I visited Málaga city with my sister, two of her friends and my cousin to celebrate her birthday. We spent three days enjoying the sunshine, exploring the city and eating great food.
We stayed in a small apartment in the city centre, which made it easy to get around. After arriving in the afternoon, we went to Bodega El Pimpi, a popular traditional spot.
That evening we joined a pub crawl with over 50 people. It included drinks at several bars and entry to clubs. It was really social and a great way to meet people. It’s actually a great idea for solo travellers who want to meet people. We finished the night in one of the Malaga city’s busiest clubs before heading back around 3am.
The next day we started with a walk through Mercado Central de Atarazanas. It is a beautiful local market full of fresh fruit, seafood, and colourful stalls. We took a bus from Malaga city to Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción. It is a stunning botanical garden just outside the city. It’s full of tropical plants, little waterfalls and peaceful paths,. We ended up spending most of the afternoon there.
Back in the city centre we visited Málaga Cathedral, an impressive Renaissance cathedral. Locals call it La Manquita because one of its towers was never finished. We also stopped by Museo Picasso Málaga, which felt appropriate since Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga city. The museum isn’t huge, so it’s easy to visit even if you don’t have much time.
Later we walked along the harbour through Palmeral de las Sorpresas. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset by the sea. Afterward, we headed to dinner. We ended up at a restaurant near the port. We shared a mix of Spanish and Mexican dishes. Everything was delicious.
The following day was perfect beach weather, almost 30°C and very sunny, so we decided to spend the day by the sea.
That morning I was actually supposed to fly back to the UK. When I arrived at the airport, my boarding pass wasn’t working. That’s when I realised my flight was at 2am, not 2pm, meaning I had completely missed it.
After the initial panic, I bought another ticket for later that day. I went straight back to the beach to join the girls. In the end it worked out perfectly because I got to spend a few extra hours enjoying the sunshine.
After the beach we had some lovely tapas before I headed back to the airport. The girls stayed one more night and apparently ended up at a rooftop bar party, which they loved.
Even though we saw quite a lot, there’s still more to explore in Málaga. We didn’t manage to visit Alcazaba of Málaga. It is the famous Moorish fortress overlooking the city. That’s definitely on the list for next time.
Overall, Málaga was the perfect mix of culture, food, nightlife and beach, a city I’d definitely recommend visiting.
