Why is Malaga a great destination for your next vacation?
Unsure of your vacation plans and still hesitating about your next destination? There is nothing difficult about answering this question, if you have never been to Costa del Sol and its mind-blowing capital, the city of Malaga! No matter where exactly you come from, there is no better option for your next vacation.
Buoyant history, an unbelievable mix of cultures, unparalleled hospitality, perfect Spanish weather, picturesque sea front locations, and a long list of things to do and places to go… This may sound too straightforward and self-assertive, but Malaga has it all, indeed! Malaga is vibrant and pulsating all year round.
This city is always warm and friendly. Seeing it for the first time is like meeting your old buddy – so happy it is to welcome you! Isn’t it enough for the trip of your lifetime?!
Even though it is impossible to be impartial when talking about Malaga and its surroundings, let us try to drop any emotions and figure out what makes Malaga such a great destination for your next vacation. Costa Excursions brings to you the top 10 things you can do to fall in love with Malaga.
Find out that Malaga is the melting pot of cultures
Thanks to its lifespan of three thousand years, founded by the Phoenicians long ago, Malaga has hosted a few civilizations and borrowed some features from each of them to become a cosmopolitan hub, a melting pot of cultures and lifestyles.
It is often dubbed “the New Barcelona” in the south of Spain due to its rich cultural diversity. In the Old Town, you will see castles and fortresses of the Muslim era, such as the Alcazaba.
Next to them, rubbing shoulders, there are ancient archeological sites, such as the Roman Theater and the ancient pools where the concept of Roman Hispania is brought to life even today.
If you want to experience the Spanish Reconquista, when the land was taken over by the Catholic royalty, you need to go to the medieval Christian Cathedral or the Sanctuary of Victory. Yet, no other city looks and sounds more Spanish than Malaga due to flamenco shows, the Cervantes Theater, the bull-fighting arena, or the Contemporary Art Center.
Get to know Malaga’s main asset – the people
The citizens of Malaga, or Malagueños, are very cheerful, courteous and relaxed. They love their exceptional status as the Mecca for tourists and are proud of it.
This is the city where you can always rely on people’s good humor and a helping hand. The locals love to celebrate and are very good mixers.
Going out to eat and drink together with friends is a good tradition of theirs, so evenings are always busy in bars and restaurants. During the summer it seems that everyone is out and about: on the beach, in the streets, or at a terraced café.
Taste the delicious Andalusian gastronomy
It is for a reason that coastal tourist regions usually become excellent places to taste local delicacies. If you come to Malaga, be ready to eat seafood in all variations.
Despite all kinds of mouthwatering fried fish, shellfish and crustaceans served in taverns and beach bars, there is one special type of roasted sardines that you must try – espetos. Espetos are roasted over charcoal according to a special recipe, and their taste is not to be mixed up with anything else. When it comes to drinks, be sure to taste Tinto de Verano, red wine with lemon juice.
Admire Malaga’s perfect climate
Needless to say that Malaga benefits greatly from its blessed seafront location. The city enjoys 320 sunny days annually and very mild winters. Excellent humidity levels and comfortable summer temperatures turn Malaga into an outstanding place for a beach holiday.
In winter months, the temperature rarely drops below 12 degrees, although in the neighboring mountains, protecting the city from northern winds, the weather is much less pleasant.
Come to explore kilometers of sandy beaches
Malaga is the idyllic gateway to the Mediterranean Sea and the gem of the Costa del Sol region. It is comfortably located on the seashore and boasts kilometers of Blue Flag beaches with modern tourism infrastructure and seafood restaurants.
Tourists will find any place to their liking here: crowded and dynamic urban beaches or empty coasts where you can have the beach pretty much to yourself, especially during the off-season months.
Discover that when Malaga celebrates, it never sleeps
Malaga’s nightlife is animated and very engaging. The atmosphere of a festival absorbs you and wins your heart. If you go out in Malaga, you will stay out very late.
Many people go to the city center first, eat a few tapas, navigate to the Old Town districtfor a late stroll and then flock to the night clubs and beach bars, which offer entertainment till morning.
