Panoramic view of Málaga and its port from Gibralfaro
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Málaga in 3 days

  • 3 days
  • 5.9 km on foot
  • 17 stops
  • Audio guide

With three days, you can live Málaga the local way: no need for early starts, lunches stretch out and there's still time for the beach. This plan is for travellers who want to go beyond the postcard, taking in the mural-covered Soho, the sanctuary of the city's patron saint and the house where Picasso was born. Mornings for routes, afternoons for extras and, on the last day, mysteries after dark.

Day 1Picasso, a castle and the beach

Ease in with “The best of Málaga: from Picasso to the lighthouse”: the Picasso Museum, the cathedral, the Alcazaba and the walk down the Paseo del Parque to the Pompidou and La Farola. Head back to Atarazanas Market for pescaíto frito and, after an unhurried lunch, climb Gibralfaro as the sun starts to drop: from the ramparts you'll see everything you walked in the morning. Then go down to La Malagueta to dip your feet in the sea and have a drink at a beach bar as the light fades; save the sardine espetos for your last day.

  1. Morning

    The best of Málaga: from Picasso to the lighthouse

    Mixed · 2 km · 1 h 50 min

    1. Museo Picasso MálagaPicasso offered works to his home city in 1953; it took half a century for the museum to become a reality.
    2. Málaga CathedralA Renaissance giant built over the great mosque, with some of the tallest naves in Spain.
    3. The AlcazabaCourtyards with fountains, Andalusi arches and the best view of the port, ten minutes from the cathedral.
    4. Paseo del Parque and City HallWhere palm trees and giant fig trees grow today, there was sea until the late 19th century.
    5. El Cubo of the Centre PompidouA coloured glass cube on the quay announces the first Pompidou outpost outside France.
    6. La Farola lighthouseOne of the few lighthouses in Spain with a feminine name has watched over the port since 1817.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Pescaíto frito at Mercado Central de Atarazanas. Calle Atarazanas, 10

  3. Afternoon

    Gibralfaro Castle

    A 14th-century Nasrid fortress built by Yusuf I on the hilltop and linked to the Alcazaba by the Coracha wall. Walk the ramparts between the battlements: the views over the port, the bullring and the bay are the best in Málaga.

    Directions

    La Malagueta Beach

    Málaga's city beach begins where the port ends, ten minutes' walk from the Paseo del Parque. Beach bars grill espetos, skewers of sardines, over fires in sand-filled boats, and a palm-lined promenade runs alongside: the perfect end to the day after coming down from Gibralfaro.

    Directions

Day 2Three thousand years and a mural district

Today is for “Málaga in layers: from Malaka to Calle Larios”. Start early at the Roman Theatre, continue past the Alcazaba and the Customs House Palace, home to the Museo de Málaga if you fancy going in, and head down through Plaza de la Constitución to Atarazanas Market. For lunch, double back to El Pimpi, below the Alcazaba, and order its ajoblanco with grapes, Málaga's signature cold almond soup. In the afternoon, the Carmen Thyssen Museum and then Soho, with its murals and the CAC, to end the day surrounded by art.

  1. Morning

    Málaga in layers: from Malaka to Calle Larios

    History · 1.6 km · 1 h 40 min

    1. Roman TheatreIt lay buried under a government building until 1951, and today its seats face the street once again.
    2. The AlcazabaThe fortress that held out through the long siege of 1487 and watched the Catholic Monarchs enter Málaga.
    3. Customs House Palace (Palacio de la Aduana)It was designed to tax trade with the Americas and ended up as a tobacco factory, a civil government office and a museum.
    4. Plaza de la ConstituciónIts name has changed with every regime, but since the 15th century this is where Málaga comes together.
    5. Calle LariosA street cut in one go through the Moorish maze, paid for by a family of industrialists who wanted a modern Málaga.
    6. Atarazanas MarketThe gateway of a Nasrid shipyard, which once opened onto the sea, is now the entrance to the city's central market.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Ajoblanco at Bodega Bar El Pimpi. Calle Granada, 62

  3. Afternoon

    Carmen Thyssen Museum

    Housed in the 16th-century Palacio de Villalón, it brings together Spanish painting from the 19th and early 20th centuries: landscapes, Andalusian genre scenes, Sorolla and Romero de Torres. It's a manageable size, easily seen in an hour and a half, and just two streets from Calle Larios.

