My 3 days in Malaga surprised me in the best way possible.
I love trips to Spain but expected Malaga only to be the gateway to the Costa del Sol: a place to land, collect your cases and head straight for the beach. But after just a few short days, I realised I had it all wrong.
Jet2 invited me to spend a long weekend in Malaga with them (thank you!) and it turns out that city breaks to Malaga are ideal for those looking to blend sunshine and sea with culture and seriously excellent food – my personal favourite combination.
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Our 3 day Malaga itinerary was absolute perfection so I can’t wait to share exactly how to spend your time balancing history, beaches and some unforgettable flavours.
How to get to Malaga
Malaga couldn’t be easier to reach from many UK airports, with daily or even multiple daily departures from many UK airports all year round.
With regular flights from Liverpool airport in the summer season and occasional winter operations, Jet2 flights to Malaga are the ideal way to land in the sun from my local base.
After touch down, a short drive will take you from tarmac to tapas in no time! We reached Malaga’s compact city centre in about 20 minutes – no long coach rides necessary.
Where to stay in Malaga
Our Jet2Holidays pro booked us the stylish Hotel Catalonia Puerta del Mar and from the central location (all our must-sees were within a 15 minute walk!) to the most comfortable beds ever, it couldn’t have been more perfect. Plus, you know I’m a sucker for a good buffet and their breakfast spread was ideal fuel for a busy day!
It’s not all the time I get to stay at such a beautiful hotel, but this was worth every minute. It’s not too expensive either, depending on the time of year that you travel.
Read my full Hotel Catalonia Puerta del Mar review.
If you’re on more of a budget, check out TOC Hostel & Suites which offers both dorm and private room options. We walked past a couple of times and it looked really beautiful.
The ultimate 3 days in Malaga itinerary
Day 1 | First impressions
After checking into our hotel, it was straight out for lunch at Tragata, a Michelin-guide listed restaurant by famous Spanish chef Benito Gómez. Offering twists on traditional Spanish tapas, sharers and traditional main courses, we opted for a bunch of items to share.
Highlights from our meal included roasted aubergine with pickled tomato sauce, feta and almond pesto, scallops in a roasted sweet potato puree and a tapas non-negotiable, jamón ibérico croquettes.
Fuelled for an afternoon of sightseeing, we walked down the waterfront to meet our guide for a 2 hour Tuk Tuk tour of Malaga. Now usually I’m a very much ‘explore on foot’ kinda gal, but this was absolutely perfect after an early flight and large lunch!
We loved how it gave us an overview of the city, helped us to get our bearings and our local guide was super friendly too. Seeing the coastline down to El Palo beach was wonderful after weeks of rainy UK autumn, but the highlight was heading up to Gibralfaro viewpoint.
Two hours was the perfect length to see some of the city’s highlights, learn some interesting facts and even spot the famous ‘espeteros‘; sardines cooked over an open fire in a boat. Sadly, they’d closed up shop for the day when we arrived, but if you’re visiting earlier in the day or in high season, make sure to try one of these local specialities!
If you want to book the exact tour we did, I’ve linked it below.
After a quick rest, we freshened up and headed to El Tapeo de Cervantes for dinner for – you guessed it – more tapas.
Set in a more traditional-style bustling bar but boasting some unusual flavours, we opted for walnut-topped cheese, a particularly delicious pumpkin risotto and your classic meatballs in tomato sauce, among other goodies. Tinto de verano – red wine and lemon-based soda – was in copious supply too!
Then, we rounded off the evening with an intimate performance at Teatro Flamenco Málaga,
The flamenco itself was brilliant and incredibly dramatic – particularly sitting close to the front like us! I wasn’t expecting so much of it to be danced individually and each artist brought something different to the stage.
Day 2 | A day trip to Setenil de las Bodegas & Ronda
If you can spare a full day, escaping the city for a glimpse of rural Andalusia is a must. Ronda, famous for its towering bridge and beautiful architecture, is just a 90 minute drive away and makes the perfect pairing with the unique town of Setenil de las Bodegas.
We did a full day guided tour from Malaga to Ronda and Setenil that left around 08:30 and returned us back to Malaga for 17:30, just in time for our daily ice cream.
