MÁLAGA

1. The Alcazaba of Malaga

Visiting the Alcazaba, a Muslim-era fortification built in the 11th century, at the foot of Mount Gibralfaro, is one of the best things to do in Malaga .
With a military function, this citadel became one of the buildings that best resisted the sieges during the Reconquest thanks to its large crenellated walls, high towers, double doors and arches.
Inside you will find a beautiful complex of palaces, gardens, fountains and patios, among which the Puerta de los Arcos, the Plaza de Armas and the Torre del Homenaje stand out, both with incredible views of the city and the bay although their great jewel are the Cuartos de Granada, the place where the kings lived, which captivate with the detailed decoration in Nasrid style of royal rooms and patios.

2.Gibralfaro Castle

Another of the best things to do in Malaga is to walk up the path that goes from La Alcazaba to Gibralfaro Castle and stop at the different natural viewpoints, although another less tiring option is to take bus 35 that leaves from the Park promenade.
Once in this Arab fortress, built in the 14th century and which resisted several sieges by the troops of the Catholic Monarchs, you can tour its wall passing by its 8 towers, among which the Torre Mayor stands out, 17 meters high, and enjoy of the best views of the city with the Mediterranean in the background.
On the Gibralfaro hill there are also two viewpoints outside the walls that are perfect for enjoying the best sunset over Malaga and which we have marked on the map at the end of the article.

3.Castle of the Christian Monarchs

Larios Street is the most emblematic, elegant and famous pedestrian street in Malaga. It is always lively, its shops and businesses are wide open, it decks itself out whenever it can, no matter if it is a party or a festival, and it often hosts art and photography exhibitions. In addition, it centralizes a good part of the social life of Malaga. That is why, perhaps, it has benches that invite you to rest, talk and enjoy the movement of an always dynamic city. You stop by here, no matter what, if you plan a shopping day in the center of Malaga .

Just 350 meters long and 16 meters wide, Larios Street is one of the most desired commercial streets in the world and owes its name to Manuel Domingo Larios y Larios, II Marquis of Larios, promoter of the development of the city in the 19th century. textile industry in the city. His effigy can be seen at the beginning of the street in a sculptural group signed by none other than Benlliure and located at the intersection of the Alameda Principal.

Calle Larios, aristocratic and elegant

Marqués de Larios Street (as it is officially called) has existed since 1891 and since then it has carried a glamorous, aristocratic and elegant halo. It begins in the Plaza de la Constitución and ends in the Alameda Principal park , just a step away from the sea. And it is flanked by solid symmetrical buildings with curved corners designed by Malaga architect Eduardo Strachan. Apparently, he was inspired by the prevailing trends in the city of Chicago to configure this axis of the historic center of Malaga.

The first paving of Larios Street was made with wooden logs, which gave the street a very warm and comfortable feeling, but 16 years later, in 1907, the Guadalmedina River overflowed and the water lifted the wooden dowels, which They were later replaced by others made of granite. The last remodeling of the cobblestones of the street, now pedestrian, dates back to 2002.

4. Benalmádena Butterfly Garden

In a spectacular Thai temple you can walk among more than 1,500 exotic butterflies from all over the world that fly freely in a tropical paradise among waterfalls and flowers.

You will be able to observe how they are born, how they reproduce and enjoy learning many things about these wonderful insects.The butterfly park's flight area includes a glassed-in tropical garden with a surface area of ​​more than 900 square meters and eight meters high, where between 1,500 and 2,000 butterflies of exotic species native to tropical areas around the world fly. Throughout the year you can see more than 150 different species. 70 percent of the specimens that fly in the butterfly farm are produced in-house and 30 percent are imported from their places of origin.

5. Ruins of Bobastro

Two kilometers north of El Chorro are the ruins of Bobastro, in the municipality of Ardales, an enclave where Omar Ben Hafsún took refuge at the end of the 9th century when he rebelled against the emir of Córdoba. It was a place of resistance to the established order and the remains of a Mozarabic cave church and a castle still survive . His conversion to Christianity in the year 899 explains the construction of this temple, excavated in the rock probably by eremitic tradition and built at the end of the 9th century or the beginning of the 10th century. It is the only basilica of Mozarabic origin that is known at all. -Andalus. It was destroyed by Abd al-Rahman III , when, after resisting as an independent territory for more than 50 years against Cordoban attempts, it was conquered in 928. During the excavations in 1986, the remains of one of the first known monasteries in the province were discovered. from Malaga.

