Things to Know Before You Go – Malaga, Spain

Malaga, Spain is such a beautiful city that has changed hands throughout history. It is the home to Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas. I have been wanting to visit for some time and I was excited to finally have the opportunity to go. This was possibly one of my favorite holiday destinations.

Airport

First off the airport is pretty hot. Didn’t seem like they had any air conditioning. When checking in, you need to look at the board to find out which ticket counter to walk up to in order to check in. There is free wi-fi, but I was only able to get it to work when I arrived in Malaga.

Wear Comfortable Shoes

You will need them! Malaga is a walking city. This is especially true if you stay in or around Centro Historico. I did so much walking, I just knew I was going to be leaving with defined legs and buns of steel. Having comfy shoes is a must.

Roll Your Bags Around

If you stay in the Centro Historico area you will more than likely be carrying, rolling, or dragging your bag to and from the place you are staying. Many streets don’t allow for cars to go down. Many of the taxis will drop you in the center and tell you which way to go. We all had to roll our bags through the streets trying to find our Airbnb. I also saw others rolling luggage and carrying golf club bags on their backs.

Stay in Centro Historico

City-Center-Apartment malaga, spain ©hollydayz
Part of Centro Historico ©2017 HollyDayz

I highly recommend staying in this area. There are tons and tons of restaurants, shopping, things to see and do, night life, and more. It also isn’t too far from the beach. Something is always going on and happening, putting you into the heart of it all. One thing to keep in mind is that you will mostly likely hear all the happenings from the place you are staying, mostly at night until around 3am or so.

Weather

Approximately 300 days of sunshine a year can be found in Malaga. It was very warm in the day with a nice breeze. At night it got a little chilly, so a sweater or light jacket wouldn’t hurt. I would definitely recommend sunscreen. The sun is no joke and beams down. I barely saw a cloud there.

Nightlife

exploring malaga spain in 48 hours ©hollydayz
Pouring juice into alcohol. ©2017 HollyDayz

Casual wear is acceptable for the night life. Of course some people were in heels and dresses, but many people, men and women, had on sneakers, jeans, t-shirts, and hats on backwards. I thought that was pretty cool to see people just be comfortable and still admitted into a club. I put on some comfortable flip-flops and had no issues getting in. We also went to a bar and a club, in both when you order a drink the glass is pretty big and doesn’t cost much. They fill half the glass with alcohol and then give you, your juice of choice in a separate bottle for you to pour and mix yourself.

Beggars

There are a lot of people walking around asking for money. They have no problem walking right up into your personal space. Doesn’t matter if you are walking around or sitting down eating. They will stand there asking over and over again. It takes them a good amount of time before the budge and move on. Same with those trying to sell trinkets. One guy even laid it across the table while I was eating, repeating 1 Euro over and over again.

The Beach

exploring malaga spain in 48 hours ©hollydayz
Malagueta Beach ©2017 HollyDayz

I only went Playa Malagueta. There were a ton of people, but it was pretty quiet for the most part. There were women who were topless and kids running around naked. The water was pretty cold, but that didn’t stop people from going in. The views from the beach are pretty. A must do is eat some fish on the beach! They are known for anchovies and fish being grilled right on the beach. Mami Beach had some delicious food with a great view!

Art Everywhere

DISCOVERING STREET ART IN MALAGA ©hollydayz
Some artwork at Puerto Malaga ©2017 HollyDayz

There are a ton of museums to visit if you are interested. If not, there are tons of art installations all around the city to enjoy for free. All you need to do is take a walk around.

Food

Ham & Cheese sandwich for breakfast. ©2017 HollyDayz

There is some great food in Malaga. If you want to eat local definitely stay in the city center or hit the beach. There are some areas and Puerto Malaga that are more for tourists and have certain foods. We were told by a local restaurant worker that if we wanted eggs for breakfast we would have to hit the tourist spots. Otherwise, ham and cheese sandwiches are on plenty of menus.
I hope some of these tips were helpful in knowing what to expect when visiting Malaga! It is such a beautiful place and I would gladly go back to learn some more! Check out more pictures of Malaga on my Instagram!


Have you ever been to Malaga?

Related Posts: