If you want to know what to see in Malaga and immerse yourself in its discovery, you will have to imagine a sun-kissed city  where past and present merge, creating a setting where nothing seems left to chance.

Malaga is just like that: a place where history has not been erased and the signs of a thriving past dominate the city from above and offer breathtaking views of the urban landscape and the Costa del Sol.

In this short guide, I will take you to discover Malaga 2 days itinerary, which are the historic places to eat and the surrounding villages not to be missed, such as Antequera and Frigiliana.

che say, are you ready to discover all the must-see attractions in and around Malaga?

Know that a 2-day itinerary will be enough to visit the city, but make sure you carve out a few more days if you also want to visit something in the surrounding area that you will find in the next few lines and that particularly inspires you.

Let’s begin!

Day 1: Things to Do in Day 1

The most pleasant thing about the historic center of Malaga is that it is almost entirely pedestrian.

Like a labyrinth of streets full of life, full of ancient restaurants, where the sweet scent of nougat accompanies you as a guide.

Well, it is obvious that if you let yourself be guided only by the scent of nougat you would be stopped at every corner.

To find out what to do in Malaga without literally getting lost, take a look at the map I’ve prepared for you to easily open on Google Maps (you’ll find the direct link at the end of the reading for maximum convenience).

PS: if you have a car, park it at the port.

Just after a white lighthouse you will find a large parking lot.

Click here to get driving directions.

1: Breakfast at La Canasta

The first stop on this two-day itinerary in Malaga?

Breakfast at La Canasta! When you head from the port to the center of the city, one of the first things you will come across will be La Canasta, a typical place where you can taste the specialties of Malaga.

Treat yourself to a hot chocolate with churrus or an ensaimada, or have a nice sandwich made with Iberian ham, to put in your backpack for lunch.

2: The museum of Málaga

Once we’ve eaten enough food, we’re off.

Walk through Malaga park, a long avenue lined with tall palm trees and boisterous parrots, and then head to the Malaga museum, the perfect place to start your visit to the city if you want to discover some of its history as well.

3: The Roman Theater: one thing to see in Malaga

After the visit to the museum, enter the historic center until you reach the Roman theater.

Enter the amphitheater and walk up the same steps where the men who lived there in those days placed their sandals.

Visit the museum on your own or, alternatively, take a guided tour of the Roman theater and the Alcazaba, but remember that the entrance ticket to the Alcazaba is not included (about €3.50).

Imagine you are there to attend a show, breathe in the atmosphere and then set off to discover other things to see in Malaga.

4: Picasso Museum

Take Via Sant Agustín, an even narrower street in the historic center that will take you to the true heart of the neighborhood: here you will begin to smell the first scent of nougat and see the first stalls adorning the street.

Let yourself be carried away, until you reach the Picasso Museum.

Buy entrance tickets with audio guide included and visit it independently.

5: The Cathedral of Malaga (la Manquita)

If you want to discover other things to see in Malaga in two days, I could not tell you “la Manquita”.

Spend some of your time visiting the impressive Cathedral of Malaga.

It is not only a religious place, but also a symbolic one: the cathedral, in fact, was built on the exact spot where the mosque was located.

It is nicknamed “la Manquita” because only one of its two towers was built, due to lack of financial means.

But this will not make your visit less spectacular: from inside the Cathedral you can reach the roof and admire the city and the domes from above.

But nothing beautiful is achieved without effort: you will have to climb 200 steps to get there!
Visit the cathedral independently by purchasing the entrance ticket on site (from €8) to discover historical anecdotes and gems of the construction of the cathedral.

The entrance ticket is also included in the price.

6: The Alcazaba and the Castle of Gibralfaro

The Alcazaba of Málaga and the Castillo de Gibralfaro are well-preserved remains from the period of Muslim rule.

The Alcazaba (which means “citadel” in Arabic) was the residence of the Muslim governors, while the castle, thanks to its strategic position on the Gibralfaro hill, protected the city from above.

Inside the Alcazaba you will be able to admire the finesse of the Arab architecture with its doors, internal courtyards, gardens and precious decorations.

For the daredevils who continue the visit to the castle, the prize will be guaranteed: from here you can enjoy a beautiful view of the city and the sea, which will give you unforgettable sunsets.

Remember  not to forget water, especially on hot summer days!

Tickets can be purchased directly at the entrance of one of the 2 attractions, with the following rates (you can see the always updated prices here ):

• Single entrance fee to the castle or the Alcazaba : €3.50
• Combined ticket castle + Alcazaba €5.50

7: Flamenco show

Conclude this first day in Malaga by attending a flamenco show in a Tablao (stage).

