Two days to visit Malaga is not a lot, let's not kid ourselves... but it's always better than nothing, that's for sure! If you only have 48 hours to get to know the capital of the Costa del Sol, take note of the plan we have prepared for you. Ready to put together your two-day route in Malaga ? Here is what we consider to be the best itinerary , in which we will visit the essential places in Malaga.
At the end of the post we leave you a map with the proposed itinerary and the points to visit on this two-day route in Malaga.
→ Here we tell you the 20 must-see places in Malaga
– DAY ONE of the two-day route in Malaga –
Tomorrow
We'll start off in the purest "choose your own adventure" style, so you'll have to make a decision and choose one of these 2 plans:
1. Sign up for a free tour of the best of Malaga to visit the main tourist spots in the city centre in a couple of hours. They leave from Plaza de la Marina and there are various times during the day.
2. Create your own tour of the historic centre of Malaga. This is our suggestion:
A good starting point is the Plaza de la Constitución , the epicentre of Malaga life and a meeting place for decades. If you haven't had breakfast, the terrace at Café Central is a great option. Are you one of those people who collect maps and brochures of every city you visit? Then this will be your moment: the tourist office is located in the Casa del Consulado , a super-pretty 18th-century palace known as "La Económica".
Now, let's dive into the narrow streets of Malaga's historic center . Some of the places you can't miss are:
- The Church of the Holy Christ of Health, with a circular floor plan and a curious dome.
- The Carmen Thyssen Museum (€10), if you like classical art, with works by Sorolla and Zurbarán, among others.
- The Church of San Juan, with a large tower and two colorful facades that are quite surprising.
- The Church of the Sacred Heart, in neo-Gothic style.
- The Parish of the Holy Martyrs Ciriaco and Paula, one of the churches with the most beautiful interior in Malaga.
- Pasaje Chinitas, a small alley where the historic Café Cantante de Chinitas was located.
We finish this tour again in the Plaza de la Constitución, where some of the most emblematic streets of the capital converge. Although the best known is undoubtedly Calle Larios , with a lot of atmosphere both day and night. Walk along it in a southerly direction and turn off towards the Cathedral of the Incarnation , one of the most spectacular Renaissance buildings in all of Andalusia . Go around it so you don't miss a single detail and then, of course, go in! Although it's not free, it costs €6 (more information about opening hours and visits here ).
If you arrive before 12:15, you will have time to join this guided tour of the Cathedral .
In the surrounding area, don't miss two other architectural gems of Malaga: the Church of the Rosary , with a beautiful Gothic portico and an ostentatious Plateresque altarpiece inside. And in the Plaza del Obispo, the Episcopal Palace , which stands out for its beautiful baroque façade, and which since 2019 houses the Fundación Unicaja de Málaga Cultural Centre, with temporary exhibitions and cultural activities. If you find it open at the time of your trip, try to go in and take a look inside, which is worth it.
We continue our itinerary of this first day in Malaga along Calle Alcazabilla , which is undoubtedly one of the most popular streets for visitors. We leave behind the Museum of Malaga, as well as the climb to the Alcazaba, which we will postpone for the next day, and arrive at the Roman Theatre . Surprise!
Yes, these are the well-preserved ruins of an ancient theatre from the 1st century AD that bear witness to the city's Roman past . If you want to know more about its history, there is an interpretation centre right next door. Don't leave without going up to the back, where there is a viewing point with beautiful views of the Theatre and the Alcazaba.
We assume that by now your stomach is already complaining, but we have good news! In the area where you are, there are several bars and restaurants where you can fill your stomach. Two of the legendary ones in Malaga are El Pimpi and Restaurante Cortijo de Pepe , and we can't think of a better place to try a sweet wine, some tapas and some raciones. In this post, we recommend a few restaurants where you can eat well and cheaply in Malaga .
Or if you prefer to mingle with the real Malaga nightlife, there's nothing better than a wine and tapas tour of some of the city's most representative taverns.
Late
What? Fancy a nap? Nope! We have prepared a thematic tour to learn about the life and work of the most famous Malaga artist of all time: obviously we are talking about Pablo Picasso .
There are several interesting places around Plaza de la Merced . The first is the square itself, one of the most beautiful in Malaga, where you can take a photo with the statue of Picasso . And then visit two museums to learn about the artist: the Casa Natal Picasso museum in the house where the artist lived for the first 10 years, and the Museo Picasso Málaga , inside the Buenavista Palace, with 285 original works ( here you can buy your advance ticket ).
This whole area is the old Jewish quarter of Malaga, although there are not too many signs of its Hebrew past. Go through the Plaza de la Judería where something completely different awaits you, but which we love: some very colourful street art murals ! Next door, if you are not tired of so many churches, you can take a quick look at the Parroquia Santiago Apóstol .
