Málaga

Málaga 7-day itinerary

7 days in Málaga on foot. The plan moves through City, City, City, starting with Alcazaba, Roman Theater, Castillo de Gibralfaro. No car.
Best for
A slower week in Málaga, with one day outside town.
Pace
Five walking days, one day trip, and one slower day.
Base
City
Estimated budget
$560–$1,960

Day-by-day plan

Follow the stops in order. Walk times are estimates between nearby places.

  1. Day 1

    City

    Walk City in Málaga. Start at Alcazaba, then Roman Theater and Castillo de Gibralfaro. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Alcazaba

      A Moorish castle built in the 11th century on a hill in the middle of the city, this old fort is the best-preserved of its kind in Spain. Upon entering you'll climb up past the ramparts offering excellent views of the city and lush gardens to a small Moorish palace at the top which holds a number of artifacts from excavations on the site.

    2. Stop 2 · 4 min walk

      Roman Theater

      The beautiful remains of an old Roman theater. You can view them anytime from the overlook in the plaza, but if you want to get up close you can enter the attached building, where you'll be shown a short film and view some artifacts before entering the theater itself, where you can walk past the old stage and sit on the stone steps.

    3. Stop 3 · 7 min walk

      Castillo de Gibralfaro

      Another Moorish castle and the counterpart to the Alcazaba, the Castillo sits on a larger hill behind the Alcazaba and offers an incredible view of the city and neighboring suburbs from the ramparts that encircle the castillo. Within the fortress is a set of gardens and some displays, including an exhibit on the various military forces to have occupied the fort.

    4. Stop 4 · 11 min walk

      Málaga Cathedral

      In the heart of the city centre and well worth visiting.

    Eat · Bodeguita El Gallo: Typical Andalusian tavern evironment, Sweet Málaga wines and the most traditional tapas.

    Browse Málaga tours
  2. Day 2

    City

    Walk City in Málaga. Start at Picasso Museum, then Picasso's birthplace and Museo Carmen Thyssen. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Picasso Museum

      The Picasso museum hosts exclusive paintings and other artworks by the Málaga-born artist. Your entry fee also provides access to regularly changing exhibitions by other artists.

    2. Stop 2 · 4 min walk

      Picasso's birthplace

      Loads of objects and some paintings that the most famous artist of the 20th century created during his childhood.

    3. Stop 3 · 7 min walk

      Museo Carmen Thyssen

      Opened in 2011 and has an excellent collection of 19th and 20th century Spanish paintings.

    4. Stop 4 · 13 min walk

      Centre Pompidou Málaga

      Works from the Paris Centre Pompidou's collection.

    Eat · Vegetariano El Calafate: A hidden gem around the corner from Thyssen Museum. Offers traditional Spanish & Andalucian dishes, with a vegetarian twist. Low-key interior with art for sale on the walls. Good choice for lunch and dinner.

  3. Day 3

    City

    Walk City in Málaga. Start at Museum Jorge Rando, then Interactive Museum of Music and Málaga Glass & Crystal Museum. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Museum Jorge Rando

      Museum focussed on expressionist art.

    2. Stop 2 · 7 min walk

      Interactive Museum of Music

      Has one of the largest collections of musical instruments in Europe.

    3. Stop 3 · 4 min walk

      Málaga Glass & Crystal Museum

      The museum has around 700 pieces of glass, dating from Phoenician times to the 20th century. Housed in a housed in an 18th-century casa palacio which is as fascinating as the objects within. Guided tours only, available in English, but no additional charge and no appointment needed.

    4. Stop 4 · 13 min walk

      MUCAC - La Coracha

      Contemporary art museum that will be open on two sites.

    Eat · Taberna Quitapenas Sánchez Pastor: Good place to go for tapas, nice atmosphere, good service. Authentic and friendly. Great wines.

  4. Day 4

    City

    Walk City in Málaga. Start at MUCAC - Mayoristas, then Automobile & Fashion Museum and Russian Museum Collection, St. Petersburg-Málaga. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      MUCAC - Mayoristas

      Former Centro de Arte Contemporáneo will reopen after refurbishment.

