Tag: Málaga

When You Visit Málaga

“When you visit…” is a blog series about things you’ll want to know before you visit a city. Advice comes from my experience in the city, and is more about “prepare yourself for…” than about “OMG SUCH PRETTY SO WOW.”

This one’s about Málaga, Spain.

Málaga is a beach. Málaga is not a beach.

As the very last stop before our return to Munich, Málaga is only a one-night stay. Now that our night is about to arrive, I don’t know much about it. But, I do know two things.

#1: Málaga is a Beach

This is the first thing you see after crossing Paseo del Parque and entering the beach side of Málaga.
This is the first thing you see after crossing Paseo del Parque and entering the beach side of Málaga.
Full-on Málaga beach, baby.
Full-on Málaga beach, baby.
If I were an apartment complex, I'd want to be a Málaga beach apartment complex.
If I were an apartment complex, I’d want to be a Málaga beach apartment complex.

From what I could tell as we walked around the city, the beach is the uniqueness that brings people to Málaga. While you’ll likely stay in the city center, it’s just a quick walk down Paseo del Parque until you reach Málaga’s obvious beach zone.

It’s freaking beautiful. On one side of the beach zone (a small peninsula) is the harbor. You’ll see yachts, gelato stands, restaurants and an outdoor market, there. On the other side is the beach. You’ll see salt water and sand, there.

The beach side is also full of runners. Between that side’s apartment complexes and the ocean are: a wide road for cars; a wide, tiled path for pedestrians; and some sand.

#2: Málaga is not a Beach

Near the city center. This is not a beach.
Near the city center. This is not a beach.
Back to the beach side. This is why we're here, folks.
Back to the beach side. This is why we’re here, folks.

Aside from the beach zone, you also have the city center and what I think is a region called “East Málaga.”

The center offers standard European fare like a castle, a fortress and an upscale shopping street. It also offers non-standard fare like Pablo Picasso’s birthplace and a higher-than-average number of museums dedicated to Málaga and its history.

I’m making a huge inference, here, but I think what you’d call “East Málaga” is a set of hills dedicated to high-income housing. My clues are a sign pointing East that said “East Malaga,” and a bunch of hills with awesome-looking houses on them in that direction. Name’s Mr. Holmes, if you please.

This wraps up my experience with Málaga. I wish I could say more, but we’re only skidding across the surface of it on our way into our airplane seats. Hopefully, the pictures along the right side can say what I can’t about this city.