another gem from EDP Contributing writer Marissa

I stumbled upon Malaga by accident after my host in London invited me to stay at his home in Marbella. When he first started talking about the city, he talked it down a bit to keep me from getting my hopes up. Well, it turns out that this may be my new favorite place in the entire world.  From the cotton candy sunsets, the stunning architecture and the cheap as dirt wine (really, a delicious bottle can cost only $4) this city needs to be on your radar and most certainly added to any trip you take to the Coast of Spain. 

STAY

Ash and I stumbled across the AC Hotel by Marriott Malaga Palacio by accident. She had an early flight out of Malaga airport and booked it with her points after a quick online search. Turns out, this 4-star hotel is right in the heart of Old Town Malaga, which is one of the must-do things in the city. There’s a rooftop bar and pool with a stunning view of the Catedral de la Encarnación and Malaga’s port. Our room had a balcony with a perfect vista of both and honestly, it was hard to leave. Right after we checked in, they delivered these chocolate covered almonds - lord, I don’t know if that’s customary, but if not, you need to request them. The breakfast (which is not included) was insanely fresh meats and cheeses, all kinds of breads with jams, butters, and nutella, yogurt with all the fixings, scrambled eggs, bacon.. I mean, drool. A hotel with great service and an even better location. Note: Apparently, all hotels and stays in Spain require photo I.D. for all guests, something they won’t advise you on your reservation. 

TO DO

• Walk through the historic Old Town (Malaga) - An area in the center of the city with old, stunning architecture and all kinds of cute restaurants and shops. They have chain-like restaurants, hole in the wall spots, and gelato shops lining the streets. The shopping is the best of both worlds because you have the typical Zara and Calzedonia shops as well as smaller, family owned tourist friendly stop ins. Ash and I spent the day bar hopping, coat shopping in Zara and liked our dining options so much we ate two lunches. We took a break at the hotel for a bottle of wine and left our room at 10pm for a late (early by Spanish standards) tapas-style dinner.

  • Donuts holes at Saporito: Covered in sprinkled sugar, kinder and chocolate, you can’t really go wrong.

  • Gambas al Pil Pil, Caprese salad and delicious bread at Restaurante Bar La Bouganvilla: We sat in a little window balcony on the second floor and it made it quite the magical experience.

  • Tapas at Casa Lola Strachan: Has great reviews online, but nothing worth waiting in line for. We ordered the sliders, patatas bravas and the meatballs.
    

• Drinks and shopping at Old Town (Marbella) - Similar to Malaga’s Old Town, this area of Marbella will give you all the Greek/Italy vibes. It’s filled with winding streets lined with shops and squares surrounded by restaurants. You’ll have no issue finding a spot for the entire group to enjoy. This is also a great time to stop in at one of the European Farmacias and buy over the counter what you can only get with a prescription in the States. We tried an acne spot cream for teens that worked wonders on my adult acne.

  • Tapas style breakfast at Café Flore

  • A cheap, delicious, perfect bottle of wine at Cafeteria Los Naranjos

• Eat pizza at El Rancho Nel Bosco - This hidden gem is located off the highway, in the middle of a community. It’s almost as if it were put there just for the surrounding houses, but truly, it needs to be on your radar. They make the best pizzas in Malaga. Truth be told, Ash said it may have been the best she’s ever had (and she’s been to Italy more than once). Order Tinto de Verano and your bases are covered.

• Churros for breakfast at Tejeringo’s Coffee - There’s multiple locations of this churreria. The one linked is where I had the best churros of my stay. As a surprise to no one, I’ve had my fair share. Order the kinder chocolate for dipping.

• Visit a Chiringuito - A ‘chiringuito’ is a beachside restaurant. They line the coast of Malaga and are well known for being overpriced. Have no fear, I’ve visited a few good ones to know where to go.

  • En La Espera Te Esquino: In the small streets of Fuengirola, this was the first ‘chiringuito’ I ever went to and when I saw the prices, I almost ordered the entire menu. Order the Gambas Al Pil Pil and the Rosada a la Plancha.

  • Restaurante Sherif Playa: Order the ‘Espeto’ - a Malagueñan delicacy.

  • Restaurante Antonio: Order the Tomate Picado and Rosada Frito.

  • The Water’s Edge Cafe Bar: Great for cheap drinks by the bayside and catered to English speakers.

  • Siroko Beach: The best green olives on the planet. We ordered the burger and fancy pizza pockets. More expensive than the others, but put your feet in the sand while you watch the sunset go down and you’ll forget about the price on the bill.

• Cliff jumping at Playa Del Rincon de la Victoria - Fair warning, you have to pass a sign that says do not pass… Head up the Paseo Maritimo De Nuestra Señora del Carmen and at the top of the steps, you’ll see a white fence. If you can’t find it, DM me (lol).

• Window shop in Puerto Banus - The Beverly Hills of Malaga, if you’re looking for luxury stores and yachts as far as the eye can see, look no further than this overpriced albeit stunning location. They have a Saturday market at the top of the hill that is great to get a feel for the Spanish vendors and all the linen your heart could ever want.

Bonus stop: If you find yourself craving Indian while in Spain, there is a lovely Indian restaurant in Elviria called Mini India. It’s worth mentioning because the service is great, the prices are solid, and the food is outstanding. 

Great look out points (ranked in order of beauty):

• Mirador Natural de Gibralfaro

• Rooftop bar at AC Hotel

• Sohail Castle

• Benalmádena Stupa

Getting Around

Bus

During my stay, I used public transportation to get around. The bus system can be a little daunting if you’re not familiar with the language, but once the nerves calm down, you realize it operates just like any other large city. Note: Be careful when using google maps. I found out the hard way that it was better to download the app for the bus system. Operating solely on wifi and watching your bus zoom pass your bus stop is a heartbreaking feeling.

Uber

Taxi’s and Uber are available here and they’re relatively easy to navigate. Learn how to say ‘hi, how are you?’ ‘the address is…’ and ‘thank you’ beforehand and you’re good to go. Note: If you plan on traveling over 50km (ie. Malaga to Marbella) you’re looking at a $90-$120 Uber ride. BlaBla Car is a popular ride-sharing app that is also popular in Spain.

Rental Car

If you’re looking to do day trips and move around a lot on the Coast, I’d recommend looking into renting a car. The only reason I was able to do as many trips as I did was because I had a kind friend willing to drive to the other side of Spain if I’d wanted to. Most cars will be manual, but automatic cars are available, albeit for a higher price.

The latest EDP Travel Guides