    2. Stop 2 · 28 min walk

      Automobile & Fashion Museum

      An interest combined museum showing vehicles & fashion through various eras. Located in a former tobacco factory.

    3. Stop 3

      Russian Museum Collection, St. Petersburg-Málaga

      It was the first European subsidiary of the Russian State Museum of Saint Petersburg. However, the museum's collection returned to Russia in May 2022 after concluding the last exhibition. Since then, the Malaga City Council has kept the museum open with exhibitions deposited by private collectors.

    4. Stop 4

      Plaza de Toros de la Malagueta

      Málaga's bullring.

    Eat · Taperia El Beato: Great terrace and fantastic service. Fresh fish, homemade croquettes, meatballs in delicious almond sauce.

  5. Day 5

    City

    Walk City in Málaga. Start at La Conception Botanical & Historical Garden, then Malaga Aviation Museum and La Térmica. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      La Conception Botanical & Historical Garden

      Botanical and historical garden with beautiful views of the city from this garden; worth a visit.

    2. Stop 2

      Malaga Aviation Museum

      Unique museum with original 1940s terminal in Malaga, other buildings with old and new aviation equipment, uniforms, and models of the airport. Interesting for both children and adults. Free parking.

    3. Stop 3

      La Térmica

      Former charity house of mercy. Now a cultural centre that hosts occasional exhibitions & small concerts.

    Eat · La Campana: Cozy and typical Andalusian place of Malaga with a lot of history. Cozy atmosphere.

  6. Day 6

    Day trip toward Torremolinos

    Leave Málaga for the day. Come back to the same bed.

    1. Stop 1

      Torremolinos

      Listed as a next stop from Málaga. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    2. Stop 2

      Nerja

      Listed as a next stop from Málaga. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    3. Stop 3

      Marbella

      Listed as a next stop from Málaga. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    Eat · Pack snacks from town. Do not count on a full menu at a small station.

    Browse Torremolinos day trips
  7. Day 7

    Do one thing slowly

    No new neighborhood. Use the spare day on a single activity.

    1. Stop 1

      King's little pathway

      King's little pathway is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    2. Stop 2

      El Torcal

      El Torcal is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    3. Stop 3

      Sightseeing Treasure Hunt Málaga

      Malaga City Adventure is a startup company and pioneers in Treasure Hunting Events in Málaga. They offer a Sightseeing Treasure Hunt for tourists and tailor made team building events for companies. Equipped with a treasure hunting bag, a treasure book with information and recommendations and a modern GPS-compass you explore the historical centre of Málaga, search for hidden items and solve challenging riddles to find the secret treasure.

    4. Stop 4

      La Cochera Caberet

      Small music & theatre venue a couple of km out of the centre.

    Eat · Go back to a place that already worked.

Where to stay

Sleep near the walking base. Pick an area, then search hotels by neighborhood.

  • Budget

    First stay

    It has a big roof-top terrace to overlook Málaga and a bar in the basement. Free Wi-Fi and breakfast. From €14, dorms and double rooms. Directions: From Bus station Paseo los Tilos it's a 2-km walk to the Oasis Hostel at Calle San Telmo 14.

  • Mid-range

    First stay

    Economic budget between the historical centre and the port. All rooms have private bathrooms, television and air-conditioning or heating.

  • Splurge

    First stay

    In the historic and commercial centre of Málaga, next to the 'Puente de la Esperanza' and a short stroll from the 'Museo de la Expiración'. Its excellent location makes it easy to enjoy Málaga's unique personality.

Full where-to-stay guide →

Things to book

Tours and tickets that match this plan. Book anything that needs timed entry.

Budget

Rough mid-range spend for 7 days in Málaga, excluding long-haul flights. Hotel nights drive most of the range.

