Must-Visit Places Around Malaga on Spain’s Costa del Sol

Malaga is the gateway to the Costa del Sol with many visitors arriving by air or ferry while others visit by cruise ship. It’s a busy commercial port and has been since ancient times. It’s also a charming place with a long history and vestiges of another era are still visible around the city. Many are conveniently located in the historical center and around the cruise port.

Must-see places in Malaga

Alcazaba

This well-preserved Moorish fortress dates back to the 8^thcentury and its main purpose was to defend the city from pirates. Built on the site of an ancient Roman town, the remnants of an old amphitheater are still visible near the entrance. The Alcazaba has been restored several times over the years and is now an important archeological site. As we walked around the citadel, we saw spectacular vistas from many easily accessible vantage points.

Castillo de Gibralfaro

Located atop Mount Gibralfaro, this Moorish castle is well worth the trek up the hill. You can walk up via a path but it’s a strenuous hike. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or tourist bus (the Hop on Hop off stops there). On top, there is a visitor center with an exhibit depicting the history of the castle along with some military artifacts. The best activity by far is to simply walk around the ramparts and see all the splendid views of the city and harbor. It can be windy, so hold on to your hat! I almost lost mine!

Cathedral of Malaga

This majestic cathedral is located in the heart of the historical center and stands on the site of an old mosque. Built between 1528 and 1782 it features both Renaissance and Baroque styles. The façade has only one tower and some say that this is due to a lack of funds. The reason why isn’t important because the lack of a second tower doesn’t take anything away from the beauty of this impressive cathedral.

Picasso Museum

Being the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, it’s only fitting that there is a museum dedicated to this famous artist in Malaga. The museum is located in the historical center. Nearby there is also the Casa Natal, the official birthplace of Picasso. This is now a heritage site.

Nerja

Located about an hour’s drive from Malaga, this charming seaside town is definitely worth a visit. In the historic center you’ll see the 17^thcentury Church of the Savior and the Balcony of Europe, so named as legend has it by King Alphonso XII in 1885 when we were inspecting the remains of a fort that stood there but was damaged by an earthquake. He supposedly remarked that this was the balcony of Europe, and the name stuck!

From here you’ll see spectacular views of the coastline and marvel at the waves crashing up on the shore to the rhythm of the surf. Down below there is a lovely beach and you’ll find plenty of shops, cafés and restaurants in the historical center area. The best way to discover this area is simply to walk around.

The Caves of Nerja’s are amazing and a definite must-see attraction. They are easy to navigate with walking paths and staircases but must be visited as part of a guided tour. These ancient caves have been around for a very long time, inside they discovered 20,000-year-old Neanderthal cave paintings. Also, they house one of the world’s largest stalagmites, a column measuring 105 feet in height and 43 feet in width. There are many other interesting features to see here and the cave is dry and there are no bats, or at least we didn’t smell any.

Five young men rediscovered the caves in 1959. They boys went in through a narrow hole, called “La Mina”. Inside they saw a few skeletons and got scared and ran off but fortunately they shared their findings with some elders who came to investigate. Many other ancient artifacts were found, and this is now an important archeological site in the Malaga area.

Torremolinos

This beach resort town is located on the Costa del Sol nestled between the sea and the mountains creating a lovely setting to take a vacation and unwind. It’s also an excellent home base to explore the Costa del Sol. If you don’t mind long days on the road and early wake-ups, you can take daily trips to some of the major towns in Andalusia and even to Gibraltar. Or you can simply laze around on the beach, It’s up to you!

The seaside esplanade, Paseo Maritimo, is a nice place to go for a walk or a jog if you like. The pathway goes on for miles. Along the way you can admire the scenery and see some amazing sand sculptures. Some of the local artists were simply amazing. We had no idea you could make such beautiful sculptures out of sand alone.

Many hotels are located next to the beach but stairways as well as elevators lead to the upper town where you will find many shops and restaurants lining the narrow streets and plazas.

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