As the main city on Spain’s popular Costa del Sol, Málaga is often overlooked as a destination. Most only make a quick stop before racing off to enjoy the sandy beaches, but we think the city deserves more time. With a hilltop castle, a centuries-old Alcazaba and pretty historic streets, there are many treasures to be found when you explore Málaga’s historic streets.
Like other cities along Spain’s southern coast, Málaga has been inhabited for over 3,000 years. The most impactful time on the city was when it was under Moorish rule, from the 8th to 15th centuries. Its importance was tied to its port because of its proximity to the land-locked Moorish capital of Granada. It wasn’t until the mid 15th century that Ferdinand and Isabella, Spain’s first monarchy, conquered the Moors and took control of Málaga. This meant it was one of the few remaining Moorish cities in Andalucía, falling to the Spanish only 5 years before Granada.
A lot of that history can be seen today in its blend of Moorish and Spanish monuments. Here are some of those historic sites you’ll see when you visit Málaga.
Alcazaba of Málaga
From the waterfront, we looked up to see the old stone walls of the Alcazaba. The impressive ramparts follow the lower slopes of Mount Gibralfaro and enticed us to get a closer look.
Alcazaba comes from the Arabic word, Al-qasbah, which describes a fortified citadel within a city. In Morocco, is is translated into English as Kasbah.
Alcazaba of Málaga was built atop a Roman fortification in the 8th century. This makes it older than Spain’s more famous ones in Granada and Seville. It was first built as a fortress and later transformed into a palace. Because of this, the complex has a combination of stoic fortress features and elegant palace décor.
The walls are a mix of stone and brick and reminded us a little of Ottoman buildings in Turkey. The entrance to the Alcazaba is on the lower level, where its tall walls and old gates remind you this was once a fortress. Between those walls are small courtyards with trees and gardens that add colour to the otherwise monotone space.
You will find the former palaces at the top of the complex. Compared to the plain look of the lower level, these palace rooms have more decoration. Although not nearly as grand as Seville or Granada, you can still see examples of the stunning Moorish architectural styles. Lace-like designs decorate the arches and window frames. You can even find a few rooms with wonderfully carved wooden ceilings.
From the upper level, you can see Gibralfaro Castle on top of the hill. A fortified walkway, called coracha, was built to protect soldiers travelling between the two, but it is not open to the public.
Unfortunately, the Alcazaba hasn’t been maintained as well as others in the country, but we think it is still worth a visit.
Gibralfaro Castle
The Moors built Gibralfaro Castle in the 10th century and greatly expanded it in the 14th when they were worried about Spanish invasions. Its tall walls and hilltop location allowed the Moors to defend the city for a while, but eventually, after a three-month-long battle, the city fell to the Spanish.
The inside of the castle is mostly in ruins now, but its location on Mount Gibralfaro means it offers great panoramic views. Below, we saw the busy port. Instead of ships from the Middle Ages though, today it is filled with super yachts and cruise ships.
We also looked down upon the city to see the Alcazaba standing above a palatial-looking City Hall. The mix of buildings in this shot tells something about the mix of history in Málaga.
On the other side, we could peek through the open roof of the large bullring.
Tickets to the Alcazaba include the castle, but they are no longer directly connected. From the Alcazaba, follow the signs to the pathway that leads you to the castle.
Roman Theatre
Below the Alcazaba, you can see the remains of a Roman Theatre. Seeing the two ruins in such close proximity makes it easier to understand how important this land was across different civilizations over many centuries.
The theatre is beside a public sidewalk. There is no entrance fee.
Historic Centre
At the base of the hill is the city’s lovely historic downtown. Streets roam in all sorts of directions and getting lost in them is a pleasure because you may unexpectedly find yourself on another, even cuter street. Even on a rainy day, we enjoyed wandering around the historic streets.
Many of the buildings have wrought iron balconies that are prevalent throughout Andalucía. Some are open and filled with plants, while others are enclosed in glass. The lower levels in many have been converted into shops and restaurants, while the upper floors look to be residential. The sidewalks and patios were quite busy when we visited, but it seemed like there were more locals than tourists, which was very nice to see.
Picasso Museum
One of Málaga’s most famous sons is Pablo Picasso. A large selection of his art can be seen in Museo Picasso Málaga. Most of the art displayed are paintings of disconnected people and are easy to recognize as Picasso’s work. Some of the titles made us giggle, seeming too common for his eclectic style. You can see those titles on the pictures below.
It was surprising to see examples of his traditional or ‘normal’ portraits. Some were of his son.
We didn’t reazlie that Picasso was also a sculptor. The ones we saw are as strange as his paintings.
Another Picasso museum is located in the home where he was born, but we didn’t go inside Museo Casa Natal.
Málaga Cathedral
The large Catedral de la Encarnación de Málaga takes over an entire city block. Two turret-style towers flank the main entrance, giving it a castle-like appearance. You may notice balconies on their upper levels. Behind these balconies were the residences for basilica staff.
The single bell tower at the side was meant to have a twin to balance the building’s appearance. During the 200 years it took to build the cathedral, money became scarce so only one tower was completed. Because of this, locals nicknamed the cathedral Manquita, which translates in English to one-armed lady, or unfinished.
A pedestrian street allows you to walk all the way around the cathedral and see its other decorated doors.
The cathedral had a number of architects over the many years it took to build. One of those also played a significant role in the designs of Cádiz and Granada Cathedrals. While the nave in Cádiz Cathedral seemed under-decorated to us, Malaga’s is anything but. Between the fancy columns, plaster-work carvings, statues, and stained glass, there is not a lot of space left unadorned.
Architect Andrés de Vanderlvira, designed the elaborate choir. We saw more of his work in Jaén, Úbeda and Baeza (Coming Soon).
Mercado Central de Atarazanas
Not only is this lively market a great place to stock up on Spanish delicacies, it also has a fantastic location. The building was originally a Moorish shipyard warehouse. What we see today is the result of 19th-century restorations. The steel walls and brick base make it interesting, but its nicest feature is the large stained glass window above the main entrance.
How to get to Málaga
Málaga is very easy to reach. Its Costa del Sol International Airport receives flight from many European destinations. It is also well connected with the rest of the country by rail and bus. Reaching the smaller beach towns such as Marbella and Nerja, is often possible by bus or taxi, but having your own car would give you more options.
Where to stay in Málaga
There are many choices for hotels in the city’s historic centre, but if you have a car, make sure they have parking. If you would rather stay a little further out, the city’s public transit system is very efficient and makes it easy to get around. There are also many beach towns up and down the coast that allow you to visit the city on a day trip, and yet still enjoy your beach vacation.
How to get around Málaga
There are two metro lines, connecting the suburbs with city centre. You can buy a metro card if you plan to take multiple trips, but otherwise you can buy one ticket at a time at the station.
You can find Málaga in the lower centre area of the map below. Click on the map for an expanded view.
Don’t forget to check out some of the side trips you can do from Málaga in our posts Best Day Trips From Málaga, Hiking El Caminito del Rey, Costa del Sol – Frigiliana & Nerja and Costa del Sol – Estepona, Marbella & Casarás.
This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Malaga.
To read more of our adventures in Spain, click here.
Coming Next – Best Day Trips From Málaga
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