B
- eing situated on Costa del Sol, Malaga seems to be sometimes overlooked. It is only an airport on your way to a hotel or another place.
It shouldn’t be so, since it is a great destination not only to visit, rest but also to live in. It is hidden on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, not too windy and not too cold throughout the year. As a city itself, it has over a dozen beaches, so you can easily book your stay there. And why not! The nightlife, history, modern districts like SOHO or the port, great food and famous people connected to it are worth every second spent there.
What’s most important, Malaga isn’t big! The historic city center is best enjoyed during a walk and even if your hotel is seeming to be so far away… there is plenty of busses going to where you want to. Not to mention that Malaga is a rather flat city with plenty of bicycles cruising through it. So why don’t you rent one?
This article will give you the highlights of the most popular ways to move around the city. Have fun planning your stay there.
Use your feet!
Malaga is tiny! If you want to go for a walking tour of its most important tourist spots you will be closed in a square of the superficial area of 2,5 square kilometers. Even if you try, you will run of options very fast… But then you can always choose a longer trail, like returning along the shore to your hotel.
Just to give you some examples:
- From Alcazaba to the beach – 1 km
- From the Malaga Museum to the Gibralfaro Castle – 1.1 km
Crossing the Malaga Parc to Soho, a short walk there and then – to the Cathedral – 2 km - From the nearest train station (Estación de Malaga María Zambrano at Esplanada de la Estación) to the Cathedral – 1.6 km
- Tour of Malaga main attractions – maximum of 4 km
Doesn’t it sound great? What is even better – the old town of Malaga is wonderful. It is full of lovely alleyways and passages that lead you to some amazing discoveries. There are Christian and Moorish towers and decorations following you, making a perfect background for that photo you later look at in the middle of winter.
You don’t feel overstrained like in the big cities. You are relaxed, you sit in a small restaurant at a corner of some square or choose to visit yet another tapas bar. This is what makes holidays the holidays!
Bicycles
Of course, some of us prefer a more active way of spending our time. Malaga has something for them too. Why not rent a room a little bit further from the city center and profit from the bicycle trail going along the seaside and the numerous beaches of Malaga…
The biggest advantage – the city is flat! So, forget about huffing and puffing cycling up the hill. There are miles of paths for everyone to enjoy and once in the city center – you can have a walk!
Malaga promotes bike hire by creating the MalagaBici stations. As it is in many other cities – you should be a member to use these. Therefore, it is a good option for those staying in Malaga and using the bike often, or regularly throughout the year.
You can sign up online or go to the EMT office (Alameda Principal 15) in Malaga and receive a license valid for 12 months.
Prices:
first 30 minutes – free
after 30 minutes – 1€/hour
You can use the bike for 2 hours after which you switch to another one. There are over 20 stations in town, located strategically. Nothing easier…
What if we want just a day or two with a bike?
There are several companies offering their services. This is also an easier (less paperwork), sometimes more informative but also slightly more expensive way to travel around town than walking.
Then again – they offer bike tours of various kinds, so you both get a guide and a bike. You are not limited to stations, you just have a padlock, so you can leave the bike where you want to…
Some of the companies to check out – Bike Tour Malaga or Cycle Malaga. The price varies from 15-30€ for a day.
Before deciding to remember that you will have to take care of your personal safety. Watch out for cars, skaters, and traffic lights. Be wary that the pedestrians in Malaga always have the priority – it might be a slight overreach, but you will be safer thinking like that.
Bus or car hire
The most that Malaga has to show you is accessible on foot. The problem arises when you have your hotel a distance away. Therefore, planning a trip is this important – maybe the bike option will be too tiring… maybe it is better to use public communication… you maybe even be thinking about hiring a car and do some sightseeing with Malaga being your base of operations.
The city offers great route connections with the suburbs. Just look for the EMT logo on the side. You buy your ticket with the bus driver, newspaper kiosks, estancos (look for letter “T” at the entrance), etc. A good option may be the bonobus – it is a 10-ride ticket which makes the price drop by half.
That said:
Prices
Single ticket – 1.40€
BONOBUS – 8.40€
The buses run from 6 AM to 11.30 PM/midnight every 8-12 minutes. Then you look for night lines (N1, N2, N4) – less frequent, but there if you need them.
You can read more about the airport buses here. There is also a line for the special, Sunday flea market in the west districts – number 64, botanical gardens – number 91, of the Feria Agosto Bus – named “F”.
The car hire usually happens at the airport and serves the same purpose – get you closer to the city center so you could visit there. It is the best option for those wanting to make day trips or just landing in the city, before going further South/inland.
Our only recommendation about cars and Malaga – avoid the old town. Narrow, one-way streets quickly turn into a nightmare. It is easier to walk there.
Lastly – two words about the local metro. There are two lines, but their main purpose is to take citizens from the western district to the main train station. What is more – the majority of tourist hotels are in the city center or along the eastern seafront. Therefore we will skip this part of the public transport system.
Enjoy your stay!