Malaga City break recommendations

[RetainersinSpainnotontheplane]

Looking at doing a 3 night break end of August and DC (late teens) have picked Malaga as a potential destination. Flights are looking a bit pricy but I’m willing to go along with it.

Has anyone been and would recommend it? If so could you also recommend me a hotel. Looking at staying in the historic centre.

We did València last year and adored it so looking for similarish vibes.

Thanks.

I love Malaga. We did day trips when PIL lived in Spain and we're going to stay there in December. I would NOT go in August. It's so popular with Spanish people that one of the main road lanes north out of the city is turned into a south lane in for the season (then reversed at the end) and it will be really hot.

Malaga is great - don’t agree at all with the first poster, I find it much nicer than Barcelona. We’ve been several times with our teens.

The old town is wonderful with beautiful architecture and more bars and restaurants you could ever hope to visit. There are loads of museums but you don’t have to visit them. The castle and fort are great to visit.

You can walk down to the marina where there is lots to see and often craft markets etc.

The centre has tons of shopping which the teens love.

You can walk to the city beach Malagueta but there are nicer ones a short bus ride away. The next beach along has an inflatable water thing in the summer that my teens loved. The next one along that is a fishing village, El Palo, really charming and loads of seafood restaurants.

Malaga Feria is an enormous fair with rides and food tents, it’s on in August (check the dates) and is brilliant fun - the scale of it and the lights are amazing.

it is very hot in August so book somewhere with a pool.

Caminito del Rey gets booked very quickly and might be a bit too hot unless you go early.

Take them to El Pimpi, very instagrammable.

I would highly recommend Malaga as a city break with teens.

Also I would choose Malaga over Seville in August due to sea breeze and access to sea.

I agree with this, August is not a great time for Seville.

Malaga is amazing!! Perfect for a short break.

We usually go to Seville for a weekend and January but this year tried Málaga for a change. I loved it, but still prefer Seville. We stayed at this amazing hotel, Palacio Solecio, right on the old town which I would recommend without hesitation

Very interesting if you're into art, particularly with the Picasso links and would recommend both the Picasso museum and the Casa Natal de Picasso.

I found Málaga to have a similar vibe to Seville but is on a smaller scale. They're both lovely cities so which ever one you choose, you're in for a good time!
palaciosolecio.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb_profile&utm_content=website

And I agree with pp who said Malaga over Seville in August. August in Seville will be like a furnace and the coast will be slightly cooler and you're close to the beach

Thank you everyone. I really appreciate all your input and all the recommendations for hotels and things to do.

I love the look of the Palacio but the DC are pushing hard for the H10 so the battle commences.

El Pimpi is definitely on the list as is a boat trip and a trundle over to Marbella is a genius suggestion.

You’re all good’uns. Thanks again ☺️.

We’re going in July for just over a week with teenagers. Have friends who’ve worked there and they recommended staying in El Palo so we’ve booked to stay in a place with a pool. It’s about 20 minutes on the bus into the centre so me and DH can go and do art while the teens do the beach! Looking forward to wandering along the costal path as well as eating fish every day. We’re not bothering with a hire car but intend to do a day trip or two via train or bus.

If you do end up at H10 I’d recommend a cathedral view room. It is a very recent build so no real character. That said very good sized and well designed rooms, everything works - as you’d expect in a very recently built hotel. Excellent breakfast. All staff were great. Great views from the rooftop bar / restaurant, and wine in the rooftop bar certainly reasonably priced. Rooftop pool is more a plunge pool. Less than a five minute walk from the end of the line station from the airport, 15 mins journey, less than 2 euros.

Casa Lola also worth checking out for tapas, but in truth it’s difficult to go far wrong in Malaga when it comes to food and drink.

Just to say El Palo is very quiet and sleepy if that’s what you’re after. It’s literally a village. There are some fab restaurants though. It’s pretty easy to take the bus into Malaga.

There is a place you can hire paddle boards etc. you can’t do it if the sea’s too rough.

Thanks @thinkingaboutipswich that is exactly what we are after. Although the Feria de El Palo will be on when we are there, so may have a bit of life for a few days and plenty of grilled sardines for tea. Thanks for the tip about the paddle boards that’d be great for the teens. Tips on places to eat very welcome.

El Tintero, definitely! You may have to queue especially on a Sunday.

@RetainersinSpainnotontheplane i haven’t done Seville but would like to. I absolutely love Malaga it’s a gorgeous city and loads to do and has a beach and port area. I Also went to Barcelona last year with friends and was worried about pick pockets. We felt completely safe and did not see anything like that. Barcelona was amazing again loads of things to see and do. Recommend both 👍👍👍👍