Beach-Hopping and Castle Tours in Málaga, Spain

I have visited Málaga on two occasions, in August and in January. The first visit was with my family, the second at my friend and roommate’s family home. As you might guess, they were wildly different experiences, but I will summarize the highlights of the city on both occasions here.

With a population of about half a million people, Málaga is the second largest city in Andalusia, the southern region of Spain. Like many European cities, however, the landmarks and attractions of the area are in close proximity to one another.

Where to Stay

On my first visit to the city, we stayed at the Barceló Málaga, a highly rated four-star hotel adjacent to the central train stain, Málaga María Zambrano. This turned out to be a very convenient location not only for our early train out of Málaga, but to get to the beaches and central Málaga as well. One beach, Playa de Huelin, is only 10 minutes away, although I would recommend going a little further in either direction as the port blocks much of the view in this area.

What to See

Málaga was once an ancient city, believed to first be settled by an ancient Iberian tribe known as the Bastetani. As a port city only about 130 km from the Strait of Gibraltar, it was a key location for many empires that expanded into Spain such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Germanic peoples, Byzantines, Visigoths, Muslims, and finally Castilians before the modern era. With so many unique and significant Mediterranean cultures settling in the area, Málaga was left with some very incredible architecture that marks the passing of the ages.

One of my favourite sites was the Castillo de Gibralfaro and the Alcazaba. Built in the mid-11th century, these monuments were part of a thriving Muslim kingdom. The state of the castle and Alcazaba are remarkable. We spent the better part of the day here, exploring the two sites. In terms of accessibility, there are sections of both sites that require walking up uneven stairs or across uneven stone floors. I would contact the site directly to ask about accessibility if you have any mobility issues.

I would recommend not walking up the hill (Mount Gibralfaro) in the summer heat, however. The bus route 35 can bring you to the top or you can take an Uber or taxi. Málaga has a small metro service, but we relied primarily on buses here. However, we decided to walk and climbed the hill in August’s hot sun, nearly melting into the pavement before reaching the top. Coming back down the hill is no problem, but make sure to bring a hat, sunglasses and wear sunscreen.

The Castillo de Gibralfaro stands at the top of the hill overlooking the sea and the city. The Alcazaba sits closer to the city streets, slightly elevated. I’d recommend doing the castle first and the Alcazaba second as the latter is more beautiful in my opinion. Both are well worth your time and admission can be purchased together. Here is the official site: https://alcazabaygibralfaro.malaga.eu/en/index.html

After walking around the Alcazaba, we entered the historic centre. This area of the city features tiles streets and hosts cultural sites such as the Malaga Museum, the Picasso Museum, and the Roman theatre (turned museum). Málaga also homes a large Plaza de Toros near the port if you have an interest in touring the building or watching a bullfight (although this tradition is increasingly more controversial due to animal rights issues with the practice).

Things to Do

If you have visited the museums and historic sites and are ready for more interactive or modern activities, head down to the port. While a touristy area without a doubt, the port hosts many restaurants and shops, giving you plenty of options to eat or find souvenirs and other items. On my second trip to Málaga we also toured the Centre Pompidou Malaga, a contemporary art museum at the base of the port.

There is a nearby park and a few beaches such as Playa de la Malagueta and Playa la Caleta where you can relax and enjoy the sun. We took two days of relaxed, slow beach and walking time during my first trip in Málaga, as we were in our third of five cities and needed some down time. We also spent a day of heavy tourism activities like Gibralfaro and the Alcazaba to balance out our time.