Malaga has for decades been viewed as nothing more than an airport gateway to the Costa del Sol.
However, the tides are starting to turn.
Malaga is seen as a top destination for travel for many reasons, including how much you can actually do without spending a penny!
Here are SkyParkSecure’s top 5 free things to do in Malaga:
1. Seek Out Some Modern Art
Free entrance to Malaga’s Centre for Contemporary Art will bag you access to a fantastic collection of 20th and 21st-century works, featuring artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Olafur Eliasson and Damien Hirst, as well as recent Andalucian art.
Alternatively, the Picasso Museum also offers free entrance but only on the last Sunday of every month. Housed in a renovated 16th-century mansion in the heart of the city’s oldest quarter, it features 155 works donated by Picasso’s daughter-in-law and grandson.
2. Take a Relaxing Stroll by the Sea
There are more things to do in Malaga than just staying in the city centre.
Escape from the hustle and bustle by taking a 30-minute walk or 10-minute bus ride east to Pedregalejo, one of the city’s oldest fishing neighbourhoods, fringing a succession of tiny bays.
At the weekends the sandy crescents fill with local families taking a paddle and eating good-value fried fish and barbecued sardines at the numerous restaurants.
3. Visit Alcazaba and Castillo de Gibralfaro
On Sunday afternoons visitors can enjoy the Moorish palace and fortress built on a hill in the centre of the city for free.
It is possible to drive to the fortress entrance, but the steady climb past the sun-baked pines and eucalyptus is recommended for views of the sparkling Mediterranean, docked ships, the cathedral and bullring.
Much of the palace dates back to the 11th century and features Islamic pottery, ornate ceilings, and a patio lined with orange trees.
The watchtowers and parapets of the Gibralfaro Castle set just behind the palace afford a perfect view of the entire complex.
4. Explore the Exotic Gardens
The botanical gardens of Malaga’s city park stretch along the seafront from the Alameda Principal, and have become the best thing to do in Malaga if you’re looking for the perfect spot to stroll with an ice cream.
As well as the wonderfully fragrant orange blossoms, the gardens also feature more tropical plants such as palm trees and frangipani.
Definitely best to visit in the week to avoid the crowds, but if you want that hallowed free entry, you’ll have to attend on a Sunday, otherwise it’s €5.20.
5. Enjoy the Foods from Atarazanas Market
Head to this interesting market for fabulous fresh Andalucian fare including fish, meat, cheese and plump, pink seafood.
Look up as you enter to admire the only remaining horseshoe arch from the building’s days as a shipyard. It opened as a market in 1879.
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