Málaga is a port city on Spain’s Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) with beautiful beaches and a rich history. Originally named Malaka by the Phoenicians—from the semitic root mlk – “king” or mlḥ – “salt”, no, it doesn’t come from the infamous Greek swear word—the city has since been inhabited by the Romans and the Arabs, among many other groups, as can be seen in the architecture. In addition to its impressive historic sites, Málaga boasts breathtaking views, delicious food and a vibrant arts scene.

Food

1. Espetos de sardinas + seafood

If there’s anything you must eat in Málaga, it’s the seafood. Malaga is best known for their espetos de sardinas, which are skewered sardines grilled by an open fire. Walking down the beach, you will see the skewers stuck around fires contained in sand-filled wooden boats. Almost everything can be grilled this way, from octopus and squid to whole bass, but the most popular fish is definitely the humble sardine.

Sardines are available year round, but I recently learned that they are best in the months that do not have the letter ‘R’ in their names. Conveniently, these are the same in Spanish and English: May/mayo, June/junio, July/julio and August/agosto.

Although we went in November, we still had some tasty espetos at Chiringuito Sicsu on Malagueta Beach, washed down with some vermouth and tinto de verano. As I grabbed the sardines, eating the bones and all, like with canned fried dace (豆豉鯪魚), I looked over to see an American tourist eating the tiny fish with a fork and knife. It turns out neither of us were doing it right as locals would hold the fish and bite the loins off… they’re missing out on the extra calcium tho. 💁🏻‍♀️

Another seafood favourite was gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp). I had them at Marisquería Casa Vicente, and they were so sweet and tender, seasoned with nothing but rock salt and a squeeze of lemon. The cuttlefish was good too, but they left some of the beaks in, so watch out for that. There is nothing fancy about this restaurant, but the seafood is fresh and the portions are great.

2. Churros

Málaga’s unique churros are called tejeringos, and they do not have ridges nor are they sprinkled with sugar. Their appearance and taste remind me of Chinese fried dough sticks or youtiao (油條). We visited both of the most popular churro places, Casa Aranda and Churrería La Malagueña, but we preferred the former because their churros were a little bigger and the service/vibes were better. The chocolate can be a little lumpy and the coffee is nothing special, but it’s really just a homey neighbourhood café (and yes, we went pretty much every morning).

3. Tapas at La Tranca

Tapas are the quintessential Spanish food, and we were lucky enough to stumble upon La Tranca on our first night. The line was out the door, which makes sense once you try the food. Everything was phenomenal, from the generous slice (pincho) of tortilla to the simple platter of queso de Amalgro. In fact, we tried a different tapas restaurant the next day and were so disappointed that we ended up going back to La Tranca. The atmosphere was just as lively as the night before, filled with locals and tourists alike with the sound of music spilling out onto the streets.

In addition to the great food, which includes croquetas, empanadas, berenjenas de Amalgro (pickled eggplants) and montaditos (open-faced sandwiches), the waiters look like they’re genuinely having fun, zipping from table to table while singing along to the music. This place is an institution that really represents the vibrant atmosphere of Andalucía. Oh, and don’t forget to accompany the tapas with a glass of tinto de verano or an aliñao, a mixture of vermouth, gin and soda.

4. Wine at the Antigua Casa de Guardia

Another Málaga institution, the Antigua Casa de Guardia has been serving local sweet wine and vermouth since 1840. Stepping into the tavern is like going back in time, and you get to sample a variety of unique wines straight from the barrel. During our visit, we hit it off with Romero, one of the men behind the bar, who ended up gifting us with seashells that he hand painted!

5. Café Central

The Café Central was a historic café at the corner of the Plaza de la Constitución. While researching for this blog, I found out they unfortunately closed their doors in 2022. They were famous for coming up with 9 different ways of ordering coffee depending on the amount of milk added, which were displayed on ceramic tiles outside the café on Calle Santa María. Although you can no longer enjoy a cup of coffee at Café Central, you can still order a coffee in Málaga using the names above as explained in this video.

