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| Malaga City |
Malaga is a beautiful coastal city situated in Andalucia (southern Spain) with a fascinating history and rich culture. It's a very lively city which is full of amazing restaurants and interesting places to visit. I've visited Malaga for around five years now as my parents own a house about an hour away so I thought I'd share a list of things to do in the city for those who wish to visit it and are not as familiar with the area as I am.
1. Go shopping- Malaga's historical centre is an amazing shopping destination as it has lots of quirky individual shops as well as the popular high street chains such as Pull and Bear and Stradivarius. There are a number of unique jewellery, clothing, perfume and Moroccan interior shops located down the small side streets off the main shopping street (Calle Larios) where you can purchase more unusual goods. There are two shopping centres (Larios Centro and Malaga Maria Zambrano) about a 15 minute walk away from the historical centre which contain shops such as H&M, Bershka, Pull and Bear and Primark. There is also an El Corte Ingles department store 5 minutes away from the Larios Centro where you will find high end makeup, clothing and a food hall.
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| Calle Larios (main shopping street) |
2.
Visit the Alcazaba- The Malaga Alcazaba is a Moorish fortress situated in the city's historical centre. It's Malaga's most important landmark and is well worth a visit if you are interested in history or architecture.
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| Malaga Alcazaba |
3. Visit Malaga Cathedral- Malaga Cathedral is a very beautiful building situated in the heart of the city. It's another great visit for those who enjoy history and architecture or are religious.
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| Malaga Cathedral |
4. Go to the beach- Although the beach is often packed with tourists it's still a nice place to visit if you go early enough to get a good sunbathing spot or later on a night when it's not as busy. There are a few beach bars where you can get refreshments throughout the day or an evening meal.
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| Malaga Beach |
5.
Have a drink at La Tetería- La Tetería is a Moroccan tea shop situated next to the Cathedral. It sells a range of unique drinks including teas, infusions, yoghurt shakes and milk shakes as well as amazing desserts. It has a great atmosphere and is a lovely place to sit and have a rest in the afternoon.
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| La Tetería- Moroccan tea shop |
6.
Visit the Puerto de Malaga- The Puerto de Malaga is a great place to go for an evening meal as it has a wide range of restaurants (I particularly like Amigos Indian and Mexican restaurant). There are also a few shops (mostly boutiques) and on Sundays there's a market selling clothes, food and jewellery.
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| Puerto de Malaga |
7.
Go to Hammam Al Andalus spa- The Hammam Al Andalus spa is the perfect place to relax. It has Arab baths at a range of temperatures, a steam room, a hot rock room and a range of treatments. You are given an hour and a half to do whatever you want and, if you have paid for a massage or other treatment, you will be called into the treatment room in pairs at some point during your session. All massages are done with a scented oil of your choice and, if you really love the scent, you can purchase bottles of these in the entrance to take home with you. Guests are also provided with mint tea in the seating area upstairs. The interior of the spa is inspired by the Moorish design of famous buildings such as the Alhambra palace in the city of Granada, it is beautifully decorated with colourful tiles and intricate pillars. I absolutely loved my visit to the spa and really recommend it to anyone visiting the city.
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| Hammam Al Andalus |
8.
Have a meal at one of the many restaurants in the city centre- There are a wide variety of restaurants in the centre of Malaga, many of which serve traditional Spanish tapas dishes. My favourite places to eat are El Piyayo (although there aren't many vegetarian options) and El Vegetariano de Alcazabilla. El Piyayo is a tapas bar which serves a range of meat and fish dishes as well as salads and a few vegetable dishes, it's really close to the main shopping street (Calle Larios). El Vegetariano de Alcazabilla is a vegetarian restaurant near the Alcazaba which serves creative vegetarian dishes. There's a good variety of meals to choose from and there're even a few vegan dishes on the menu, the food is so nice that even those who aren't vegetarian are likely to enjoy it.
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| My favourite restaurants in the city centre |
9.
Visit the Picasso Museum- Malaga is the birthplace of Picasso and so it follows that the Picasso museum in the centre is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.It's a great visit for all art lovers and those who enjoy culture.
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| Picasso Museum |
10.
Visit the Botanical Gardens- Malaga's beautiful botanical gardens are a great place to stroll round during the day as they are a lot more shaded than the rest of the city. They have a wide variety of trees, plants and flowers and there are sometimes activities on offer for children and families.
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| Botanical Gardens |
Malaga is a city that's well worth a visit as it has lots more amazing attractions. It's a lovely place to visit in the summer and, for those who'd like to experience the culture of the city, the annual Malaga Feria also takes place in August.
~ Caitlin x
