Things to do · Málaga · Spain
19 best things to do in Málaga
19 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Llecco, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Málaga are Alcazaba of Málaga, Museo Picasso Málaga and Málaga Cathedral. Of the 19 picks below, 9 are free, 6 work on a rainy day and 6 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Alcazaba of Málaga
- Free sights
- 9
- Good on a rainy day
- Museo Picasso Málaga
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcazaba of Málaga | Centro Histórico | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Museo Picasso Málaga | Centro Histórico | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Málaga Cathedral | Centro Histórico | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Calle Larios and Plaza de la Constitución | Centro Histórico | 30 minutes | Free |
| Gibralfaro Castle | Centro Histórico | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Roman Theatre | Centro Histórico | 30 minutes | Free |
| Mercado Central de Atarazanas | Centro Histórico | 45 minutes | Free |
| Muelle Uno and the port promenade | La Malagueta | 1 hour | Free |
| La Malagueta beach | La Malagueta | Half a day | Free |
| Carmen Thyssen Museum | Centro Histórico | 1–1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Museo de Málaga | Centro Histórico | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Museo Casa Natal Picasso | La Merced and Lagunillas | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Soho street art | Soho | 1 hour | Free |
| CAC Málaga | Soho | 1 hour | Free |
| Pedregalejo and El Palo seafront | Pedregalejo | 2–3 hours | Free |
| La Concepción Historical-Botanical Garden | Northern Málaga | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Interactive Music Museum | Centro Histórico | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| English Cemetery | La Malagueta | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Paseo del Parque | Centro Histórico | 30 minutes | Free |
The 19 best things to do
Palace · Centro Histórico
1.Alcazaba of Málaga
Built in the 11th century on the hill above the port, this Moorish palace-fortress climbs through horseshoe arches, double walls and courtyards with fountains and orange trees to Nasrid-era palace rooms at the top. It is smaller than the Alhambra but gives a good sense of Andalusian palace architecture, with views over the port and the Roman Theatre below.
Buy the combined ticket with Gibralfaro, and use the lift from Calle Guillén Sotelo behind the town hall to skip the steepest climb.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Architecture
- Kids
Museum · Centro Histórico
2.Museo Picasso Málaga
Opened in 2003 in the 16th-century Palacio de Buenavista, the museum holds more than 200 works by Picasso donated by his family, spanning his whole career from early academic studies to late ceramics. The basement reveals Phoenician and Roman remains found during the building's restoration.
Visit early or late in the day to avoid cruise groups, and check the temporary exhibition, which is often excellent.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Book a timed ticket online in high season and on cruise-ship days.
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
Religious site · Centro Histórico
3.Málaga Cathedral
Built between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Renaissance cathedral was never finished: funds ran out before the south tower was completed, earning it the nickname La Manquita, the one-armed lady. Inside are carved choir stalls and huge organs, and guided rooftop tours walk across the vaults for views over the city.
Book the rooftop tour for late afternoon light, and look at the stump of the unfinished tower from Plaza del Obispo.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- History
Street · Centro Histórico
4.Calle Larios and Plaza de la Constitución
Málaga's main shopping street, opened in 1891, is paved in polished marble and lined with uniform 19th-century façades. It leads to Plaza de la Constitución, the old town's main square, and is famous for its elaborate Christmas light displays and as a route for Semana Santa processions.
Walk it early in the morning to see the marble gleaming before the crowds; in December, the light shows run in the evenings.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- After dark
- Iconic
Castle · Centro Histórico
5.Gibralfaro Castle
The 14th-century castle crowning the hill above the Alcazaba was built by the Nasrid rulers of Granada to protect it. Its main attraction is the walk along the ramparts, with the best views in the city over the port, the bullring and the coast; a small museum covers its military history.
Take bus 35 up and walk down the zigzag path to the Alcazaba; the Mirador de Gibralfaro just below the castle is free.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
- Kids
Historic site · Centro Histórico
6.Roman Theatre
Built in the 1st century BC under Augustus and rediscovered only in 1951, the theatre sits at the foot of the Alcazaba, whose builders reused some of its stones. A small interpretation centre explains it, and the seats and stage can be seen from the street or visited for free.
Come after dark, when the theatre and the Alcazaba walls above are floodlit, and have a drink on the terraces opposite.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- After dark
Market · Centro Histórico
7.Mercado Central de Atarazanas
The city's main food market is a 19th-century iron-and-glass hall built into the surviving marble gateway of a 14th-century Nasrid shipyard, with a large stained-glass window showing Málaga's history. Stalls sell local fish, olives, almonds and fruit, and tapas bars inside fry seafood to order.
Go late morning for a plate of fried fish and a beer at one of the market bars; it does not open on Sundays.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Architecture
- Free
- Shopping
Waterfront · La Malagueta
8.Muelle Uno and the port promenade
The redeveloped port quays run from the Palmeral de las Sorpresas, a promenade of white pergolas and palms, to Muelle Uno, with shops, restaurants and terraces facing the yachts and cruise ships. The walk ends near La Farola lighthouse and the start of La Malagueta beach.
Walk it at sunset, then continue to La Malagueta for dinner at a beach restaurant.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- After dark
- Outdoors
Beach · La Malagueta
1.La Malagueta beach
The city beach closest to the centre is a long strip of dark sand with lifeguards and facilities in summer and chiringuitos grilling sardines on skewers in old boats filled with sand. It is about 15 minutes' walk from the cathedral.
