Malaga (Spain)

Malaga is the largest city of the Costa del Sol, and even though it is a popular tourist area, it is also known as the birthplace of the famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso. The city's most attractive sights are the beautiful beaches, the archaeological excavations, the art museums, the good Spanish food and the shopping opportunities. Despite the amount of tourists, the city's historic center is well preserved and offers historic buildings, museums and the possibility for lounging in the sun on the beach.

Population: 568,507
Beach : Yes
Mountain : Yes
Popular destination: No
Official language: Spanish
Skill level of the English language : Moderate
Emergency numbers: 112 (the police, ambulance, fire brigade)
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Electric plugs: C, F
Voltage: 230 V
Tipping in a restaurant: It is common to tip 10% in the big cities if the service has been good. There is no tipping for less than good service.
Time in destination: Apr 6, 2020, 8:30:30 AM

Location map

Weather Forecast

Monthly Weather Conditions

Malaga has great year round weather. There are differences of course but the temperature never goes too low; so plan to travel whenever you want or have the time. Most of Malaga's rainy days are from October to January. Even then there are many things to see, enjoy and savour when it rains, so rain need not be a deterrent.

High season is definitely June, July and August. Throughout the summer and autumn there are many festivals, and bull fighting shows are at their peak.

More information: Malaga forecast and weather conditions monthly

Sights

Malaga 9 most important sights:

• Gibralfaro Castle: A 14th-century castle
• Picasso Museum: Museum where one can see more than 200 paintings, early academic studies and reworkings of old masters.
• Museo Automovilistico De Malaga: Automobile museum
• Museum of Glass and Crystal: Museum with approximately 700 pieces of glass.
• Alcazaba: One of the city's historic monuments and much visited because of its history and beauty.
• Malaga Cathedral: A Renaissance church was constructed between 1528 and 1782.
• La Concepcion - Jardin Botanico-Historico de Malaga: A beautiful 19th-century garden full of exotic flowers and ancient Roman statues.
• Hammam Al Andalus: Luxurious Arabic-style bathhouse
• Caminata por el rio Chillar: Beautiful hiking trail next to the river.

Recommendation for one day:

1. In the morning I like to visit Mercado Central de Atarazanas to find the great, fresh food of Malaga, and then continue straight to the beach at Playa de la Misericordia, one of the best beaches from which to experience the Ola del Melillero.
2. Go to Explorabike, and discover an ancient region of unspoiled landscapes and world heritage cities. Or you can walk with Guided Gourmet Tapas Tours through the beautiful and historic centre of Malaga old town.
3. Stop at the Museum of Glass and Crystal, located in a carefully restored 18th century house, here you can travel through different time periods by means of different culture's glass and crystal. Or you can go to another kind of Museum, the Museo Automovilistico De Malaga, a truly wonderful collection of cars.
4. Visit Alcazaba, built between 1057 and 1063, it's probably the most important military fortification remaining from the Hispanic-Arabic period.
5. Have a great night at Casino de Marbella, it offers 19 table games, 101 slots, a restaurant and a hotel. Or you can go to the restaurant El Meson de Cervantes to eat the best food in Malaga.

More information: Malaga sights on map

Guide video

Price Level

Compared to prices worldwide, Malaga is an average price destination.

On a tight budget, the daily budget is approximately $45.58, which includes hostel accommodation, budget meals and public transportation.

On a moderate budget, the daily budget is approximately $173.67, which includes a moderately priced hotel, meals at moderate priced restaurants and transportation costs.

Estimated prices:

• Hotel (2 stars): $45.07
• Hotel (3 stars): $61.63
• Hotel (4 stars): $94.75
• Hotel (5 stars): $230.29
• Taxi ride (3 miles): $11.05
• Taxi ride (6 miles): $18.17
• Beer in a restaurant (16 ounces): $2.70
• Meal, McDonalds: $7.55
• Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant: $10.78

More information: Malaga price level

Destination Map

Destination map in full scale: Malaga destination map

Safety

Malaga has been classified as quite dangerous with security classification 2/5.

Safety index values (higher is better):

• General: 75.3 (better than United states average 48.3)
• Walking alone during daytime hours: 83.9 (better than United states average 70.0)
• Walking alone at night: 67.1 (better than United states average 42.1)

More information: Malaga safety

Car Rental

Things which affect the renting of the car:

• Driver’s license: In the European Union / Schengen a driver's license from an EU country is sufficient, although for North Americans it is recommended to carry a separate international driving license, in addition to the American driving license.
• Direction of traffic: In Europe the traffic is mainly right-handed. The exception is Great Britain, which is left-handed traffic.
• Insurance: In Western Europe, all rental cars include some kind of insurance, so additional insurance policies are often unnecessary (unless you are going to Russia or Eastern Europe).
• Driving abroad: You can drive a rental car almost everywhere within all countries of the European Union / Schengen territory without additional fees. Eastern European countries and Russia are the exceptions and you should always ask the car rental company in advance about the rules.

More information: Car rental Europe