Just recently (in March) I took a weekend trip to the sunny Costa Del Sol to escape the cold British weather and soak up the start of Malaga's summer. Prior to my getaway I heard that Malaga was a boozy party central destination for students or tourists that just wanted to experience Spain's relatively cheap nightlife. So based on this stereotype I was extremely sceptical about my time there however I just simply pushed this to the back of mind because the flights were SO cheap costing £47 return from Birmingham, flying out on the Saturday and back on the Monday.
When searching for an airbnb I truly was not aware of how cheap this trip was going to be when I stumbled across plenty of extremely affordable places to stay. We ended up staying in the most modern and most importantly cleanest Airbnb ever, costing £35 per person for the duration of our stay. If you ever visit Malaga and need a place to stay check out the Airbnb we stayed at here.
Gathering my thoughts on Malaga I would 100% recommend Malaga to anyone especially if your a student as its one of the cheapest holidays I have ever been on. Spending money wise I only spent 39 euros in total and I believe you could spend even less if you are extremely good at budgeting. Malaga was so architecturally beautiful, full of so much culture and history that you wouldn't think twice that this was a party central destination. I would only advise spending a weekend in Malaga as that is an optimal amount of time to leisurely see everything, anymore time than that then you'll be running out of things to do.
The cheapest and quickest way to get from Malaga airport to the city centre would be catching the train which costs 1.80 euros each way which departs every 20 minutes from the airport and the journey taking no more than 12 minutes.
1. Head to the Beach
Although the beach doesn't have the cleanest sand to sunbathe on it does make the perfect place to take an evening stroll and watch the sunset. Another great thing about Malaga is that everything is within walking distance to main tourist attractions so you'll be saving even more money as there are zero transport costs.
2. Get dinner at La Plaza
If you are a vegetarian/vegan then pay a visit to this restaurant where they offer a few veggie options (enough to make you deliberate your choice). The restaurant itself is located on the main strip so you won't need to walk far at all.
3. Take in views from the AC Marriott Hotel
If you want a reason to get dressed up whilst in Malaga then the AC Marriott Hotel is the place to go. Again with its central location you won't be walking too far in heels before you arrive at your destination. Normally if getting cocktails you would have to buy an entry ticket costing 10 euros which includes a drink but we got lucky and was allowed to go up without having to buy a ticket. The downside of this rooftop bar is that they don't serve any mocktails but equally this venue serves as a great evening activity allowing you soak up views of Malaga at night.
4. Get breakfast at NicPic
If your on the look out for some healthy options to balance out all that holiday ice cream then look no more. NicPic is the perfect place to grab some vegan breakfast options before you get on with your day. This small restaurant which had a minimalistic vibe really resonated within its dishes as only the simplest of ingredients were used to create such tasty breakfast choices.
5. Visit the Cathedral
The secret to not spending shed loads of money in Malaga is that all tourist attractions are free entry on a Sunday. How amazing is that?! However as always, there's a catch to everything and with this it would be timings. Unfortunately I got my timings all mixed up and ended up arriving at the Cathedral too late to claim my free entry but lucky for you guys I can share my mistake. The timings for free entry are within 9am-2pm so for those who are wanting to visit try plan your trip being that you end up in Malaga on a Sunday. Despite not being able to enter we decided that marvelling at the cathedral's architecture was enough to satisfy us.
6. Wander through the Alcazaba
Yes before your wondering...the alcazaba is another free tourist attraction and was one of my favourite activities in all of Malaga. If your interested and fascinated by moorish architecture then the alcazaba will definitely make your Malaga checklist. It is an uphill walk around the compound however this feels like nothing due to the constant stopping and awing at every corner. I just loved how this place constantly amazed me with its insane views and exceeded every expectation I had.
7. Get lunch at Terra Mia
I know suggesting authentic Italian pizza for lunch is the most bizarre recommendation whilst being in Spain. Surely, I should be feasting on Spanish dishes like paella. That aside you have to agree that no one can go wrong with a pizza. So bearing that in mind if your craving a goooood pizza made by Italians themselves then pop along to terra mia for your pizza fix.
8. Catch sunset at Gibralfaro
I think we can establish that there is a reoccurring theme within this post and that would be views. Malaga has proven that there are ample opportunities to soak up the views it has to offer. Although the hike up to Gibralfaro is quite steep I would 100% say it's well worth it especially to watch sunset.
9. Get vegan ice cream from Yummy Helados
I've saved the best for last and that's ice cream. I don't think any travel or holiday guide would be complete without an ice cream recommendation and no holiday would be complete without getting a daily dose of ice cream. I can appreciate that for vegans it can be extremely hard to find a worthy ice cream spot whilst on holiday but rest assured I can totally vouch for yummy helados. Not only do they offer a variety of vegan flavours but equally provide the same for dairy ice cream. We loved this little spot so much that we came back twice in the same night all in the space of an hour. If that's not saying something then I don't know what is.