Take a photo at the big MALAGUETA letters, then walk east to the quieter La Caleta stretch.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Food
Gallery · Centro Histórico
2.Carmen Thyssen Museum
Set in the 16th-century Palacio de Villalón, the museum focuses on 19th-century Spanish painting, especially Andalusian scenes of bullfighters, flamenco dancers and landscapes, along with works by Sorolla and Zuloaga. It is compact and rarely crowded.
Combine it with lunch on nearby Calle Compañía or Plaza de los Mártires.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Centro Histórico
3.Museo de Málaga
In the neoclassical Palacio de la Aduana, the former customs house below the Alcazaba, this museum combines a large fine-arts collection, including Andalusian painting of the 19th century, with archaeology from prehistory to the Moorish period. Entry has been free for EU citizens and inexpensive for others.
Start with the archaeology rooms on the top floor, then work down; the courtyard is a cool break on hot days.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · La Merced and Lagunillas
4.Museo Casa Natal Picasso
Picasso was born in 1881 in this house on Plaza de la Merced. It holds family belongings, early drawings, ceramics and prints, and a bronze statue of the artist sits on a bench in the square outside.
Sit beside the Picasso statue in the square for the photo, then visit the house before the main museum to see where his story began.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Street · Soho
5.Soho street art
Large murals by Spanish and international street artists cover building façades across Soho, created through an urban art project that turned the district between the old town and the river into an open-air gallery. It is free and easy to explore on foot.
Start at the CAC Málaga, then wander the streets around Calle Tomás Heredia and Calle Casas de Campos.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Photo spot
Gallery · Soho
6.CAC Málaga
The Contemporary Art Centre occupies a former wholesale market by the Guadalmedina river and stages changing exhibitions of international contemporary art. Entry is free, making it an easy stop between Soho's murals and the port.
Check the programme online; large exhibitions change several times a year.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
Waterfront · Pedregalejo
7.Pedregalejo and El Palo seafront
The promenade through the former fishing villages of Pedregalejo and El Palo is lined with family restaurants grilling espetos of sardines over wood fires in boats on the sand. Small beaches protected by breakwaters have calm water, and locals come for long weekend lunches.
Arrive around 2pm for lunch like locals, or at sunset for a walk along the promenade.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Couples
- Kids
Garden · Northern Málaga
8.La Concepción Historical-Botanical Garden
A 19th-century estate garden on the northern edge of the city, with a romantic tropical woodland of palms, ficus and bamboo, a wisteria arbour, ponds and a viewpoint over the city. It was created by a wealthy Málaga family and is now a municipal botanical garden.
Visit in spring for the wisteria; take a bus or taxi, as it is about 7 km from the centre.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
- Kids
Museum · Centro Histórico
9.Interactive Music Museum
The Museo Interactivo de la Música displays hundreds of instruments from around the world, and many rooms invite visitors to play drums, guitars, pianos and percussion. It is one of the best rainy-day options for children in the centre.
Allow time in the hands-on rooms, where children can try the instruments themselves.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
Historic site · La Malagueta
10.English Cemetery
Founded in the early 1830s, this is the oldest Protestant cemetery in mainland Spain, a shaded hillside garden of graves of British and other foreign residents, sailors and writers. It is a peaceful contrast to the busy seafront just below.
Combine it with a walk along the Paseo de Reding to La Malagueta.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Park · Centro Histórico
11.Paseo del Parque
A long, shaded promenade garden between the old town and the port, planted with palms, tropical trees and fountains in the late 19th century. It links the Alameda Principal with La Malagueta and has the grand town hall and Banco de España buildings along its side.
Use it as a shaded walking route on hot days between the centre and the beach.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Nature
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Museo Picasso Málaga, Carmen Thyssen Museum, Museo de Málaga and Museo Casa Natal Picasso |
| History | Alcazaba of Málaga, Gibralfaro Castle, Málaga Cathedral and Roman Theatre |
| Views | Alcazaba of Málaga, Gibralfaro Castle and Málaga Cathedral |
| Outdoors and nature | Muelle Uno and the port promenade, La Malagueta beach, La Concepción Historical-Botanical Garden and English Cemetery |
| Food and markets | Mercado Central de Atarazanas, La Malagueta beach and Pedregalejo and El Palo seafront |
| After dark | Roman Theatre, Calle Larios and Plaza de la Constitución and Muelle Uno and the port promenade |
| With children | Alcazaba of Málaga, Gibralfaro Castle, La Malagueta beach and Pedregalejo and El Palo seafront |
| On a rainy day | Museo Picasso Málaga, Carmen Thyssen Museum, Museo de Málaga and Museo Casa Natal Picasso |
What to book ahead
- Museo Picasso Málaga: Book a timed ticket online in high season and on cruise-ship days.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Málaga?
Alcazaba of Málaga. Built in the 11th century on the hill above the port, this Moorish palace-fortress climbs through horseshoe arches, double walls and courtyards with fountains and orange trees to Nasrid-era palace rooms at the top.
+What can you do for free in Málaga?
Calle Larios and Plaza de la Constitución, Roman Theatre, Mercado Central de Atarazanas, Muelle Uno and the port promenade and La Malagueta beach. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Málaga when it rains?
Head indoors to Museo Picasso Málaga, Carmen Thyssen Museum, Museo de Málaga and Museo Casa Natal Picasso.
+What is there to do in Málaga at night?
Roman Theatre, Calle Larios and Plaza de la Constitución and Muelle Uno and the port promenade are best after dark.