Tours

Old Town

While no one can deny that Málaga is a city of sea and sand, it is no less important for its heritage and monuments. To discover cosmopolitan Málaga we propose a tour around the old town.

Begin at the Santuario de la Victoria, (Victoria is the city's patron saint), and walk along Calle Victoria, leaving behind Iglesia de San Lázaro (San Lázaro church) and the Jardín de los Monos (Monkeys Garden)—named thus because of the many monkeys that inhabited the gardens around the middle of the century. You will then reach Plaza de la Merced. On the northern side of this square you will find the so-called Casas de Campos (country houses). On the left corner is the building where Picasso was born, headquarters today of the Fundación (Foundation) that bears his name.

Continue your walk after taking a coffee or tea break on the terrace of the Flor de Lys. Take Calle San Juan Letrán, with the Mercado de la Merced on your right (Market of Mercy), and you will find yourself at the Teatro Cervantes (Cervantes Theatre). In the stalls is an allegorical painting of the city painted by Bernardo Ferrándiz in 1868. Retrace your steps back to the middle of the square, and you will see the beginning of the lively, winding Calle Granada, packed with little shops selling unusual wares, silver and presents suitable for ecologists. Following this road you will come to the Plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Square), the most characteristic and representative of the city. Here you must visit the Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País (Economic Society of Friends of the Country) building and see the Baroque façade of the Iglesia de la Salud (Church of Salvation).

To the left of the square is the Pasaje Chinitas, the scene of legends about bullfighters and cantaores (Flamenco singers) who have served as inspiration to many poets. This square leads into Calle Larios, the main thoroughfare of the old town, jam packed with shops and traditional cafes. Stop off at La Cosmopolita for refreshments.

At the end of Calle Larios is the Plaza y Acera de la Marina (square and walkway of the marina). Enjoy the splendid view of the port right in front of your eyes. You can visit it if you like. The Estudios Portuarios building is especially worth a look, with its modern decor and an olive tree in the patio.

Museums and Maritime Málaga

Now we suggest an unusual tour where you will get to know the Málaga of past eras, a maritime and Mediterranean Málaga. Start your tour at Plaza del Obispo, visit the Museo de Arte Sacro (Museum of Religious Art) and cross over to the cathedral, la Manquita, and its gardens. Continuing along Calle Císter, you will stumble upon three different cultures within metres of one another: the Moorish Alcazaba, the old Jewish quarter and the Roman Theatre.

Take a walk around the gardens of the Alcazaba, and go down the Coracha, a walled walkway, to Paseo del Parque, Málaga's botanical gardens. At the end is the Fuente de las Tres Gracias (Fountain of the Three Graces) which has been relocated hundreds of times, and behind this the Malagueta, the bullring that is over a hundred years old.

You should not miss the opportunity of going into the Campana opposite the bullring. This tavern has a robust odour of antiquity and is renowned throughout the city. Try one of the local wines. To the right of the square is the popular district of Malagueta, where the Museo Municipal (Municipal Museum) opened in 1999. Opposite is a Botero sculpture.

Crossing over the square you reach the Paseo de la Farola with views across the Port of Málaga. You can see the bronze sculpture of Cenachero, the figure representing the city of Málaga. It is a young fisherman, dressed in clothing typical of the beginning of the century, carrying two baskets full of fresh anchovies.

Continue your walk to the Glorieta de Jorge Guillen, the square dedicated to the poet Jorge Guillen that contains his statue, and you will reach Paseo Marítimo Antonio Machado (Antonio Machado Boardwalk) with the Mediterranean and the sand of the Playas de la Malagueta (Malagueta Beaches) at your feet. Outdoor cafes abound around here, but we suggest you pay homage to the excellent Antonio Martín where you will eat like a king and enjoy unbeatable views of the sea.