You will be able to watch the music and dance show while sipping a drink and eating some tapas that can be purchased on site.

To do this, simply book the day and time most convenient for you on this page (from €25).

Accommodation in Málaga

The nice thing, however, is that since the sea and the center are so close, you can stay in one or the other without being far from anything.

Is not it beautiful? Below you will find some structures that I suggest, but if among these you don’t find the one you were looking for or you want to find structures at discounted prices for your dates, connect to this offers page.

• Madeinterranea Suites (from €125) : located in a prime location in the center of Malaga, if you want to stay downtown, this is the property to check availability;
• Exclusive Malaga Skyline  (from €142) : if you prefer to choose accommodation practically on the sea, opt for this apartment with stunning views and just a few meters from the beach.

Day 2: Museums and Beaches

1: The museums of Malaga (with tickets)

I won’t lie to you: to visiting a museum, I much prefer getting lost in the alleys, passing through it several times and being surprised by new details.

But, you must know that one thing to see in Malaga are the museums: there are 24 marked on the map alone.

Not having visited all these museums, a full day was enough for me to discover Malaga, while the remaining days I dedicated to the surroundings of the city.

Consider extending your stay based on how many museums you intend to visit and buy tickets online (when available) to save time at the various ticket offices.

Here are the main museums in Malaga (for enthusiasts): 

1. Center Pompidou Malaga
2. Malaga Museum
3. Museum of the art of flamenco
4. Contemporary art center
5. Picasso Museum
6. Automotive Museum
7. Picasso Foundation: the birthplace museum
8. wine museum
9. Málaga Music Museum.

2: The beaches of Málaga

The Costa del Sol is one of the most famous seaside spots in the world or, at least, in Europe.

One of the beauties and at the same time conveniences of visiting Malaga during a summer day is the proximity of the historic center to the beach.

Malagueta is about a 15-minute walk from the Roman theater.

Another splendid city beach is Playa Caleta known to be the most well-maintained in the area.

If you wish, you can end the day with a sunset catamaran ride .

Where to eat in Málaga

What is certain is that strolling in the streets of the historic center and then reaching the Castillo de Gibralfaro and the Alcazaba requires an effort (and a prize).

For this I would say to find out which are the best places to eat in Malaga.

You have to know that here you will find the typical Andalusian places that transmit the atmosphere by quickly immersing you in the climate.

• For breakfast treat yourself to churros with chocolate or an ensaimada (a small cake, or very large brioches, made with yeast and covered in icing sugar, a typical Mallorcan dessert) accompanied by a good coffee, a la Canasta;
• If you’re looking for a historic place to sample the local cuisine, you need to know that El Pimpi is an institution in Malaga: here you’ll not only find great food, but also years of culinary history;
• El Tintero: a restaurant… without a menu! Definitely a place to try in Malaga: here the dishes are served “screamed”.The waiters come out of the kitchen and pass between the tables literally shouting what they have in their hands – usually very fresh fish dishes.If your dish tickles, stop the waiter! And the bill? You count how many plates are on the table at the end of the dinner!

Keep in mind the bizarre Spanish times for lunch – not before 2pm – and dinner – not before 9.30/10pm.

Ps: many museums are closed on Mondays, so it’s better not to organize your visit on that day of the week.

If you are planning a trip to Andalusia, you might also be interested in finding out what to do in Seville.

What to see around Malaga

There is certainly no shortage of things to see around Malaga: you can indulge yourself in finding new beaches or finding very white villages where you can spend a few pleasant hours at sunset, eating some tapas.

My advice is to divide the days as follows:

• Day 3 : Antequera, El Torcal and Dolmen
• Day 4 : Nerja and Frigiliana
• Day 5 : Castillo Monumento Colomares.

1: Antequera

The first trip out of town that I recommend while you are in Malaga is to discover Antequera.

This small village is located about 50 km from the city, but they will be enough to catapult you into a new reality, made up of white, indeed very white, houses, megaliths and immense rock formations among which to track down wild animals.

It is one of the oldest cities in Spain, so much so that there is evidence that Antequera existed as far back as 4000 BC

Here’s what not to miss in Antequera:

• The historic center: the historic center of Antequera stole my heart.Visit this small town at your leisure, get lost in the alleys, spend the day among churches and excellent restaurants, between one white house and another and have fun finding the 11 miradors (panoramic points).What really made my heart skip a beat was the one at the foot of the Alcazaba in Antequerra.. needless to explain why, except by showing you the photo below;
• The Alcazaba : is a fortress of Arab origin with two towers.This is a place where the walls ooze with history and conflicting religions.You will be able to enter for €6 and have an enviable view of the city from the fortress walls;
• Porra Antequerana : The last (but not the least) must-do in Antequera, is a delicious dish called porra antequerana.It is a typical dish of the city, the name is no coincidence.This dish is a cold soup made with tomatoes, peppers, stale bread, vinegar and oil.
  It is a close cousin of gazpacho (a cold tomato-based soup), often served with hard-boiled eggs, frayed tuna and diced serrano ham.

