The City
The Spanish city of Malaga is a Mediterranean seaport on the Costa del Sol in the Andalucía region of southern Spain. It is the 2nd most populous city in Andalucía, the 6th in Spain and more importantly, a significant tourist destination. This birthplace of Picasso is also famous for rich architectural history, Mediterranean cuisine, local wines and sandy beaches.
Discovering Malaga is not as easy as it sounds as it loves to pass down so much of its history and richness to be uncovered slowly. For this very reason, we have compiled a complete tourist guide of Malaga including its main attractions, outdoor activities, nightlife, travel tips and means to get around the province. Malaga once a city of Moors and now a city to revel in its gastronomy and festivities is an exceptional place.
Whilst the Mediterranean Sea bathes the Málaga coastline, the Málaga Mountains close ranks behind the city to form a barrier of peaks that protects it from the cold, while the regulating effect of the sea gives the area its characteristically mild temperatures. The hottest months are July and August. December and February are usually the coldest. The average temperatures fall between a maximum of 22.8° C and a minimum of 13° C. Rainfall in Málaga follows the seasons, with the most abundant rainfalls occurring in autumn and winter.
Málaga has a natural heritage of great environmental wealth. The natural setting of the estuary of the Guadalhorce, located within an island of 122 hectares demarcated by the branches of the river in its final stretch, is a stopping point for hundreds of migratory species and is noted for its great ecological value. The Natural Park Montes de Málaga occupies an area of 4,996 hectares that are home to over 230 plant species and over 160 types of vertebrates.
A city for shopping
Málaga is a great city for shopping. You will find just about everything from the mundane (clothes, shoes, bags, accessories and gift articles) to the most sublime (crafted products, antiques and works of art).
In our city, you can visit shopping centres and department stores where you will find a very comprehensive and wide variety of products. They are true leisure centres with their easy parking and the large number of establishments concentrated in one place. There is always a good selection of other interesting establishments nearby.
Another option for shopping is the Historical Quarter. Parking is also easy: you can park in one of the council’s car parks or in the areas where parking is permitted. You will be able to combine your shopping trip with a visit to this historical area with its many pedestrian thoroughfares, making your shopping tour all the more enjoyable. It is the city’s largest commercial area with over a thousand establishments that will vie for your attention with the incomparable monuments and museums. The whole area forms a semicircle that extends out from its central axis at Calle Larios to the banks of the River Guadalmedina and to Calles Carretería, Álamos and Alcazabilla.
Gastronomy
As a traditional Mediterranean dish, fried fish is one of the great gastronomic attractions of the Málaga coast. Typically found in beach bars and terraces, demand soars in the seasons of sun and sand. To be ideal for frying, fish needs several essential characteristics and the Málaga anchovy, the star species for frying, has them in spades. And along with frying, another masterpiece of Málaga gastronomy is the skewer, the traditional way to eat sardines in Málaga. Sardines are skewered on a stick and put on the fire, giving them a special and unique flavour.
As any grand city, Málaga offers a wide range of gastronomical highlights from other latitudes, the all-time favourites and others that are more exotic and perhaps less well known.
Finally, no one can leave Málaga without discovering a magnificent, often overlooked treasure. Málaga has the privilege of being able to offer one of the best menus of cakes and pastries in the whole country. Whether of local creation or imported, the sweet hands of our master confectioners are capable of giving form to true explosions of colour and flavour. One of the most pleasant moments you can spend in our city will be to try one of these marvellous treats on any terrace or simply eat it from a serviette whilst sitting on a park bench and watching the world go by.
The same can be said of our ice-cream parlours that offer creamy ice creams that extend the confectioners’ art to frosty realms and a host of flavours.
31 Favorites
We noted a couple of our favorites to visit in Malaga.
Restaurant
El Pimpi – https://elpimpi.com/
Bar
Tennesee live
Coffee
Santa coffee
https://santacoffee.es/
Malaga nights
Málaga offers a variety of different ways of enjoying the night. You will find lively areas full of excitement and music to dance until the early hours whilst there are other, more relaxed areas where you can talk, enjoy a drink and good music. You can choose any of them, as you prefer. In any case, fun and good times are guaranteed.
From Thursday night to Saturday night, the Historical Quarter offers a taste of authentic nightlife. The young and the not so young come out in force to enjoy themselves, gathering in the bars to have a drink and “shake that body”. Good music and fun are guaranteed. At some of these establishments you can also enjoy live music. However, there are also quieter places, peaceful havens amidst the hustle and bustle where you can enjoy a chat. This night life area ranges from Plaza de la Merced to Plaza de la Constitución along the streets and squares – Granada, Alcazabilla, Plaza de Uncibay, Convalecientes, Comedias, Luis de Velázquez, Santa Lucía – and many others, all of them full of great spots to spend a night out.
If you prefer a more relaxed atmosphere we suggest La Malagueta, Paseo de Sancha, Limonar and Pedregalejo. In these areas there are many places where you can listen to good music and enjoy a chat with friends. If out of town, we recommend you pay a visit to the leisure centres at Plaza Mayor Málaga Nostrum where you’ll find cinemas, nightclubs, bowling alleys and bars, and where the atmosphere is lively.
