Things To Do In Malaga

Malaga is the capital of the hugely popular Costa del Sol holiday region and it has in excess of 500,000 inhabitants. As the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and Andalusia’s second largest coastal city, Malaga has plenty of cultural and historical attractions as well as several lovely beaches and fun for the family.

La Alcazaba

Located near the city centre and Paseo del Parque, the 9th - 10th century Alcazaba is the remains of an ancient Roman/Moorish palace that is situated in beautiful grounds on a hill. The fort was the home of Ferdinand and Isabella, who stayed here when they re-took Malaga. Views of the Mediterranean and the city are outstanding and the purple bougainvillea and orange trees light up the whole site.

Beaches

Malaga’s beaches are one of its star attractions and are popular at any time of the year. There are several beaches near the city including El Candado Beach, El Palo Beach and Las Acacias Beach. El Candado Beach is a family beach and one of Malaga’s finest, with excellent family facilities and plenty of water sports activities as well as being conveniently located near the city centre. El Palo Beach is great for fishermen, being much larger than El Candado Beach with good disabled facilities, while Las Acacias Beach has similar facilities to the other two and is especially known for its many fine restaurants. All of these beaches are characterised by fine, grey sand and all have moderate surf.

Castillo de Gibralfaro

The ruins of the Moorish Castillo de Gibralfaro are situated above La Alcazaba and originate from as far back as the 8th century, making the ruins older than the present day La Alcazaba. It was built by Abd ar-Rahman I and was reconstructed in the 14th and 15th centuries. Like La Alcazaba, the views from here are stunning and there are several walks and a museum for additional interest.

Picasso Foundation

Picasso was born in Malaga and the Picasso Foundation (Fundación Picasso), located in the historic quarter, is where he spent the first 17 months of his life (from 1881). The five-storey building, today a library for art historians and the foundation headquarters, features a collection of Picasso sculptures, ceramics and engravings and also hosts regular temporary exhibitions of avant-garde works. Picasso’s family lived on the second floor of the building, Casa Natal, but, unfortunately, the original furnishings have all been removed.

Malaga Bullfighting Ring

Malaga’s bullfighting ring is one of the city’s most prominent landmarks, located on a hill, high above the shoreline. The huge ring dates from 1874 and puts on regular shows for the packed-out capacity crowd of 15,000 people.

Malaga Cathedral

The 16th century Renaissance cathedral in Malaga is a vast structure and a national monument. Built on the site of a large mosque, the cathedral, known locally as La Manquita, was 200 years in the making and features a single tower; it was supposed to have two towers, which is the reason for its unofficial name La Manquita (the One-Armed). The cathedral has Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance themes, with a domed Gothic and Renaissance ceiling and an 18th century Baroque façade. The choir stalls are most impressive.

Museo Picasso Malaga

The Picasso Museum is very near the famous artist’s birthplace in the historic quarter of the city and displays some of his family’s heirlooms. There are more than 200 works here in different media including paintings, drawings, graphics, ceramics and sculpture. Some of these paintings were never displayed until recently and include: Bust of a Woman with Arms Crossed Behind Her Head, The Eyes of the Artist and Woman in an Armchair. Another is of Picasso’s son, Paulo, which was painted in 1923.

Roman Theatre

Malaga’s Roman Theatre is located just below La Alcazaba on the hill and was only discovered in 1951, which seems bizarre considering its dimensions are fairly substantial, at over 60 metres wide and 19 metres high. Elements of the theatre were used in the Roman's reconstruction of La Alcazaba.

Tivoli World

Tivoli World is Malaga’s favourite attraction for children. It is a theme park complete with some exciting rides and daily shows. Even families with infants can enjoy a day out at Tivoli, as many of the rides have been set up for very young children and the shows, which include the Wild West, Andalusian flamenco and ballet, also have a slant for youngsters. The excellent park restaurant is a bonus.