The final touch to a great day will be to go up to watch the sunset at Gibralfaro Castle , an old fortress built in the 14th century on top of a 130 m high mountain to protect the Alcazaba. They say that at the time it was the most impregnable building in Al-Andalus. Entry costs €3.50 and is well worth it. The ideal way to go up would be to walk, although the slopes are steep and you will need to bring some water to avoid dehydration! If this is not for you, you can take the city bus 35 from Paseo del Parque or Paseo de Sancha (behind La Malagueta). Guess what we did? Ahem…
And to top it off, enjoy the Malaga nightlife in a bar on Calle Larios . But don't mess things up, okay? Go to bed early, because tomorrow is another great day!
– DAY TWO of the two-day route in Malaga –
Tomorrow
On our trips we usually have a habit: visiting the most important places in the cities first thing in the morning (and those that will take away some of our energy). So we left the visit to the Alcazaba for the morning of the second day , an Arab palace-fortress built in the 11th century, with walls, gardens, fountains and small palaces. The entrance costs €3.50 and you can go up on foot or by elevator that leaves from behind the Town Hall (be careful, it doesn't work on Mondays).
Once you get to the top, you're going to be amazed, not only because the Alcazaba complex is imposing and monumental, but also because you'll have the city at your feet. The views from up here are sensational.
* Alternative : if you are an early riser, go first to have breakfast at the Atarazanas Market , with a market-like atmosphere and where you can chat animatedly with the locals. The building is also very pretty!
The day before we left the Malaga Museum pending , and now it's time to visit it. Located in the robust 18th century Customs Palace, it is divided into two sections: Fine Arts (with representation of artists such as Goya, Picasso, Zurbarán, Sorolla...), and Archaeology (with an extensive collection of pieces from different ancient cultures: Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Phoenicians... and a Corinthian helmet that's really cool!). As you can see, it's a must-see in Malaga that will please both adults and children, and even more so if we tell you that it's free (€1.50 for non-EU citizens).
It's time to get some fresh air again, and there's nothing better than walking through Málaga Park , an oasis of almost 1 km in length parallel to the seafront, where we'll return in a few hours. At the end of the park you'll reach the Fuente de las Tres Gracias and in the distance you'll be able to see the Plaza de toros de La Malagueta , one of the most important bullrings in Spain.
Although we prefer to turn right and head towards… the beach! We have been in Malaga for a day and a half and we still haven’t seen the sea! This is the moment when we will be able to lie down in the sun or put our feet in the water at La Malagueta Beach .
This is the most central beach in the city, with good options for eating, which is about time (recommendation: Chiringuito El Cachalote ), although if you want a local tip, take a bus and go to the seaside neighborhoods of El Palo or El Pedregal , famous for their restaurants and beach bars serving fried fish and espetos. One of the most legendary is the restaurant El Tintero .
Late
The first part of the afternoon will be spent at another of the museums worth visiting in Malaga: the Centre Pompidou . Don't tell me that the building isn't cool! It is known as "The Cube" and as you can imagine, it contains permanent and temporary collections of modern and contemporary art. Admission costs €9, more info .
Since you've insisted on the sea, grab an ice cream and stroll along Muelle Uno , a relatively new area with shops and restaurants next to the port. Until you reach La Farola , which, according to locals, is the only lighthouse in Spain with a female name. Along the way, you'll see a few luxury yachts and pass by the Chapel of the Port of Malaga , where sailors apparently used to pray before going out to fish.
We circle the port back towards the centre of Malaga, through the so-called Palmeral de las Sorpresas , which, with its gigantic winding pergola and its curious sculptures, has become one of the symbols of the city. This is a good place to enjoy a beautiful sunset.
We will spend the last hours of the day in the Soho neighborhood , the most hipster and avant-garde in Malaga, full of street art and modern venues, where you will also find the CAC (Contemporary Art Center) that has brought life back to the old wholesale market.
The whole neighbourhood breathes art and culture. You only need to look at the walls that have been filled with fantastic murals thanks to the MAUS project . Can you tell that we are in love with street art?
Now all you have to do is have a nice dinner (for example, Moroccan specialties at the Al-Yamal restaurant ), find the bar you like the most, order a few beers and toast to this charming land. If after the second or third visit you start to think that it wouldn't be a bad idea to move here, you're not alone in this: Malaga is one of the places where people live the happiest 😉
– MAP of the route through Malaga in two days –
Here we leave you the map with the location of all the places to visit in Malaga in two days and the best route:
This concludes our two-day visit to Malaga (at least the virtual one), and we hope that with this day-by-day itinerary you can get the most out of this city.
Do you think we have forgotten any essentials? Did you like this route through Malaga in two days? We hope so and that you can enjoy an unforgettable getaway!