The festive mood turns the whole city into a beehive during theEaster and August faircelebrations,when hardly anyone prefers to stay at home. The people,who cannot sing, sing. The people, who have never danced, dance. Live music, concerts, and fireworks are omnipresent.
See that Malaga is a universal destination, good for anyone
The city is a unique mix of the old and the new, something borrowed and something traditional. It offers endless options for leisure and entertainment and yet is a perfect place for business negotiations.
Malaga offers extensive cultural venues for artistic individuals and splendid culinary masterpieces for gourmands.
Get educated, entertained, and enchanted in Malaga’s museums
The cultural and historical appeal of this Andalusian city is more obvious, but few people really know that the city has 37 museums to every taste! The visiting card of its museums is the Picasso Museum, with its 3.5 million amazed visitors per year.
Next is probably the Centre Pompidou Malaga, which is the first museum under the famous Parisian brand opened outside of France.
The capital of the Costa del Sol region also boasts the collections of St. Petersburg’s Russian Museum and the Carmen Thyssen Museum, great displays of automobiles, archeological findings, and 19th century paintings.
Enjoy Malaga’s pedestrian-friendly status
The historical center of the city has gone pedestrianized, so you can enjoya pleasant stroll among numerous places of interest andeasily approach any historic landmark.
The most popular walking routes will take you to the Castle of Gibralfaro or the Alcazaba, from where you can appreciate a panoramic view of the whole city.
Another popular way leads down to the busy Mediterranean port, Muelle Uno, which is so impressive that it has become a must-see attraction for the young and the senior.
From the port, you can easily get to La Alameda Park, known for its subtropical plant species.
Check out a bunch of worthy near by destinations
Day trips from Malaga can be undertaken to Cordoba, Ronda, Granada, or Seville as well as to small, idyllic whitewashed villages in the mainland areas or to fishing villages on the seashore.
Other worthy destinations include Tarifa, Costa Tropical, Antequera, Marbella, or Villanueva de la Concepción. Alternatively, you can take a private day tour to one of the private local wineries, an old olive oil mill, or a bull and Andalusian horse breeding farm.
Just like Malaga, the city of Cordoba is an eclectic mixture of Islamic, Jewish, and proper Spanish cultures, as manifested in a unique selection of monumental historical and religious sights.
The coastal city of Cadiz is within three hours of drive from Malaga, but it is worth taking the journey. Fascinating ruins, gorgeous forts, winding streets and buzzing tapas bars are just a few highlights of this destination.
Looking like a picture, the old whitewashed fishing village of Frigiliana, with its cobbled streets and tiled roofs gives you a taste of traditional southern Spain.
As you find your way through the maze of narrow alleys, enjoy the scents of Frigiliana’s cafés and the artisanal culture of its street craftsmen.
Of all these, Ronda is perhaps the most fabulous town. Literally suspended over the breathtaking El Tajo gorge, it is also famous due to the oldest bull-fighting arena in Spain and a lot of traditional wineries, or bodegas, where you can learn the history of winemaking in the region.
If to drive away from the coast and towards the Sierra Nevada mountain range, one will inevitably come to the glorious city of Granada, most vividly associated with the Moorish rule.
Granada is home to the finest architectural landmark in Spain, the Alhambra, which is a UNESCO-listed palace complex that one surely has to see at least once in a lifetime.
Not to be forgotten is also the Andalusian capital, Seville. This astonishingly beautiful city is full of architectural wonders, such as the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, and historical attractions, such as the Plaza de España.
Growing in popularity is the tour to Gibraltar. Be sure to climb the Rock, from where you can get a stunning view all the way to Africa, or visit a few retail stores and souvenir shops on Calle Real.
If you are interested in surreal caves and prehistoric cave paintings, Nerja is your next destination. It offers a mixture of rocky cliffs and spacious sandy beaches, which are quite a change of scenes if to compare with busy Malaga.
There are many more reasons to come to Malaga. Why don’t you finally discover them in person rather than read another travel article?
Want to save this post for later? Pin to your fave Pinterest board!
