The perfect itinerary for one day in Malaga, Spain

Are you planning on a trip to southern Spain and thinking of spending one day in Malaga? Maybe you’re flying in or out of the city’s airport and have a few hours to spare, or just fancy a day out here.
If you are, this post gives you all the information you need to plan your visit to this beautiful city. It cover the best things to do on you one day in Malaga.
The best things to put on your Malaga itinerary
Below you can find information on the top things to choose from for your one day in Malaga.
The top things to do on one day in Malaga
– Wander around the old town and Plaza de la Constitución
– Visit Malaga Cathedral and climb up the south tower
– Take in the views from Gibralfaro Castle
– Go inside the beautiful Alcazaba
– Learn more history of the city in the Roman Theatre
– View some of Picasso’s art
– Visit Picasso’s birthplace
– Stop off in Plaza de la Merced
– Have lunch in Atarazanas market
– Stroll around the harbour and see the Pompidou Centre Malaga
– Relax by the beach
– Try the local tapas and wine
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About Malaga
The city of Malaga is in Andalusia in the south of Spain and has a population of just under 600,000. With mountains rising to the north, this medium-sized port city gazes out to the Mediterranean Sea.
The city is perhaps best known for being the birthplace of 20th century artist Pablo Picasso and for its proximity to many stunning beaches stretching along the popular Costa del Sol (‘Coast of the Sun’).
The popular resort of Marbella is under an hour away, as is Fuengirola and Mijas. Granada, with its magnificent Alhambra, can be reached in around an hour and a half.
Malaga has a fabulous cathedral, a plethora of art museums, a castle sat high on a hill, a Moorish palace, and boat trips to take. You will find most attractions are mainly in the old town.

The fact that most of the top sights are located relatively close together means you can pack a lot in during one in Malaga. The chilled, laid-back vibe you’ll encounter also means you can soak it all up at a leisurely pace.
Read on to find out why Malaga is a city you should put on your destination list. You should also spend a day in Malaga if you are visiting the Costa de Sol for a more extended holiday.
Is Malaga worth visiting?

The short answer is yes! If you were thinking of booking a short trip to Malaga, say for a long weekend, as we did, this magnificent city showcases and excellent choice of culinary, cultural, and historic attractions.
Eating out in Malaga (like other Spanish cities) is something to experience. Foodies are spoilt when it comes to fresh seafood and other locally sourced produce.
If you like tapas, follow the locals’ lead and head to the central indoor market at lunchtime. Alternatively, wander the narrow streets in the old town, which is packed with hundreds of cafes and restaurants. You can find everything from cheap snacks to fine dining.
For a city famous for Pablo Picasso, you’ll not be short of artistic and other cultural attractions to enjoy. Malaga generally has a rich museum scene, with art to cater to all tastes.
Spain’s Islamic past is still evidence in the city’s impressive architectural landmarks. The city’s castle and Alcazaba fortress – smaller in scale that Granada’s Alhambra – give you a taste of the splendour that the North African Moors brought to southern Spain.
And then there is the Roman influence, with the beautifully preserved amphitheatre smack bang next to the Alcazaba at the bottom of the hill.
Malaga’s magnificent cathedral features several different architectural styles, as you’d expect for a building that was completed over two centuries. There are Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance elements on show in the cathedral.