6. The Malagueta

Malagueta beach, in Malaga, is located between the Port of Malaga and La Caleta beach. This beach is named after its homonymous neighborhood, La Malagueta, which is located in the center of the city. During the 19th century it was occupied by sugar factories, wineries, shipyards and other types of industrial production. At the end of the century they built the Noble Hospital and the Bullring, and the transformation would begin in what is today the La Malagueta neighborhood.

This beach is one of the many that were regenerated on the Malaga coast. With dark sand, it has an extension of 1,200 meters in length and 45 meters in average width, and usually has a moderate wave tide. This beach has been awarded the Blue Flag 2021.

7. Malaga Park

The Park is located in the center of Malaga and stands out for its great historical value, since it is directly related to the history of the 19th century, having its origin in a law of 1896 inspired by Cánovas del Castillo.

Its plantation has been enriched over time with species from different origins and for its construction, land was reclaimed from the sea at the end of the 19th century, with an area of ​​3.3 hectares in which a great diversity of vegetation can be observed. which highlights tropical and subtropical species, as well as palm trees, dragon trees, oriental bananas or ficus.

The visitor will be able to enjoy its numerous fountains and monuments. Its proximity to the "Palm Grove of Surprises" places it in an emblematic place, in addition to being classified as one of the best open subtropical gardens in Europe.

8.The Municipal Souk of Artisans

The Atarazanas Market is a historic market located in the heart of Malaga . An architectural treasure that exhibits the heritage and gastronomic wealth of the city. But it is also a mandatory stop to immerse yourself in the local culture and take the pulse of the city.

It has dozens of stalls where you can buy the freshest products (fish, seafood, organic fruits and vegetables...) and also many where you can get a souvenir of the taste of Malaga . Traditional products such as oils, typical sweets, cheeses, local sausages, preserves... A whole symphony of flavors to taste the most authentic Málaga.

It is also the favorite place for Malaga residents to eat the popular fried fish . It has stands for tapas at the foot of the bar and a terrace area for those who prefer to sit down and eat more peacefully.

The Atarazanas Market is located in the place where some Nasrid shipyards were located in the 14th century, when Malaga belonged to Al-Andalus. After the Christian conquest of the city, the space was used as a warehouse, arsenal, military hospital and barracks.

9.Roman Theater

The Roman Theater, located at the bottom of the Alcazaba hill, is the main monument preserved from the Roman era and another of the essential places to see in Malaga .
Built in the 1st century by order of Emperor Augustus, this theater has remained hidden for centuries until in 1951, thanks to the construction of a new building, it came to light and became another of the city's tourist attractions.
During your free visit you can see a large part of the original stands, several marble plaques in the orchestra area and the pulpit.

10.Las Aguilillas Necropolis

A much more unknown heritage treasure is the Necropolis of Las Aguilillas, a prehistoric funerary complex (2nd Millennium BC) built in artificial caves and located in the municipality of Campillos . Discovered in the late eighties and studied in 1991, it is made up of seven tombs between 2100 and 1900 BC in a period of transition between the Copper Age and the Bronze Age. It seems that it was associated with the town of El Castillón, which is located about 500 meters on the other side of the Guadalteba River. Due to their architectural forms, the human remains and the archaeological grave goods found, they are among the best studied and those that have offered the most information about the life and death of the first inhabitants of Guadalteba . According to the studies carried out, about 50 people of different ages and sexes were buried, the burials are of second deposition (only bones). The tombs were built manually with stone picks (about two hundred flint and other materials were recovered), and next to the human remains were found grave goods consisting of ceramic vessels, flint knives and personal ornaments (necklaces), as well as metallic objects such as points and punches, and some female idols in stone.