reach the Central-Alameda terminal, which is practically downtown. The easiest payment method is contactless card payment. You need to tap your bank card at the sensor on the entry gate, then do the same at the exit gate at the terminal. The railway company deducts the amount later.
First, I dropped off my backpack and coat at a luggage storage. It only costs €2.5 per day, which is nothing. You can book it online.
I walked around downtown, it was a pleasant 19 degrees, perfect for enjoying the sunshine. The center of the old town is the cathedral, which is truly magnificent from the outside. I also checked out the Mercado Central de Atarazanas market, where you can buy all kinds of food: befitting a coastal city, there’s lots of seafood available. It’s worth wandering aimlessly through the small streets, there are many cafes and restaurants here.
At 14:00, I checked into my accommodation, then went back downtown. First, I walked up to the Gibralfaro castle that dominates Malaga’s skyline. It’s not an easy walk, the well-maintained road keeps climbing. However, the view gets more beautiful as you go up, so it’s worth walking (you can also take a bus up). The entrance fee is €3.5, which can be purchased on-site or online. (There’s a €5.5 combined ticket that includes entry to the Alcazaba.) You can walk all around the castle walls. The views are spectacular in every direction, definitely walk the full circuit!
I went down the same walking path and walked to the La Malagueta beach area. The beach seemed a bit characterless to me, though a beach doesn’t really show its true face in January. However, I managed to photograph a group of parrots up close. 🙂
The city’s main museum, the Museo de Málaga, is in a large building. There are two main themes: an art section and an archaeological section. You can see many wonderful paintings, it’s definitely worth visiting. Especially since entry is free for EU citizens!
I waited for darkness, as you could take very beautiful pictures at night and enjoy the bustle.
Sunday
Since this day promised brilliant sunshine and 22 degrees, I visited the famous beaches south of Malaga: Benalmádena and Torremolinos.
But first, I went to Colomares Castle on the hillside. Although it’s not a large building, it’s beautifully executed. It’s worth traveling up here, and the view of the coastal area is also very beautiful.
From there, I took a bus to the beach, where I walked along the seafront promenade and enjoyed the sunny weather. I started from the central part of Benalmádena, at the bay called Puerta Marina. You can see many yachts, and there are numerous bars and restaurants along the promenade.
I walked towards Torremolinos, with several free toilets along the promenade. Many people were sunbathing on the beach, and some were even swimming. From a few movements, you could tell the sea wasn’t warm. 🙂
I sunbathed for half an hour while having coffee, then walked to the train station and traveled back to Malaga. Since some attractions are free on Sundays, I took advantage of this opportunity.
First, I went to the Alcazaba, which stands above downtown. This is the fortress below Gibralfaro, which also offers beautiful views of downtown. You don’t have to walk up as much here, you can reach the highest level with an easy 7-8 minute walk. This also includes the Roman amphitheater below, though you can see it perfectly from outside.
I picked out two museums that are free on Sundays. The Centre Pompidou on the seafront promenade is a modern art museum. The museum area is underground, with a large colored cube marking it on the surface. Well, what can I say, it’s quite an abstract exhibition, or maybe I just can’t appreciate this kind of art enough. I’ll stick to older paintings. 🙂
The other is Carmen Thyssen in one of the old town streets. Here we can mainly see paintings by Spanish artists. There was a Sorolla exhibition at the time, I spent a while admiring the works. If you love art, it’s definitely worth visiting.
It was starting to get dark, and on the way home, I ate an empanada. This is minced meat in pastry, with various fillings and seasonings. Worth trying, I really liked it.
Monday
On this day, I traveled to Granada, which is famous for the Alhambra rising above the city. I’ll write about this in a separate report.
