A plan for what you can experience in one day in Malaga
If you have looked through the pages of museums, sights and excursions in Malaga, you realize that it would take several days to get through all the city's attractions. But if you only have one day available in Malaga and want to get the most important, but do not quite know what to choose, then we hope this site can be of help to you.
9am - 9:30am
A few minutes walk from the hotels we find the Mercado Central de Atarazanas. We suggest you start the day in this unique market. Inside you will find a Pandora's box of local and traditional ingredients. The locals use the market as their grocery store, but the market is also very popular with tourists due to the unique atmosphere and all the visual impressions.
9:30am - 10:30am
The trip then continues with a walk down to the port and to the start of Malaga Park or Paseo de España as it is also called. The park is like a beautiful shady resting place in Málaga. The many palm trees and other exotic plants provide plenty of shade and atmosphere. There are also various sculptures and monuments to visit in the park. At the end of the park you will see the next attraction on the trip.
11:30am - 1pm
The tour then continues to the Alcazaba Fortress and the Castillo de Gibralfao Palace. Around the eleventh century, this fortress, with the Arabic name Alcazaba, was built in a strategic location in Málaga. The Alcazaba fortress was built mainly to protect the Castillo de Gibralfao palace located in the upper parts of the fortress. The Alcazaba is the best-preserved Moorish fortress palace in Spain. It received about 1 million visitors in 2016. The road up to the top of the fortress goes in a longer uphill. We have therefore put in some time to take it at a leisurely pace. At the top you will be able to see large parts of the city as well as unobstructed views of the harbor.
1pm - 1:50pm
The way back down from the fortress palace will be significantly easier and faster. If you have the energy and time, we recommend an extra stop at the Teatro Romano which you will pass on the right side of the road on the way down. Teatro Romano is a Roman arena designed by Emperor Augustus in the year 100 (See the map above. Marked as a red camera). After a long walk and many impressions have submitted a proposal to take a break and a cup of coffee and possibly a light lunch at Plaza del Obispo ("Bishop's Square"). In this square you will find both the entrance to the Cathedral of Malaga and the Palacio Episcopal ("Bishop's Palace") which with its colorful facades is one of the most iconic and photographed buildings in Málaga. In the middle, Plaza del Obispo has a beautiful old fountain from 1785. At the top of the fountain is a pineapple from which the water flows. The square exudes a nostalgic and colonial atmosphere despite several renovations. There are several cafes with outdoor seating to choose from.
1:50pm - 2:50pm
After gathering some strength, the tour continues with a visit to Malaga Cathedral, or the Catedral de la Encarnación de Malaga as it is called in Spanish. The entrance is just around the corner from the bishop's square. It is possible to buy tickets to see the inside of the cathedral, but also to take a walk on the roof of the cathedral. From the roof you will experience a fantastic view of the city and its surroundings, so we recommend both tickets. The tickets not only provide entrance to the cathedral and the roof, but it also includes an English-language guide who will show you around the entire cathedral and on the roof. Tours start every full hour, so be there no later than 1:50pm to buy tickets for the 2pm tour. Rarely have we seen so much splendor inside a cathedral as in Málaga. The cathedral's huge nave is decorated with an incredible sense of detail. Everywhere you look there are signs of Renaissance architecture, but there are also Gothic and Baroque elements in the cathedral. A lot of attention is paid to various details in the choir and the Gothic altarpiece in the chapel of Santa Barbara, but the stained glass windows also attract a lot of attention.
5pm - 6:30pm
The tour now returns to where we started, Mercado Central de Atarazanas, via Plaza de la Constitución and Calle Larois. Plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Square) has always been the hub of Málaga's life. All important festivals and events in the city are held here. In 2003, the square - and Calle Larios, the city's main street that ends at the square - were turned into pedestrian streets, and it is a recommended place to take a walk through the historic quarter of Málaga. The largest shopping street in Málaga is without a doubt Calle Marqués de Larios. For some, it is better known as Calle Larios. During periods of very hot summer days, Calle Marqués de Larios is covered with white cloths. This way, you still have some shade while shopping. Well-known chains in Calle Larios are Desigual, Mango and Zara.
10pm - 10:30pm
Then we have reached the end of the day in our "one day program" and it is time to return to the hotel. We hope it has been an eventful day, and that you have appreciated the experiences we have included.
For more information about the individual museums and sights suggested above, you can read more on their own pages under the tab "Malaga Info".