    Directions

    Soho district

    The grid of streets between the Alameda and the port has reinvented itself as an arts district, with whole façades painted by muralists such as Obey and D*Face, plus galleries and cafés. At its far end, by the river, CAC Málaga shows contemporary art in the old wholesale market.

    Directions

Day 3Young Picasso and hidden Málaga

Your last day is a gentler one. Have churros with chocolate for breakfast at Casa Aranda, by Atarazanas, then visit Picasso's Birthplace on Plaza de la Merced and walk up Calle Victoria to the sanctuary of the patron saint, whose baroque crypt sets the mood for the evening. At midday, head down to La Malagueta, by bus or on a longer walk, for sardine espetos at El Cachalote and a lazy hour on the beach. Late in the afternoon, “Hidden Málaga” sets off nearby, from the English Cemetery, and ends at the Church of the Holy Martyrs, passing La Manquita. To say goodbye: sweet wine at Antigua Casa de Guardia, on the Alameda.

  1. Morning

    Picasso's Birthplace

    Pablo Picasso was born at number 15 Plaza de la Merced in 1881. The house, now a museum run by the Picasso Foundation, holds family belongings, drawings, prints and ceramics, and recreates the world of his childhood. It's small: you'll see it in under an hour.

    Directions

    Sanctuary of La Victoria

    It stands where the Catholic Monarchs camped during the siege of 1487 and is home to Málaga's patron saint. Its treasures are the baroque camarín and, beneath it, the crypt of the Counts of Buenavista, decorated with skeletons: one of the most startling sights in the city. Check visiting hours.

    Directions

  2. Lunch

    Try Sardine espetos at El Cachalote. Paseo Marítimo Pablo Ruiz Picasso, s/n (playa de la Malagueta)

  3. Early evening

    Hidden Málaga: traps, prisoners and a missing tower

    Mysteries & legends · 2.3 km · 1 h 45 min

    1. English CemeteryBefore it existed, Protestants who died in Málaga were buried at night on the beach.
    2. Plaza de la Merced and the Torrijos obeliskBeneath the obelisk lie 49 men who fell into a trap baited with fake letters.
    3. Church of Santiago and Jesús El RicoEvery Holy Wednesday a Christ figure leaves this church with the privilege of setting a prisoner free.
    4. La Manquita: the missing towerThe cathedral never got its second tower, and Málaga has been arguing ever since about where the money went.
    5. Church of the Holy Martyrs (Santos Mártires)Two young people stoned by the river in the year 303 became, twelve centuries later, the patron saints of Málaga.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  4. Dinner

    Try Sweet Málaga wine at Antigua Casa de Guardia. Alameda Principal, 18

The map

Málaga in 3 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed History Mysteries & legends Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Málaga in 3 days

  • Spread out the indoor visits so you don't burn out: the Picasso Museum on day one, the Thyssen on day two and Picasso's Birthplace on day three. Several Málaga museums close one day a week, often Monday; check opening hours before deciding what to do on which day.
  • If you're visiting in summer, save Gibralfaro for late afternoon and the beach for afterwards. On some days the terral blows, a hot wind from inland that sends temperatures soaring: on those days, go for museums in the morning and the seafront in the afternoon.
  • To add a day trip to Nerja, Ronda or the Caminito del Rey, swap it for the morning of day three and keep the mystery route for the evening. The Caminito has to be booked well in advance and needs proper footwear.

Questions

Málaga in 3 days: your questions

Isn't three days too long for Málaga?

Not if you like museums or want some beach time. The centre can be seen in two days, but the third lets you slow down and discover La Victoria, one of the least touristy neighbourhoods near the centre. If you'd rather get moving, use that day for a trip by train or bus.

How far will I walk in three days?

The three routes add up to about 5.9 km spread over three days. With Gibralfaro, La Malagueta, Soho and the walk up to La Victoria, you'll average 5 to 7 km a day, with two climbs: the castle, which is steep, and the sanctuary, which is gentler.

Is the combined Alcazaba and Gibralfaro ticket worth it?

Yes, if you're visiting both, as in this plan: the Alcazaba on the morning of day one and Gibralfaro in the afternoon. Check its conditions and opening hours; entry is often free on Sunday afternoons, which means more people and sometimes queues.

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