10 Very Best Things To Do In Malaga – Hand Luggage Only

Malaga is a beautiful city and one of the best places in Spain to visit for a holiday. Filled with a history that goes back thousands of years, a gorgeous coastline and some of the tastiest restaurants – Malaga is a gem to explore. This all means there’s a heap of the best things to do in Malaga all across the city and for every type of visitor. 

For the longest time, I was sleeping on Malaga!

I typically used Malaga Airport as a gateway to the wider Andalusian area of Spain. This was my first mistake!

Malaga is honestly incredible to visit and I just wished I’d realised earlier, on our countless trips through the airport, that this gem was worth exploring. 

So, to make it easier for you, I’m sharing some of the top places and best things to do in Malaga when you arrive. This way, you won’t make those initial mistakes I did! 

Have an amazing time travelling in Spain. 

1.) Visit Alcazaba

As soon as you arrive in Malaga, make sure to put the Alcazaba at the top of your list. It’s one epic place to visit and one of our favourite palaces in all of southern Spain.

Built almost a thousand years ago, by the Al-Andalus that ruled this area of current-day Spain. 

Honestly, the architecture is just beautiful to see – even if you’ll walk quite a bit around the site. It’s all just so scenic, with a garden around the walls of the palace.

Now, it can get quite busy within the grounds, so if you want a quieter experience, make sure to go earlier in the morning and avoid weekends. 

Afterwards, book this amazing sunset catamaran tour with a glass of cava. It’s such a gorgeous experience and something we always love to do off the coast of Spain. 

Just be sure to book this catamaran in advance. Tickets do sell out at peak times. 

Read more: Best places in Spain to visit

2.) Go to the Roman Theatre of Malaga

The Roman Theatre of Malaga is one of the most important entertainment venues in the world and still stands proudly to this day.  Yes, it’s now a ruin but so much of the original design still exists and you can’t miss it. 

This is one of the things I love most about Malaga, it has such a vibrant mix of histories, from Moorish influences to Roman influences. 

Once here, learn more about the history of how the Romans built the theatre and how it was re-discovered in 1951. We loved exploring the site.

It’s right next to the entrance to the Alcazaba, so you can’t miss…