  • Budget: about $560 (hostel/budget hotel, transit, street food)
  • Mid-range: about $980 (3★ hotel, sit-down meals, a tour or two)
  • Comfort: about $1,960 (nicer hotel, taxis, paid attractions)

Trip budget calculator →

Transportation

Get in

thumb|right|350px|Map of Central Málaga | url=http://www.aena.es/en/malaga-airport/index.html | email= | address= | lat=36.675 | long=-4.499167 | directions= | phone= | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price= | wikipedia=Málaga Airport | image=Malaga Airport.jpg | wikidata=Q690894 | content=The third biggest international airport in mainland Spain (after Madrid Barajas and Barcelona El Prat Airport). As a holiday destination, the airport's primary tenants are discount carriers and charter airlines, although limited service on the European national carriers (Air France, British Airways, etc.) is available. Seasonal service (non-daily) is available from New York-JFK on Delta. }} Getting there/away: * Bus.

Get around

The best way to get an impression of Málaga is to discover the charming corners, stunning sights and lovely neighbourhoods by wandering the streets and narrow roads on foot: take a stop for churros con chocolate, ice-cream, a coffee or some tapas and enjoy the Andalusian atmosphere. Málaga is making big improvements when it comes to cycling. Nowadays Malagueños use their bikes more often to go to work or for recreational use in the weekends. Also Málaga established a cycling association supported by the local public transport association.

Where to eat

Simple meal ideas near the day’s walking route.

  • Bodeguita El Gallo

    Typical Andalusian tavern evironment, Sweet Málaga wines and the most traditional tapas.

  • Vegetariano El Calafate

    A hidden gem around the corner from Thyssen Museum. Offers traditional Spanish & Andalucian dishes, with a vegetarian twist. Low-key interior with art for sale on the walls. Good choice for lunch and dinner.

  • Taberna Quitapenas Sánchez Pastor

    Good place to go for tapas, nice atmosphere, good service. Authentic and friendly. Great wines.

  • Taperia El Beato

    Great terrace and fantastic service. Fresh fish, homemade croquettes, meatballs in delicious almond sauce.

  • La Campana

    Cozy and typical Andalusian place of Malaga with a lot of history. Cozy atmosphere.

  • Curry-Ya! Málaga

    A very cozy establishment. As the name suggests, a wide variety of curry dishes. Ideal to spend some time with your close ones between spicy and sweet dishes with a Japanese essence. Good service and very good atmosphere.

  • Tasca La Salita

    Yummy tapas (especially the pork) at a good price. Not a touristy place with tons of seats so get there early.

  • Spago's

    Reviews used to be good for this place but was more like lukewarm microwave pasta out 2 minutes after ordering. Try at your own risk.

Optional alternatives

Add one if a walking day finishes early. Don’t stack them onto the same afternoon.

  • La Trinchera

    Concert Hall 2 km west of city centre.

  • Semana Santa

    The Holy Week processions in Málaga are known for at least 500 years, and are one of the oldest in all of Spain. They begin Palm Sunday and end Easter Sunday. The Spanish Legion's procession is a must see on Maundy Thursday.

Before you go

Questions

Do I need a car in Málaga?
No for this plan. The days stay inside walking range, then local transit to XXX. The best way to get an impression of Málaga is to discover the charming corners, stunning sights and lovely neighbourhoods by wandering the streets and narrow roads on foot: take a stop for churros con chocolate, ice-cream, a coffee or some tapas and enjoy the Andalusian atmosphere. Málaga is making big improvements when it comes to cycling. Nowadays Malagueños use their bikes more often to go to work or for recreational use in the weekends. Also Málaga established a cycling association supported by the local public transport association.
Is 7 days enough?
Yes if you want Málaga plus day trips. Use the 5-day plan if you will stay in town.
Where should I stay?
Base near City so the first walking day starts at the hotel. Oasis Backpackers' Hostel Malaga is a listed option, not a ranking.
Where do I eat?
Each day names one sit-down stop. Bodeguita El Gallo is on the list. Keep the rest as bakeries and market counters.

Other Málaga trip lengths