This striking landmark in the city’s historic heart is surrounded by a warren of narrow streets. You can wander through these and window shop. There are also beautiful squares where you can sit and relax.
How to get around Malaga
Most of the top attractions you will want to see in one day in Malaga are within walking distance of each other in the historic quarter (old town). This means that it’s easy to cover most of them on foot.
The hop-on hop-off bus
Alternatively, if you don’t want to walks between the sights, you can book the hop-on hop-off bus for the day. This is probably the easiest way to see the top sights, especially if you don’t have much time in the city.
The bus will also take you up to Mount Gibralfaro. This rises to 130 metres and is where you’ll find the castle. It’s a steep climb up here so the bus is a convenient alternative way of getting these.
The bus route includes not only the sights in and around the old town, but also those a bit further away. These include the botanical garden, the Port of Malaga, and Malagueta beach.
Walking tours
Another option for your one day in Malaga is to book a walking tour. We’ve done this on some of our trips and found it a good way to see the highlights of a city and learn about the history of a place from a local tour guide.
This 3 hour walking tour does just that. It includes entrance to the Alcazaba, Roman Theatre and the cathedral.
There is also this shorter 2 hour tour. It includes tickets for Malaga Cathedral.
You can also book more specialist walking tours, such as food tours, Picasso history tours, and walking tours that include a flamenco show.
Top things to do on one day in Malaga
Below, we have listed the top things to do in one day in Malaga, based on our recent trip. You have lots to choose from!
Wander around Malaga’s old town
As mentioned above, many of the city’s main attractions are in Malaga’s historic quarter.
So you could start your day in this area, perhaps with a coffee while tucking into traditional churros with chocolate in the Malaga cafe Casa Aranda. This popular outlet can be found in a small alley near the central market and is right on the edge of the old town.
Plaza de la Constitucion
On your way into the historic quarter, you can go via an attractive public space called Plaza de la Constitucion (Constitution Square). During August, the square is the main site of the Feria de Malaga. The city also welcomes the new year in here.
One of the main features of this square is the 16th century Genoa Fountain made of marble. We also loved the slanting trees framing the grand buildings on one side.

Constitution Square connects to Malaga’s eye-catching pedestrianised street, Calle Larios. This then leads you down to Paseo del Parque and the port area.
An alley at the opposite side of the fountain also leads you to four intersecting streets. If you carry on, you’ll come to a lovely little square off of which is the Cathedral of Malaga.

We also loved the striking yellow coloured Episcopal Palace next to it.

Visit the Cathedral de la Encarnacion de Malaga
A must as part of your one day in Malaga is a visit to Malaga Cathedral.
This architectural masterpiece is also known as ‘La Manquita’. This apparently roughly translates as ‘one armed lady’ because parts of the building, including the second bell tower, were never finished.
The cathedral is is the heart of the old town and is reached via some pretty streets and squares.
With its massive domed tower and multiple chapels, the cathedral stands on what was originally the city’s main mosque. It was built over two centuries – between the early 16th century and the late 18th century. It has several different styles, including Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance features.
You can spend quite a bit of time exploring the cathedral’s cavernous interior, which showcases many striking religious paintings. There is a beautiful ceiling with multiple cupolas and lovely stained glass windows. The cathedral also sits in a small pretty garden that you can view when you exit.

When the weather permits – it was too windy when we were there – you can climb around 200 steps to the top of the cathedral’s south tower. You’ll get great views across the city from here.
You can book skip-the-line tickets for the cathedral here.
Take in the views from Malaga’s Gibralfaro Castle
There are plenty of things to occupy you in the city’s old town and port area. However, you should admire the city’s skyline and surrounding area from up high. You can do this from the ramparts of Castillo de Gibralfaro, perched on Mount Gibralfaro.


The castle was built in the 14th century, on a site that is the highest point in the old city centre. As a result, it is said there was once a lighthouse here.
Unlike the Alcazaba further down the hill, which has distinctive Islamic designs (see below), the castle feels a bit more functional. This probably isn’t surprising as its primary purpose was to the protect the Alcazaba’s residents when the city came under attack.
There is a small entrance fee for the castle. You can buy tickets at the machines by the front barriers. As soon as you walk in, you will then find a small museum/ interpretation centre.
This features models of soldiers in uniform over the centuries. There is also an interesting model and the castle and nearby Alcazaba, plus some brief history on the castle. There is a cafe and toilet on site.
The views from the castle
The main attraction here, however, is the excellent views you are afforded from the battlements. Take some time to wander along these and look out over the city. In one part, you can see out over the harbour and over the City Hall. You can also see down into the city’s bullring.

