Malaga, Spain: A Short Travel Guide
Updated: May 20
Malaga is the capital of Spain's Costa del Sol, sitting on the southern Mediterranean coast. Sun-seekers flock to this city’s golden beaches and high-rise hotels, but Malaga offers more than just relaxation. Soak up the vibrant atmosphere in the old town, savor delicious local food, and discover the rich history here. In this travel guide, we share our top things to do in Malaga as well as great places to stay, eat, and drink.
Check out our video about Malaga to see the best things to do through our camera!
Best Things To Do In Malaga
Admire the Malaga Cathedral
Stroll around La Concepción Historical Botanical Gardens
Visit the Picasso museum (or Picasso Birthplace Museum, Carmen Thyssen Museum, Pompidou Centre Malaga, Flamenco Art Museum Museo de Málaga , Automobile Museum Málaga)
Get a view from Gibralfaro castle
Check out the Malaga Roman theater
Relax at the Malaga beaches (La Malagueta, El Palo, Peñón del Cuervo, or Pedregalejo beach)
Visit the Alcazaba of Malaga (Do a guided tour of the Alcazaba including the entry)
Eat at the Atarazanas Market
Hike Caminito del Rey (Do it a day tour from Malaga)
Stroll around the historic center (Go on a free walking tour)
Great day trips from Malaga:
Gibraltar (British Overseas Territory)
Ronda & Setenil de las Bodegas (famous bridge viewpoint and cave dwellings)
Nerja & Frigiliana (picturesque towns with beaches and cave)
Granada & Alhambra (most beautiful city and palace in Spain)
Places To Stay In Malaga
Hostal Vidamia ($): Budget accommodation with private rooms and bathrooms located in central Málaga, within 7 minutes’ walk of Málaga Cathedral and the Picasso Museum
Atarazanas Málaga Boutique Hotel ($$): stylish and comfy rooms in the heart of the city. Rooms have a small balcony and there's also a café with gluten-free breakfast options
La Casa de la Alameda ($$$): Apartments in Málaga centre, 400 metres from Calle Larios, featuring comfy bedrooms, kitchen equipped with a microwave, fridge and toaster, and a living area with a sofa bed and flat-screen TV
Places To Eat And Drink In Malaga
Azafrán: Moroccan restaurant with delicious classic dishes like couscous and tagine
Buenavista Gastrobar & Tapas: gastropub offering a combination of sharing plates & elevated Spanish mains
BYOKO: organic restaurant with delicious açai bowls
Casa Lola: good food and sangria, but can be busy at times
Colmado 93: fantastic bar offering great tapas, vermouth and local beer with a true local vibe
𝐃𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎 - 𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀: great place to sit down for a cocktail and a delicious meal
El Gastronauta: good selection of paellas
El Pimpi: bodega bar with cozy outdoor patio but fills up quickly during lunch
El Refectorium Catedral: traditional tapas with a modern spin
El Rincón de la abuela Doli: local cafeteria with cheap coffee and sandwiches
Helados y Turrones Casa Mira: good ice cream
Las Muns: great empanadas
La Recova: small restaurant offering gluten-free breakfast plates & tapas, plus handmade home goods
La Taberna del Pintxo Larios: good place for lunch with pintxos and tapas - they come around with the warm tapas whereas the cold ones you need to get at the counter
Los Patios de Beatas: fancy wine bar with lovely tapas (bit more pricey)
Meet Vegano: tiny vegan restaurant with variety of dishes (book in advance)
Mercado Central de Atarazanas: touristic market with a variety of cheeses, cured meats, pastries, and tapas
Mercado de Salamanca: local market with fresh produce
Mesón Ibérico: Southern Spanish tapas, sharing plates & mains at a traditional bar & eatery a bit outside the touristic center
Pampa Grill Málaga: modern steakhouse with a variety of chargrilled beef cuts & Argentinian wines
Pepa Revuelo Centro: great for a drink and some tapas at a reasonable price - we really liked the patatas bravas!
Picasso Brunch & Tapas: great breakfast place that also serves tapas (but it does get busy at night!)
Pez Lola: restaurant with great seafood options - from paellas to tapas
Recyclo Bike Café: plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes
Retrogusto: upscale restaurant in the north of Malaga (near botanical gardens) with a variety of high quality dishes
REVIV CAFÉ: vegan restaurant with delicious smoothie bowls
Santa Coffee Soho: coffee chain
Map Malaga Spain
Find all the places to go, eat, drink, and stay in Malaga on Google Maps. To follow and save the list, do the following:
Tap on the link to open it (click button below)
Tap Follow. This list will now be added to the group of lists you follow.
Optional: To unfollow a list someone shared with you, tap the list Saved.
If you follow the list we made, all our saved places of Malaga will show up in Your Places. The places will also appear as suggested locations in Google Maps.
Use These Websites To Save Money On Your Trip To Malaga
Booking.com for places to stay
Skyscanner for cheap flights
GetYourGuide for local tours
Rentalcars.com for affordable car rentals
Are you having a hard time planning your trip to Malaga? Get our Interactive Travel Planner to keep it all organized.
Need more travel inspiration? Check out our other destinations and articles about Spain:
