This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I could earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!
If you only have 1 day in Malaga before starting your South of Spain adventure, don’t you worry, one day in Malaga is enough to see most of the main sights this coastal city has to offer!
Malaga is the perfect starting point for exploring the distinctively beautiful Southern region of Spain. This area is filled with charming sleepy towns and unique mountainous landscapes bordered by the turquoise Mediterranean Sea, making the list of the best day trips from Malaga neverending.
Known for its warm and welcoming weather, boasting around 300 sunny days a year, Malaga is a popular holiday destination for anyone looking for constant sunshine and sandy beaches.
However, beyond the beach holiday, Malaga also offers a blend of history and culture with its unique archeological sites and fascinating museums, which luckily are easy to explore during a day in Malaga.
So here’s our complete itinerary to see the best of Malaga in one day, including our favorite coffee spot—always a must in this blog—and places to go for lunch and dinner to experience Malaga tapas culture.
1 Day In Malaga: How to make the most of your trip
Pin this for future fun!
Your future self will thank you!
Breakfast at Mia Coffee
An itinerary would not be my itinerary if it didn’t come with a specific coffee recommendation, and one of the best ones I found in Malaga is Mia Coffee.
This snug cafe with a bright yellow facade is tucked away in a small street south of the city, just five minutes walking from Malaga’s Central train station.
Here, you can start your day with an excellent flat white and a tasty pastry while you map out what the rest of your one day in Malaga will look like.
Or if you trust me blindly and go along with this itinerary, you can only focus on enjoying your coffee and the AC before heading out to explore.
Visit the bustling Atarazanas market
Next up we can walk up to the vibrant Atarazanas market to wander the stalls of fresh produce, seafood, and local delicacies.
You might not be hungry now but I think is better to visit the market earlier in the day since they close at around 3 pm, and it happened to me way too many times that I wanted to visit it before realizing it was already closed.
If you want to sample some things here you can always just have the coffee at Mia and keep your hunger for the market, or you can buy some local treats for later.
Walk along the lush Paseo del Parque
Now we can slowly make our way to Malaga’s historic Alcazaba, and luckily the walk there is also part of the experience.
Head over to the lush Paseo del Parque and stroll through the shaded pedestrian routes through Malagas Park, a tropical park in the city center, featuring exotic plants, colorful flower bushes, and charming fountains.
The perfect route to move around and escape the heat for a little bit.
Visit Malaga’s historic Alcazaba: An unmissable stop during your 1 day in Malaga
After a short 10-minute walk and one left turn, you will find yourself at the imposing Alcazaba de Malaga, an 11th-century fortification that sits high over the city offering stunning views over Malaga and its sea.
This distinctive Moorish fortress is also one of the best-preserved ones in Spain, making it an unmissable thing to see during your 1 day in Malaga.
Luckily, compared to expensive attractions in other Spanish cities (I’m looking at you, Barcelona) a visit to the beautiful Alcazaba will not break the bank, with tickets to this iconic site costing only €1.50 online, and around €3.50 on-site.
We bought our tickets directly on-site at the vending machines, but if you want to book your ticket to the Alcazaba in advance, that might be a good idea. Better be safe than sorry!
Tip: Make sure to bring some water, comfortable shoes, and a hat, as there is quite a bit of uphill walking and if you do this in the middle of the day you will definitely want some cover from the sun.
If you forget your water, there is a coin-operating vending machine at the entrance of the Alcazaba and a little cafe bar at the top of the hill.
Visit the imposing Gibralfaro Castle
If you are a go-go-go kind of person—we are more of a “go with the vibes” kind of traveler—and you want to see it all, then you will want to visit the imposing Gibralfaro Castle at the top of the neighboring hill.
When buying your ticket for the Alcazaba you can choose the option to buy a joint ticket for both attractions, however, it is very important to note that these attractions do not connect from the inside.
This means, that after visiting the Alcazaba and doing all the uphill walking, you will have to come back down, exit the Alcazaba, and then walk around that hill to start up the next one with the Castle on it.
We didn’t skip it just because we were lazy, but also because the Alcazaba is so beautiful we wanted to take our time enjoying it and stopping at some of the gardens.
Depending on your travel style and pace you might be able to still fit both of these attractions into your 1 day in Malaga. I will leave that up to you.
Admire the remains of Malaga’s Roman Theatre
Before you even go into the Alcazaba you probably would have noticed another interesting structure next door, Malaga’s Roman Theatre.
This ancient theatre is the most important indication of the Roman presence in Malaga. It was built during the 1st century BC, and it was only relatively recently discovered, in 1951.
If you skip the Castle as we did, you could quickly stop by to visit this historical landmark at no cost, or you can also enjoy the view of it from the pedestrian street on your way to lunch.
Tapas lunch at Casa Lola Strachan
According to the internet, Malaga is famous for its tapas culture, and while that may be true, in my very humble opinion, Malaga’s tapas scene doesn’t even come close to some of my favorite tapas places to eat in Barcelona.
That is why I made it my mission to ask the locals where they would recommend going for lunch, and a place that a variety of people agreed on was Casa Lola, specifically the Strachan location.
I was honestly not super impressed, but the food is okay, better than many of the tourist traps around Malaga City Center. The meatballs in tomato sauce were nice and tender, and the croquetas were tasty.
Additional option: Mesón Santiago Sedeño
Somehow I never managed to make it to this place even though I had it pinned since the beginning of my six-week stay in Malaga. But this place looks like an authentic spot with traditional dishes from the area.
So if you are hungry at the right time when this is open, you could check it out.
Admire the beautiful Malaga Cathedral and its picturesque gardens
Just around the corner from either lunch spot, you will find the imposing Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica de la Encarnación, or in shorter terms, Malaga’s Cathedral.
Malaga’s beautiful Cathedral is also casually known as La Manquita,” the one-armed lady”, due to its unfinished second tower, which I find very wholesome.
Visiting the inside of this gorgeous Renaissance-style cathedral costs €10, however admiring from the outside is free and an absolute must for any 1 day in Malaga itinerary.
One of my favorite things about the Cathedral is the lush and peaceful gardens that you can find next to the visitor’s entrance.
A tranquil space with benches, fountains, and colorful hibiscus trees lining the pathways.
Visit the Picasso Museum in his birthplace
Depending on your pace throughout the day, and your interests, you might have time to pop into the nearby Picasso Museum.
Picasso was born in Malaga, and that is why you can find a museum fully dedicated to the artist’s works, from some of his sculptures and ceramics to his paintings.
I had just been to the one in Barcelona a few weeks prior, so I didn’t feel the need to run to this one, but if you are a big Picasso fan or if you have not been to the Barcelona one, then it might be worth checking it out.
This could be a good activity to spend the afternoon in a cool indoor space if you have been walking under the sun all day, plus to get some cultural knowledge and art appreciation in, of course.
Wander the shops around Calle Marqués de Larios
Lastly, you can spend the rest of your late afternoon wandering around Calle Marqués de Larios, a pedestrian street lined with popular shops.
Here you will find some loved local brands such as Desigual, Massimo Dutti, Adolfo Dominguez, Bimba y Lola, and more, perfect for practical souvenir shopping.
Modern tapas dinner at FOMO Bar
I know I wasn’t too enthusiastic about the lunch spot for our one day in Malaga, but I am super excited about this dinner stop.
FOMO Bar is a place I sadly came across only on the last day in Malaga, if I had found it sooner I probably would have spent every day off here.
This quirky millennial tapas bar ticks all the boxes, cool theme, and beautiful modern interior without sacrificing the quality and flavor of the food—don’t you hate when modern-looking places are all vibes and no food?
Luckily, that isn’t the case here.
This handsome-looking tapas bar has if all, unique tapas with a twist such as a tartare hotdog and octopus croquetas, takoyaki style, as well as loved classics, like flavorful anchovies and melt-in-your-mouth ham croquetas. The vermouth is delicious too!
Definitely my favorite spot for delicious and homemade tasting tapas in Malaga, and a must-try for any one day in Malaga itinerary.
Enjoy a drink with a view at Terraza de la Alcazaba
To finish our one day in Malaga strong, why not celebrate it in the most Spanish way possible? At a rooftop bar on a warm summer evening and with a drink in hand.
Head over to the Terraza de la Alcazaba where you can enjoy a refreshing gin and tonic with the illuminated Alcazaba and the iconic Teatro Romano in plain sight.
And salud for a wonderful day in Malaga!
With its gorgeous Moorish Alcazaba, its ancient Roman Theatre, and with it being the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, there is so much more to explore beyond Malaga’s sandy beaches.
Hope that this 1 day in Malaga itinerary helps you make the most of your trip to this sunny beachside city.
Are you excited to explore the historic sites of Malaga or are you more of a stay-at-the-beach type of traveler? Let us know in the comments.