Depending on the time of year you visit and the day of the week, it might be advisable to visit Malaga’s castle early in day. Even in March when we visited, it got quite crowded around certain sections of the ramparts. However, this may have been because we visited on a Sunday, just before the entrance fee is waived from 2pm.
The amount of people on the site overall isn’t a big issue. However, some the battlements you walk along are only wide enough to accommodate a singe person, so you may have to wait while people pass you. The spectacular views you get of Malaga and out to sea make this worth it though.
Getting to the castle
Many visitors walk up to the castle along a path close to the Alcazaba’s entrance. Although you get some great views over the city and its port area, this path is quite steep on the climb up. If you’d prefer not to do this, you can pick up a local bus. Head to Avenida de Cervantes and look for bus number 35.
Alternatively, if you have a day pass for the hop-on hop-off bus, this stops along Paseo del Parque and drops you right outside the castle entrance. So this is likely to be the best way of getting there.
Whichever option you decide on, once you’ve explored inside the castle, you can walk down the hill to the Alcazaba, pop in there, or go off and stroll around the rest of the old town.
See the beautiful designs in the Alcazaba

This former Moorish palace, complete with fortress battlements, is visually more spectacular inside than the castle’s interior is.
As you explore the Alcazaba, you get to appreciate the ingenuity of the Moors and their tasteful architectural designs. This is especially true of the beautiful courtyards and distinctive archways you’ll see as you walk around.


There are also small pretty gardens. Photographers with a keen eye will it love it here!
You can walk along some the ramparts. However, note that some of these are pretty steep, so be mindful of this if you have young children or have mobility issues yourself.
Even more so than the castle, the Alcazaba is probably a place to visit either early or late in the day, or outside of the weekend or peak season. Some of the rooms and areas aren’t very big so it can get very crowded. Our experience was that you sometimes need to wait for a while as other visitors take photos, or wait for people to pass in the narrowest sections.
So if you do want to go here on your one day in Malaga, we’d suggest you plan your day around visiting outside of peak hours. It might be smaller than the Alhambra in Granada, but it’s still worth a visit.
There’s a small entrance fee for the Alcazaba.
You can also book guided tours for the Alcazaba and the Roman Theatre. You can go inside both and learn about their history.
Admire the Roman amphitheatre
Before, or after, you enter the Alcazaba, you can walk a short distance to the left to the Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano de Malaga).
This incredibly well preserved 1st century arena was discovered in the early 1950s. You can learn more about its excavation in the visitor’s centre here.

Entrance to these sites is reasonably priced. You can book a guided tour here.
View some of Picasso’s art in Malaga’s Picasso Museum
Malaga has a couple of museums dedicated to the city’s famous artist. The main one is the Museo Picasso Malaga. This is a short walk from the cathedral.
We’d advise you to book in advance to avoid queuing for a long time; it’s one of the main attractions in Malaga, so gets very busy. You can book skip-the-line tickets here.
If you do have to queue, there are a few little souvenir shops that you can pop out of the queue to browse in.
Exhibitions in the museum
Inside the museum, you can enjoy several exhibitions. The ‘Pablo Picasso: Structures of Invention – The Unity of a Life’s work’ exhibition showcases around 140 of Picasso’s works of art. It is showing until March 2027.
There is also currently an exhibition of the work of painter Maria Blanchard, the first woman in Spain to use the Cubist method to construct images. Another is dedicated to Joel Meyerowitz, an American photographer who took thousands of images and recordings of some of the local flamenco families while living in the city in the ’60s.
The museum is open daily from 10am to 7pm.
Visit the birthplace of Pablo Picasso in Plaza de la Merced
The Museo Casa Natal de Picasso – the Birthplace Museum Malaga – is a very short 5 to 10 minute walk from the main museum dedicated to Picasso above. It’s also near the Roman Theatre.
If you want to visit this museum, head to Plaza de la Merced, itself a great place to visit. In the square, there is a large obelisk, and a statue of Picasso sitting on a bench.