We drove through sunrise-soaked rolling hills, citrus groves and olive plantations before arriving in Setenil, a tiny village built beneath a canyon. Here, the rock literally forms the roofs of houses and cafes!
There are two main streets: one bathed in sunshine, lined with restaurants, and the other in permanent shade, literally called “Shadow Street”.
It’s tiny, but really unique destination that’s well worth the stop for a quick wander and some breakfast.
Then, we took the short drive onwards to Ronda for a walking tour of some of the city’s highlights. I didn’t realise that Ronda has a fascinating history: this is where local hero Pedro Romero transformed traditional bullfighting on horseback into the modern form seen today.
Evidence of ritual bullfighting dates back as far as ancient Sumeria, but Ronda refined it into a spectacle of pageantry and precision – although not one I’d ever like to see if I’m being really honest.
Aside from the bullring, there’s also a gorgeous park and viewpoint, as well as the spectacular Puente Nuevo bridge that connects the old and new towns over the Tajo de Ronda gorge.
To get the iconic view of the bridge, you’ll need to be prepared to walk down some steep-ish paths (and naturally, back up again!) for around 10 minutes, but it’s worth every drop of sweat.
Once back in Malaga, ending the day with sunset drinks at one of the city’s many rooftop bars is a must.
We chose the rooftop of AC Hotel Malaga Palacio, complete with spectacular views of Malaga cathedral, port and the mountains beyond. It was busy, so reserve a table if you can, but if you arrive early enough without you may get lucky! Vibes are good and it’s the perfect pre-dinner treat.
Craving a break for tapas? I mean, never. But if you fancy something different, I can recommend Restaurante Mexicano Tulum for a relaxed, flavourful meal that puts interesting twists on some classic Mexican dishes – as well as those you know and love!
Day 3 | Diving deeper into Malaga
Our final full day was devoted to Malaga’s history and there’s plenty to get stuck into!
After a gorgeous breakfast (more coming in my full review of Hotel Catalonia Puerta del Mar – stay tuned!), we headed out for a guided tour of the Roman Theatre and Alcazaba.
Led by our hilarious tour guide Dani, he managed to made centuries of history engaging with tales of invasions, change and local scandal. For example, did you know the Roman Theatre was buried beneath the House of Culture for a decade? One day it was discovered, including that it was a cover up by the House of Culture itself, and locals protested until it was restored!
Meanwhile, Malaga’s Alacazaba is the oldest in Andalusia, dating back to the 11th century. Dani guided us through the oddly fascinating labyrinth design – so complex that it was deemed impenetrable until a Catholic siege forced surrender – and its history as a village for the city’s poorest residents.
Now, the Alcazaba has been sensitively restored to its former glory and whlie many parts aren’t original, they certainly are beautiful. You can also see views, both port and city side, so it’s well worth a trip with or without a guide for the extra knowledge.
Ready for a quick drink after our morning of history, we stopped off for a smoothie in a local cafe before heading to our lunch destination.
Casa Lola Strachan is a Malaga institution; a buzzing tapas bar perfect for people watching and filling your table with delectable dishes from their extensive menu. Which by the way, we did in earnest.
The photo below shows just a few of the tapas we ordered, including the best croquettes of our trip – and we tried a lot! The garlic prawns were a total triumph and we also enjoyed the not-pictured fried aubergines with cane honey, patatas bravas (of course) and grilled chicken with goats cheese and caramelised apple.
We virtually rolled out of the restaurant and into our next destination, the Picasso Museum. Although Picasso spent most of his life in France, he was actually born in Malaga before spending some early years in Barcelona.
The museum houses around 150 of his works and it was undeniably cool to see so many of them in the same place. It’s worth the €13 entry fee but wasn’t necessarily my style!
Definitely pre-book tickets in advance though: entry is by time slot and we saw many being turned away as the day was already sold out.
It had been towering over us since we arrived but we’d yet to explore Malaga Cathedral during our 3 day itinerary. Promising to be as beautiful inside as it was out, we luckily didn’t have to book this attraction and waited just a few minutes to get inside.
When we did, it was well worth it.