Curiosity: Antequera is located in the heart of Andalusia, so choosing to spend a few days here could be an even more brilliant idea.

His motto is “From Antequera, every place is closer!” Do you believe it now? Discover the best accommodations if you want to extend your stay in Andalusia.

2: El Torcal Nature Reserve

El Torcal Nature Reserve is a beautiful place in nature not far from Antequera.

Its rock formations are among the most impressive and important in Europe.

Set the destination on your navigator: you will take an uphill, but paved road that will lead you to a parking lot.

Once you have parked your car, I suggest you take one of the 3 hiking trails of different duration and intensity , which enter this spectacle: 1.5 km, 2.5 km and 4.5 km.

These paths are not difficult, but there may be a lot of rocks on the path, even very slippery ones.

Comfortable shoes recommended.

El Torcal is home to a large number of wild goats, therefore, keep your eyes open: you will see several on the tops of these strange rocks.

If you get the chance, pay a visit to El Torcal at sunset when the boulders turn pink.

3: Dolmen of Antequera

One thing not to be missed in Antequera is definitely a visit to the Dolmens.

It is an archaeological site with 3 megalithic monuments built in the Neolithic period (about 3700 BC) declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

These megaliths are thought to have been used for religious ceremonies.

There are 3 Dolmens that you will find:  Dolmen Menga,  Dolmen de Viera and  Tholos El Romeral.

The first two sites are within walking distance of each other.

The Tholos El Romeral, on the other hand, is located about 3 km from the first two.

The most impressive, amazing and what can I say…incredible thing, in the true and proper sense of the term , are the dimensions of the boulders that make up the megaliths.

The rocks that roof Dolmen Menga, above all, take your breath away.

Touching the walls of those structures will make you feel incredible energy and experience a sensation that is difficult to convey in words.

Dolmen Menga is the largest, 25 meters long and 4 wide and made up of 32 stones; inside there is also a well, which makes the monument truly unique.

I don’t know how they made those megaliths about 6000 years ago, and perhaps this is the most incredible feeling.

You can visit them completely free .

4: Nerja

Approximately 50 km from Malaga, you will find Nerja.

This is the perfect place to enjoy a day at the beach and stop to admire the sea from the Balcony of Europe overlooking the water.

After filling up on vitamin D, it’s time to discover the subsoil of Nerja: treat yourself to a visit to La Cueva de Nerja, underground caves full of stalactites and stalagmites.

5: Frigiliana

It is located a few minutes by car from Nerja and is called the most beautiful village in the province of Malaga.

Lots of smoke and no fire, you say? No! Frigiliana is really, really, really roasted: in my opinion it is one of the most beautiful villages in all of Andalusia.

Frigiliana is a town that develops entirely on a hill: stroll in the historic center without a destination, among cobblestone streets, which will lead you gently from one panoramic terrace to another; the narrow streets full of flower pots, the narrow stairways and the houses, rigorously painted in white.

A spectacular village, seriously.

If you don’t have a car, getting around from Malaga could be complicated.

6: Castle Monument Colomares

Located about 20 km from Malaga, this which you might think is a castle is actually the largest monument in the world dedicated to Christopher Columbus and the discovery of America.

The structure is quite recent: it was built between 1987 and 1994, mixing many different architectural styles.

At the entrance to the park you can buy the ticket at a cost of €3.00 per person.

Here you will also be provided with a list of things to see inside, such as the representation of the bow of Christopher’s ship.

The monument is very nice, a beautiful work of art in respect of one of the most significant events in history.

You could spend a pleasant hour if you worked hard, but hard, to find all 16 points marked on the map and get lost in discovering new details, but remember that it is smaller than you might imagine.

Two days in Malaga are enough to visit the city at your leisure.

However, bear in mind that as you may have noticed, you will find quite a few museums, so I advise you to extend your stay according to how many of them you want to visit and how many things you plan to see around Malaga.

With this itinerary I hope I have been able to clarify your ideas on what to do in Malaga in two or more days.

Remember that you can open the day 1 itinerary  in the city, comfortably on your smartphone.

If you have any doubts or questions, leave your comment below.

Are you going to Andalusia? Read also

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• 2 Days in Granada: Ultimate 2-Day Itinerary
• Cordoba: Top 15 things to do
• Ronda: Top 10 things to see
• Seville: Top 15 Things to Do and See