Just behind is a terrace and a row of grand buildings, most of which house bars and restaurants on the ground floor. The left-hand corner building on the terrace is where you’ll find this fascinating museum.
You can also get to the museum via the hop-on hop-off bus. Depending on the ticket you have bought, entry to this museum may be included. If not, you can book tickets here.
Exhibitions in the museum
On the ground floor of the museum, you can walk around a small temporary exhibition that displays items from Picasso’s very early life. You then walk up the stairs to the first floor, which is where he was born in the 1880s when the family was renting the space in the house.
There are many interesting exhibits on this floor, including works by Picasso and his father Jose Ruiz Blasco.
The museum is open between 9.30am and 8pm Monday to Sunday and is definitely worth visiting.
Afterwards, you can take a photo of yourself sitting on the bench next to the painter and grab something to drink in the many bars along the terrace. This was one of our favourite spots in the city.
Join the locals for lunch at Atarazanas Market
One of the best places to grab some lunch is in Malaga’s central market, Mercado Central de Atarazanas, with its beautifully decorated entrance.
First, spend a bit of time wandering along the aisles in this indoor labyrinth, admiring the countless sellers’ locally sourced produce. There’s everything from fresh seafood, cheese and meat, to a wide selection of fruit and vegetables. The colours are dazzling.
When you’re ready to eat, you can choose from some of the small kiosks selling hot and cold food and serving drinks. You can either stand at the counter and watch (and smell!) your food being prepared or grab a seat outside the front and order from the staff.
As Spain is the home of tapas, you don’t even have to shell out on ordering something large. There are small plates of fresh salads, grilled prawn, octopus, patatas bravas, tortilla etc.
You can choose from a selection of different snacks and wash them down with wine or local beer (we tried Malaga’s famous fortified wine). The food as excellent and the atmosphere was really buzzy. It’s clearly a popular spot among the locals.


Take a stroll down the harbour and see the Pompidou Centre Malaga
If you are prepared to take a leisurely walk to explore the attractions around the Port of Malaga and Muelle Uno area, you can wander down from the old town via the Paseo del Parque. This long palm-treelined boulevard runs along the top of a spacious park (Paseo de Malaga). It has the city’s stunning City Hall on one side.

This large green space contains a wide variety of tropical fauna. It is worth walking through this park on the way to Muelle Uno, where you’ll come across the Centre Pompidou Malaga.
You can’t miss this modern art museum with its striking multi-coloured glass cubed structure.

There is a market here where you can pick up souvenirs and presents. There are restaurants if you want to stop for something to eat, or you could just buy an ice-cream from one of the booths and sit in the sun.
You can catch boats in the port that will take you on cruises along the coast. Depending the ticket you buy for the hop-on hop-off bus, you may get a boat trip included. We went on one with our ticket, although to be honest, if you only have one day in Malaga, we wouldn’t put this at the top of your list.
Relax on the beach at Playa de la Malagueta
Although Malaga is a port city, it also boasts some sandy beaches within easy reach of the centre.
If you’re in the port area near the Pompidou Centre, you can walk to the nearest beach – Playa de la Malagueta – in about ten minutes. We spent a short period wandering along the seafront here in March. Even at this time of the year, it was pretty busy.
If you are prepared to walk on a bit further, there are also some quieter spots. Either way, if you have time to relax by the sea, there are some bars and cafes here where you can stop for a quick refreshment.
Or you could snap a picture of yourself by the massive Malagueta beach sign!

