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Málaga Travel Guide: 5 Hidden Gems to Visit in Málaga, Spain


Málaga is a beautiful city in Andalucía, Spain, it is located on the Costa del Sol - The Sunshine Coast - and it is a must visit in Spain. You will fall in love with the architecture, its blue sea, and its yellow sandy beaches. You will enjoy knowing more about the history of Málaga as well as taking advantage of the beautiful weather by the beach. You can also enjoy many day trips from Málaga if you want to explore more areas and part of Andalucía such as Setenil de Las Bodegas. Málaga offers a variety of activities for tourists, so you will definitely find something you enjoy doing, while enjoying the beautiful and privilege climate Málaga has.


Check 10 Things to Know Before Traveling to Spain + Cultural Do’s & Don’ts


Chapters

​1. How to Get Your Visa for Spain

​5. Best Time to Visit Málaga

​2. 5 Hidden Gems in Málaga

​6. Accommodations in Málaga

​3. How to Get to Málaga

​7. Best Cafes & Restaurants in Málaga

​4. How to Move Around Málaga


How to Get Your Visa for Spain


You can get the visa by going to the embassy, or visiting the official website, or getting it with an agency like iVisa. iVisa provides 100% online travel documents such as: Visas, health declaration forms, embassy registrations, passport photos, passport renewals, tourist cards, and other travel documents. It is the simplest solution to process your travel visa.


Here’s why you should choose iVisa:

  • Speed and Simplicity - Easy, traveler-friendly application process. Simple and much less complicated than dealing with foreign governments.

  • Get Approved - All documents are reviewed by a team of immigration experts. Their staff is well-trained and offers years of experience.

  • Secure and Safe - World-class data centres and state-of-the-art security. Your credit card information will never be exposed to any government websites!

  • Awesome support - Their customer support is ready to help 24/7. They want you to enjoy your travels and avoid the stress of getting a visa!

5 Hidden Gems in Málaga

1. Jardín Botánico Histórico - La Concepción (Historic Botanical Garden - La Concepción)


La Concepción is a botanical garden in Málaga that isn’t known to many tourists, but it is really beautiful and a great place to visit. You can escape the crowded city of Málaga by going to this garden. La Concepción estate can actually be traced back to the joining together of several smaller estates along the banks of the River Guadalmedina, it is originally used for agricultural purposes as it was home to several cereal crops, as well as olives, almonds, and citrus trees. It is honestly beautiful garden to visit.


It is open from the 1st of April to the 30th of September from 09:30 until 20:30, and from the 1st of October until the 31st of March from 09:30 until 17:30, but you can still walk around the garden for 30 minutes after closing hours. The garden is closed every Monday, and also on the 24th, 25th, and 26th of December, as well as the 1st of January. Tickets cost €5.20. For more information about the garden, you can visit their website here.


Check Why You Should Visit Spain: 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Spain

2. Lagunillas


Lagunillas is a neighbourhood in Málaga that is filled with beautiful street arts. It is located in the centre so you can take a short walk from the main tourist attractions. You can simply enjoy walking around the streets of Lagunillas and see the vibrant street art there. The art in this street actually started appearing in the early 2000s, as the local artists treated the walls as their canvas. You will honestly enjoy walking around there.


Check Why You Should Visit Madrid: 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Madrid, Spain

3. Catedral de la Encarnación de Málaga (Málaga Cathedral)


Now the Catedral de la Encarnación de Málaga is actually not a hidden gem, but the rooftop is indeed a hidden gem. People visit the cathedral but they don’t know that they can go to the rooftop. You can actually climb onto the roof of the building since the city allows it, so you will get a panoramic views of the city. Tickets cost €8 but €12 including the roof, and you will receive a free sound guide as well.


Check Madrid Travel Guide: 15 Top Things to do in Madrid, Spain

4. El Peñón del Cuervo


Now; Málaga is know for its amazing beaches, but they are mostly crowded, unless you go to either the far away ones, or the hidden ones. El Peñón del Cuervo is one of those hidden ones since it is a less know beach to tourists, so if you want some quiet time away from all the crowd at the beach, then you can go to El Peñón del Cuervo. It is open everyday from 09:00 until 17:00.


Check Madrid Travel Guide: The Best 2 Days Travel Itinerary

5. El Palo


El Palo is another hidden neighbourhood in Málaga, and this is actually where El Peñón del Cuervo is located. It is actually a simple neighbourhood but it is know for its traditional fishing village feel, as well as quieter beaches and fish restaurants if you enjoy eating sea food. You can go to El Peñón del Cuervo, and then enjoy walking around the neighbourhood and staying there for a meal or a drink.


Check Madrid Travel Guide: 24 Hours in Madrid, Spain - A Complete 1 Day Itinerary

How to Get to Málaga


The best & easiest way to reach Málaga is by plane since it has an international airport, Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport which is easy to reach and you will be able to find flights but most probably you will have to take to connecting flight from either Madrid or Barcelona. If you are in Europe you can also find trains & buses depending on where you are, and of course if you are in Spain you will find multiple ways to reach Málaga. I personally took the train to get from Madrid to Málaga and it was the most comfortable way to get there.


I like to use Omio to find either buses or trains in Europe, and if I am looking for a flight I would use WayAway to find cheap flights. You can also use this promo code - TP-385219 - for WayAway Plus or you can directly visit this link! (You will get 10% off WayAway Plus subscription!)


How to Move Around Málaga


Since Málaga is a big city, then you will need to use the public transportation to move around. You can get around Málaga by walking as well since a lot of the main attractions are within walking distance, but it will be easier and less exhausting in the heat to use the metro to be able to move from one neighbourhood to the other and also to be able to reach the beaches. I used Uber sometimes since it was cheap, and you can also use Bolt. You can also get a rental bike and move around Málaga that way if you want, which a lot of people tend to do.

Best Time to Visit Málaga


Now since Málaga has a great climate all year long, you can visit whenever you want but avoid the month of January since it is the coldest. The best time to visit is between June & September, but be aware that this is the high season so it will be crowded and it will also be more expensive that other months. The hottest time of the year is July and August, so if you don’t like too much heat then avoid these two months.

Accommodations in Málaga


The top 6 neighbourhoods in Málaga are Old town (Historic City Centre), Soho, La Merced, El Perchel, La Malagueta, Teatinos. So will be able to find a lot of hotels to stay there. You can also find many hostels if you want something that is budget friendly even though there are budget friendly hotels, and of course you will find endless Airbnbs that would suit your budget.


Best Cafes & Restaurants in Málaga

  • Restaurante Alyamal (Moroccan cuisine)

  • Casa Lola (One of the best for tapas)

  • Pizzamore (Italian cuisine)

  • El Pimpi (Andalucía dishes)

  • Doña Inés (Mediterranean cuisine)

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