Malaga in the south of Spain is easily accessible today thanks to several low-cost airlines, such as Level, Ryanair, or Wizzair. We have decided to combine the port city with an adventurous trip to Gibraltar and the most beautiful beaches in the area. If you have enough time, historical towns like Alhambra, Ronda, or Cadiz are also worth a visit. We recommend all of them.
Detailed Google map with attractions
Practical information
- Flight duration – Vienna – Malaga: 3h 20min (check cheap flights)
- Car rental – we recommend OK Rent a Car (we booked through verified Ryanair car hire)
- Water temperature – Malaga and its surroundings offer pleasant swimming water (above 20°C) mainly in July and August, while be prepared for the cold waters of the Atlantic behind Gibraltar
- Entrance fees to monuments – some monuments in Malaga are free on Sundays after 2:00 PM, like the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro fortresses
- Jellyfish – jellyfish are common in Malaga, so it’s advisable to wear goggles when entering the water
- Toll roads – to avoid toll roads from Malaga to Gibraltar, take the side roads, which are only 20 minutes longer
- Speed limits – beware of speed limits in Spain. Even if you have a rental car, a fine may follow you all the way home to Slovakia. We received a €100 fine this way.
What is worth seeing?
1. Malaga
We chose accommodation in Malaga’s city center through Airbnb as the prices on Booking.com are quite high. Free parking in the city is only available from Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. However, a local suggested a year-round free parking zone, see our google map. Malaga also hosts the cycling race La Vuelta, and if you’re lucky like us, you might see Peter Sagan starting. If you’re in the mood for tapas, we can recommend montaditos – small baked baguette sandwiches with all kinds of fillings – ham, cheese, goat cheese, salmon, etc. The bar 100 Montaditos truly had 100 different varieties.
Malagueta Beach
Malagueta Beach – the main city beach with dark sand. It tends to be crowded with young people and the water is not very clean, but we still went swimming. You can take a photo with the large “sand” sign of Malagueta.
Alcazaba Fortress
Alcazaba – well-preserved Moorish fortress where you can find the ruins of a Roman amphitheater, Moorish gardens, and an archaeological museum. In addition to beautiful walls, there are viewpoints overlooking the city. Underneath Alcazaba, there is a road tunnel leading from the center towards the beach.
TIP: You don’t need to bring liters of water here, as there are drinking water fountains available.
TIP: If you visit during the paid hours, it’s worth getting a combined ticket for Alcazaba + Gibralfaro.
Castle of Gibralfaro
Gibralfaro Castle – Gibralfaro Castle from the 14th century stands above the Alcazaba, but they are not interconnected as we originally thought. You have to go back from the Alcazaba to get to the castle. Along the way, there is a nice viewpoint called Gibralfaro viewpoint. From the walls of Gibralfaro, you can enjoy views of the whole Malaga.
Gibralfaro Viewpoint
Gibralfaro viewpoint – in our opinion, the most beautiful viewpoint in Malaga, where you can see the prominent yellow bullring (La Malagueta Bullring), the city center with modern buildings, the port, as well as the town hall and city park (Malaga park)
Malaga Cathedral
Malaga Cathedral – Malagueños call it La Manquita (translated as The One-Armed Lady) because they ran out of money to finish the second tower.
Picasso Museum
Museo Picasso – The world-renowned painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga. In his honor, a museum was opened in 2003, featuring 285 works donated by his family.
Plaza de la Constitución Square
Plaza de la Constitución – main square and Plaza de la Merced – a peaceful square with an obelisk.
2. Gibraltar
Gibraltar – a British territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, a rock with a height of 426m above sea level, an airport intersecting the road, a historical center, all within an area of 6.5 km2. Gibraltar is definitely a must-see when visiting Andalusia. Read more in this article.
3. Benalmádena
Benalmádena Butterfly Park – the largest butterfly park in Europe with over 1500 butterflies, located about 30 km from Malaga. You will learn many interesting facts, such as the fact that a butterfly lives only for 2-3 weeks. You will see all 4 stages of butterfly development live. Apart from butterflies, we also encountered turtles, lizards, and kangaroos. The park is open every day from 10:00-18:30 with an entrance fee of €10.
TIP: Close to the park, there is a beautiful cave with a view of the sea and a large chapel.
4. Alhambra
Alhambra is a beautiful medieval complex of palaces and fortresses of the rulers of Granada that you must not miss. It is a very popular tourist destination where you can easily spend a whole day. We recommend buying tickets in advance.
5. Ronda
Enchanting town located approximately 100km west of Malaga, known for being a favorite spot for writers Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles. Be sure not to miss the iconic bridge, present in virtually every photograph, and then leisurely stroll through the beautiful historic streets, soaking in the atmosphere.
6. Tarifa
A very charming small town, not far from the renowned surf beach. It’s worth taking a walk through the old town, sitting down for a coffee, or enjoying some local cuisine. On a clear day, you can see the coast of Africa in the distance.
7. Mijas
Beautiful traditional mountain village with white houses and gorgeous views of the sea. Definitely worth a visit. You will find many artisan shops, galleries, as well as miniature museum. In this museum, you can also find a miniature dried human head.
8. Cadiz
A city with a large port and a fascinating history. We didn’t have much time to explore in detail, so we only visited the beautiful fortress Castillo de San Sebastian. If we could stay longer, we would definitely try the Free tour. Free tour is a great way to get to know the city a little better. It has worked well for us around the world 🙂
TOP 5 most beautiful beaches in Andalusia