Try the tapas and wine at El Pimpi
When you are out in the evening in the old town, you will have no shortage of options for places to dine out or relax with a drink.
Before we visited Malaga, we looked up El Pimpi and made a mental note to check it out after we arrived.
We did go there and weren’t disappointed. This fabulous bar oozes charm and so much character. Inside, you’ll find quite a few different rooms, including two long bars. There is also an open terrace at the back overlooking the Roman Theatre.
We absolutely loved it. So much so that we returned on our second night to once again prop up one of the seats besides the enormous barrels in the first bar. You’ll find this to your left as soon as you walk through the entrance.
Other ways to try the food and wine
With so many restaurants, not to mention a fantastic tapas scene, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out in the evening during one day in Malaga.
We would strongly recommend eating out in the old town if you’re able to be there in the evening. The old town is where you’ll find the biggest offering of top-notch restaurants. Malaga’s historic centre really comes to life when night falls, and it’s worth strolling around to see what dining options there are before picking where to eat.
We would strongly recommend eating out in the old town if you’re able to be there in the evening. The old town is where you’ll find the biggest offering of top-notch restaurants. Malaga’s historic centre really comes to life when night falls, and it’s worth strolling around to see what dining options there are before picking where to eat.
There’s also the central market where you can try small plates of food.
Tapas and wine tours
Alternatively you can take a wine and tapas tour around the city. This tour is a fun way to try some of the local wine and sherry and eight different food tasters.
Or you could go on this ‘tapas crawl’ with a local guide and try at least 10 types of tapas!
The best time to visit Malaga
Lots of people flock to the Costa del Sol via Malaga’s international airport at the height of the tourist season and then travel on to other nearby destinations.
If you do happen to be travelling to coastal resort during the summer months, we would, however, recommend also setting aside some time to explore Malaga – either as a day trip or for a few hours before or after you’ve arrived in the city.
Although the high season is the busiest time to visit – and therefore, when you are most likely to experience queues for certain attractions – we would recommend spending one day in Malaga.
If you plan the attractions you want to visit, you can then see the busier ones earlier or later in the day. Or you could book skip-the-line entrance tickets in advance.
If you’re here in mid-August, you should check out the Feria de Malaga (or Feria de Agosto). This is a festival that runs over several days, compete with fireworks and street parties. Fans of flamenco will also love it.
Malaga is still a city to visit outside of the summer months: the Costa del Sol has its name for a reason! If you want to enjoy one day in Malaga outside the peak season, you are still likely to experience warm and sunny days.
So you should consider visiting in the spring or autumn months. This is also a good time to come as accommodation costs will be more reasonable and there is less likely to be large crowds. This will suit some people better, especially if you want to visit the Alcazaba which seems to get very crowded.
During the Christmas period, the Puerto de Torre district of Malaga hosts the Fiesta Mayor de Verdiales. You can hear folk music and watch dances from the local area being performed.
So you might also want to visit during the winter months, when you’re still likely to be blessed with mild and pleasant weather for the time of year. Average temperatures tend to be around 13 degrees centigrade or 55 in Farenheit in December.
How to get to Malaga
Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport is the main arrival points for tourists flocking to the coast in this part of southern Spain.
The city is well served by international flights, whether they are operated by budget or global carriers. The extensive range of international destinations listed on the arrival and departure boards in Malaga airport indicated how easy it is to get here, especially from other European cities.
Getting into Malaga centre from the airport
The airport is only a few kilometres from the city centre. It’s therefore quick and easy to get there. The journey takes less than 15 minutes.
You can catch a train from the airport to the terminus, Malaga Centro Alameda station, using the C1 line. You could also get off at the main train station – Maria Zambrano – one stop earlier. However, if you do this, you’ll then have a 1 kilometre walk into the old town. So it might make sense to stay on until the final stop. This is the fourth stop after leaving the airport.
However, if you’re en route to or from the airport with lots of luggage and are just visiting for a few hours, Maria Zambrano may be best for you. There are self-service lockers at the main train station where you can leave your luggage while you explore the city on foot.
There also seem to be luggage facilities around Centra Alameda station. However, these seem to be outside the train station and down a neighbouring street.
One day in Malaga: other ideas for short breaks and day trips in Europe
No doubt you will have a fantastic time in Malaga. We loved it and thought it was a really beautiful place, full of many things to see. It’s also well located for other places of interest.
If you plan to stay for than one day in Malaga, you might be looking for ideas for day trips out of the city.
If so, we’d highly recommend Granada, another great Spanish city, with the magnificent Alhambra sitting high on the hill. You can check out my top tips for visiting the Alhambra here.
Granada is only around an hour and a half away. You can book a guided tour from Malaga which will take you there and give you a guided tour of the site.
Or if you choose to make your way independently, you can book tickets for the Alhambra here.
The tiny British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar that borders Spain is also only around 2 hours away.
You can book day trips that will take you here. These will give you the chance to see the distinctive Rock of Gibraltar and meet the famous monkeys!
I also have other posts with ideas for short breaks to other European countries such as Portugal, France, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland.
Written by Nick Warburton and Emma Marshall