Malaga · Andalusia · Spain
Most of the things to do in Malaga sit within a short walk of each other. The Alcazaba and the Roman Theatre stand side by side at the foot of Gibralfaro hill, the cathedral, Calle Larios and the Picasso Museum are a few minutes away, and the port and La Malagueta beach start where the old town ends.
Beyond the monuments, what you do depends on how long you stay: fried fish at the Atarazanas market, the cathedral rooftops, street art in Soho, or a day out to the Caminito del Rey, Nerja, Frigiliana or Ronda. In winter you can even ski at Sierra Nevada. Below, each area with official prices and hours as of October 2026.
Here are Viator experiences in Malaga and its province: walking tours of the old town, tapas and market tours, boat trips, flamenco shows and excursions such as the Caminito del Rey or Frigiliana. Each one shows its price and reviews from people who have done it; availability depends on the date you choose.
The Alcazaba was the fortified palace from which Muslim Malaga was ruled. What you walk through today is mostly the work of the taifa kings and the Nasrids: two rings of walls, one inside the other, bent defensive gateways, courtyards and an 11th-century residential quarter. Higher up, 132 metres above the sea, Gibralfaro Castle was built in the 14th century to protect it, and its walls look out over the whole city and bay.
Each costs €7, or €10 for a combined ticket. From November to March both open 9am to 6pm, and from April to October until 8pm, with last entry an hour before closing. On Sundays from 2pm there is no charge.
At the foot of the Alcazaba, on Calle Alcazabilla, the Roman Theatre dates from the reign of Augustus and was discovered in 1951; many of its stone blocks ended up in the Moorish walls above. Entry is open to all and it is closed on Mondays.
Work on Malaga Cathedral began around 1530 and stopped, unfinished, in the 18th century: the south tower and the top of the main facade were never completed. Inside, look for the choir stalls, carved mostly by Pedro de Mena, and two 18th-century organs. Entry is €10 with an audio guide. Separate guided climbs take you onto the roof, almost 50 metres up a narrow spiral staircase of more than 200 steps; skip it if you suffer from vertigo.
A couple of streets away, Calle Marqués de Larios opened in 1891 and has been pedestrianised since 2003; it leads into Plaza de la Constitución. Towards the river, the Atarazanas central market stands on the site of a 14th-century Nasrid shipyard and keeps its original monumental gateway. The iron-and-glass hall opened in 1879 and has tapas counters: it is where locals go for pescaíto frito, fried fish.
Picasso was born in Malaga in 1881. His birthplace museum, on Plaza de la Merced, opens daily from 9.30am to 8pm and costs €3. The Picasso Museum Malaga, housed in the Palacio de Buenavista since 2003, costs €13 including an audio guide on your phone.
The Centre Pompidou Malaga is in El Cubo, between quays 1 and 2 of the port. It is closed on Tuesdays and a ticket for both its exhibitions costs €9; a joint ticket with the Picasso birthplace costs €10.
A plan for Sunday afternoon: the Alcazaba from 2pm, the birthplace museum from 4pm to 8pm and the Picasso Museum in its last two hours are all open without charge.
Muelle Uno is an open-air waterfront promenade with shops, restaurants and, depending on the date, concerts or markets. Further east is La Malagueta, the city beach closest to the old town: about 1.2 kilometres of sand, calm water and a Blue Flag. For a relaxed evening the tourist office suggests this area and Pedregalejo; the livelier nightlife runs between Plaza de la Merced and Plaza de la Constitución.
Next to the Alameda Principal and the port lies Soho, branded the Arts District. Its walls form the MAUS street-art trail, with work by Obey, D'Face, Roa and Pejac among others, and it is home to Teatro Soho, Antonio Banderas's theatre project.
These four trips all work as a day out from the city:
Sierra Nevada is 163 km from Malaga's railway station, according to the resort itself, and the final climb is on the A-395 from Granada, 31 km below Pradollano. A return trip in one day is long, so many people stay in Granada and pair the snow with the Alhambra. Check the webcams and lift passes before you set off.
One day covers the essentials: the Alcazaba and Roman Theatre in the morning, the cathedral, Larios and Atarazanas at lunchtime, the Picasso Museum in the afternoon and the port at sunset. Two days let you add Gibralfaro, the Pompidou, Soho and the beach. Each day trip adds another day, plus one for Sierra Nevada in the ski season.
The centre is best explored on foot. From the airport you reach it in about 15 minutes on the Renfe C1 train or the EMT A Express bus, both running every 20 minutes. The metro has two lines ending at Atarazanas on the Alameda Principal, and a single ticket costs €1.35. For day trips a hire car is the most flexible option; without one there are buses to Nerja and trains to El Chorro for the Caminito.
The Alcazaba with the Roman Theatre, Gibralfaro Castle, the cathedral, Calle Larios, Atarazanas market and the Picasso Museum. With more time, add the Pompidou, Soho and a walk along Muelle Uno to La Malagueta.
One day for the historic centre and two to see it without rushing. Add a day for each trip to the Caminito del Rey, Nerja or Ronda.
On Sundays from 2pm. That afternoon the Picasso birthplace museum, from 4pm to 8pm, and the Picasso Museum, in its last two hours, do not charge either.
Take the Renfe C1 train or the EMT A Express bus, both from Terminal 3. Each takes about 15 minutes and runs every 20 minutes.
Yes, it is less than 60 km away by car, or by train to El Chorro. You need a ticket for a set day and time.
Yes, it is about 163 km via Granada and the A-395. It makes a long day, so many people stay overnight in Granada.