6. Camperos

I discovered the campero in the Spanish crime thriller, Malaka, which is filmed in Málaga. It is a griddled sandwich made on a very light white roll called mollete de Antequera. The sandwich is typically filled with ham, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese and mayonnaise, but you can find many different variations that include grilled chicken, bacon, omelette, etc. It is iconic in the city but is not the most culinarily interesting (sorry 😭). To me, it’s similar to poutine in Québec, a dish beloved by the locals, perfect after a night out but not my preferred meal.

Sightseeing

1. Alcazaba and Castillo de Gibralfaro

The Alcazaba, from the Arabic word “القَصَبَة” (al-qaṣabah) meaning “citadel”, is a fortification built during Muslim rule in Al-Andalus. It is connected to the Castillo de Gibralfaro (Castle of Gibralfaro), which sits atop its namesake hill, and both sites can be visited together by purchasing a joint ticket for 5,50 €. Sometimes referred to as the smaller version of Granada’s famous Alhambra, the Alcazaba features intricate Islamic architecture and beautiful courtyards.

A short walk up the hill leads you to the Castillo, which offers panoramic views of the city and the sea; it’s especially amazing at sunset 😍.

2. The Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano de Málaga)

The Roman Theatre is an ancient theatre built by none other than the Romans in the first century. Conveniently located at the foot of the Alcazaba and free to visit, the Theatre is a nice little stop before the trek up Mount Gibralfaro. My friend who studied archaeology allotted quite a bit of time to explore the Roman Theatre because she thought there would be other artifacts on display. It turns out there isn’t much other than some plaques displaying information she had already read about beforehand. Nonetheless, it was still fun to sit on the old stone benches and think about what the theatre would have looked like in its heyday.

3. Hiking the Sendero Urbano Mundo Nuevo

We found this quiet paved trail that goes up the hill behind the Alcazaba after checking out the Plaza de la Merced right across the street. It’s a calm and pleasant walk with great viewpoints of the city at every turn. Even just the very beginning of the trail is a great spot for pictures with the Alcazaba in the background.

4. The Málaga Cathedral (Catedral de Málaga)

Málaga’s cathedral was under construction for over 200 years, and its south tower remains unfinished to this day, leading to its nickname La Manquita (one-armed). To be honest, I don’t even remember going inside as all the cathedrals I’ve ever visited have started blending together, but I do remember the beautiful garden outside with hedges, benches and orange trees.

5. Málaga Park

The park runs parallel to the water and features lush greenery, towering palm trees, flower gardens and fountains. The wide walkway is perfect for a stroll and is lined with benches if you want to rest in the shade. There are also several vendors along the Paseo del Parque; I could never resist the 1 € bags of HUGE roasted almonds, a malagueño specialty.

Arts

1. Flamenco

Of course I had to catch a flamenco show for my first time in Spain. My friend got us tickets to the Tablao Flamenco Los Amayas, which was a pretty cramped venue, but at least the show was good. The atmosphere wasn’t the best though because we were mostly tourists, so no one was clapping along or yelling “ole”. And since I was too shy to be the only one jaleando (cheering on [the performers]), I tapped my foot to the rhythm and said my oles under my breath 😭.

I found out later that the guitarist El Curro de María and the main dancer La Lupi both also perform at Alegría Flamenco y Gastronomía. It looks like this might be the place for flamenco in Málaga… oh well, next time.

2. Museo Picasso Málaga

If you’re into art, you may already know that Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga. His museum is housed in part of an old Nasrid palace and contains almost 300 pieces of artwork donated by his family. Unfortunately, I’m not into art, so I didn’t end up visiting 🤣.

That’s pretty much what I got up to during my short time in Málaga. Hopefully one day I’ll be back on the Costa del Sol with a caña (beer) and espeto in hand.