Malaga Cathedral is an absolutely huge structure, nicknamed ‘La Manquita’ (‘the one-armed lady’, after its second unfinished tower). It was absolutely breathtaking, with an ornately grand interior that was unique in every niche, window and altar.
There’s also a small section at the back where you can see the gorgeous architecture on the outside up close, so don’t forget to head out here!
Of the entire day’s attractions, the cathedral and Alcazaba are the essentials you absolutely can’t miss if you’re only in Malaga for a flying visit.
After that, it was time to enjoy a bit of afternoon sun before the evening’s activities kicked off. Of course, I couldn’t resist a trip to the best ice cream shop in Malaga, Lucciano’s: it’s boujie but delicious AF.
If you’re in the market for a decent bakery, we also enjoyed an ice cream at O Melhor Croissant da Minha Rua but as the name would suggest, the croissants are another level. With a lamination that the Bake Off judges would love and equally mind-boggling size, they can be filled with any number of options.
We also spied Bun, an artisan coffee and doughnut spot that I’m still wishing we’d swung into now.
If we hadn’t eaten enough food, our evening was about to get even better. We joined a guide for a traditional wine and tapas tour around the old town, stopping in three local favourites that got better and better each time.
I won’t spoil the restaurants we visited in this blog, but I’ll be writing a Foodie’s Guide to Malaga (coming soon!) so stay tuned for some insider secrets…
What I can say, is that the tour was brilliant to try some tapas dishes that we’d not chosen for ourselves yet, as well as a couple of the classics. Of the new cuisine, a veggie ‘Russian’ salad, some mini fried fish and a goat’s cheese-topped toast with tomato marmalade were the top options. I’m still dreaming of that goat’s cheese and tomato combination.
For drinks, I was sticking to grape juice but the others tried several local wines and toasted to finish our trip with vermouth made in Malaga.
It’s the kind of experience that captures what this city does best: simple, joyful food, served with warmth and a glass of something good.
We all know that your guide can make a tour brilliant or kill the vibe entirely. Luckily, we had some excellent selections through Get Your Guide – I’ve linked the exact ones we did below.
You can also book activities via Jet2 directly, a simple choice if you’re choosing one of their package holidays.
Tip for travellers on a budget: if you don’t always want to take a guided tour, many attractions in Malaga (such as the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castle) offer free entry on Sunday afternoons!
Day 4 | Time to say goodbye
Before our midday flight home, we couldn’t help but get up early for a sunrise walk along the waterfront, where the locals were already out jogging in force.
It was worth the rush to pack the night before for this gorgeous view – in October!
For a final taste of Malaga, we had a quick stroll through Mercado de Atarazanas, the traditional market full of fresh produce and seafood, before heading to Casa Aranda for Malaga’s most famous churros.
We’d been caught out the night before when we craved dessert churros, only to realise it closed at 20:30! So, determined not to be beaten, we took on the perfectly crisp, light pastries for breakfast instead, paired with the most creamy, indulgent (but not too rich) chocolate.
It was undoubtedly the perfect end to a perfect 3 days in Malaga.
How long to spend in Malaga
As you can tell by this itinerary, I think 3 days in Malaga is the perfect length of time for a quick trip to see the highlights! However, you could definitely find enough to do for an extra couple of days – more if you took a couple of extra day trips to nearby cities or beaches.
When to visit Malaga
Shoulder season is my favourite time to travel and the same applies to Malaga. For our 3 days in Malaga in October, we were really lucky to get a balmy 23 – 28 degrees Celsius – heaven after a rainy, cold September in the UK! November could be a great time of year for hiking the nearby mountains too, before they get a light dusting of snow..
Personally, I’d avoid the peak summer months when it can reach +38 degrees and opt for April, May, September or October instead.
So, whether you’re a fan of last-minute holidays or planning way ahead, a 3 day city break to Malaga is a trip you won’t regret planning. I’ll definitely be back to explore more of Southern Spain, a region that really does have everything going for it!
A huge thank you again to the Jet2 team for inviting me on this wonderful trip.
Laura x
Read more on Malaga
Hotel Catalonia Puerta del Mar review
Malaga in winter | Why this Spanish city is perfect for winter sun
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