Andalusia 7-day Itinerary
Spain
Where to go and what to see in Andalusia to get the most from your trip – a 7-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
Best things to do & places to stay:
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
Spain’s increasingly hip sixth city, Malaga has 3,000 years of history to explore and gorgeous sandy beaches. Although it’s the capital of the Costa del Sol, forget any retired expat or package holiday atmosphere; Malaga has energy to spare.
Wander through fascinating Old Malaga, with its Moorish citadels and gardens, and discover a lively contemporary art scene, including the Picasso and Carmen Thyssen Museums and a branch of Paris’s Centre Pompidou.
A year-round destination, bathed in winter sun with superb restaurants and bars, Malaga is a great urban battery charger for the whole family.
Plaza de la Constitucion is the heart of Old Malaga, a triangular district framed by the Guadalmedina river to the west, the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Hill to the east, and the boulevard of the Alameda Principal/Paseo del Parque to the south, parallel to the port and beaches.
Calle Marqués de Larios, the main north-south street, passes the landmark Cathedral. The Soho district, renowned for street art and galleries, is tucked just west of the port.
Our writer’s recommended itineraries for this destination
Spain
Where to go and what to see in Andalusia to get the most from your trip – a 7-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
Spain
Where to go and what to see in Malaga to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
The bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination
Ronda, Andalusia, Spain
Spectacular cliff-top Ronda is the largest of dozens of beautiful gleaming white hill towns in the Sierra de Grazalema – ideal for touring by car or by bike.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
The ‘World’s Most Dangerous Walkway’ over sheer gorges in Malaga’s mountains is safer now, but no less vertigo-inducing and spectacular.
Best for ages: 18+ | £25 | 3-4 hours
Andalusia, Spain
Holy Week in Andalusia is extravagant and full of intense, passionate and often spine-tingling emotions.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free | 1 week
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
Our summary of the typical foods, ingredients and flavours, cooking styles, dining scene and best foodie experiences in Malaga.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Other worthwhile experiences in this destination if you have the time or the interest
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
A well-preserved Moorish city fortress, built 11th century on a hill in the city centre. Adjacent to the entrance are the remains of a Roman theatre, dating back to the 1st century AD.
Best for ages: 13+ | £3
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
Malaga’s Arab shipyards were adapted in the 19th century to create this wonderland of fresh fruit and veg, meat and seafood. In fact, the entire neighbourhood is devoted to food – it’s a great place for a tapas crawl.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
A quirky museum housing the private collection of Joao Magalhaes, home to over 80 vintage and modern cars and displays of fashionable travel memorabilia.
Best for ages: 4+ | £8
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
Here Carmen Cervera, the Malaga-born wife of Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza, displays her prize collection of mainly Andalusian art, ranging from the mainly religious works of old masters to the colourful, luminous landscapes, portraits and street scenes from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Best for ages: 18+ | £10
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this destination, plus helpful tickets and transfers
Malaga
€35 | Rating 4.94 / 5 [242 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Barcelona
€20 | Rating 4.86 / 5 [15 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Malaga
€32 | Rating 4.68 / 5 [74 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Malaga
€36 | Rating 4.76 / 5 [13 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay in this destination
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
In the lively heart of Malaga, peaceful, luxurious rooms and a superb restaurant in an elegant 18th-century palace.
Official star rating:
Malaga, Andalusia, Spain
Sleek new five-star hotel in pole position for enjoying Old Malaga, with a delicious rooftop pool. Well-positioned for seeing the sights.
Official star rating:
Peak season is spring, with Semana Santa and other fiestas: Christmas is another busy time. The city roasts in July and August; if you go then, take a long afternoon siesta.
Autumn is lovely and warm; January and February are quiet, and can be rainy, but offer a good chance to feel like a local.
Malaga’s international airport is 20 minutes from the centre, linked by train (the C1 line) with a station directly under Terminal T3; it runs every 20 minutes until 11.20pm. For the heart of Malaga, get off at the last station (Centro-Alameda). Buses (Linea A Express) go the centre from Terminal T3, level 0, and run every 15 minutes until midnight. Buy tickets on the bus. Taxis are easy to find.
All the sights of Old Malaga are in a compact, walkable area. Taxis and Ubers are readily available, and the efficient bus network (EMT), is useful for reaching the Sunday flea market (No. 54) or the Botanical Gardens (no. 2) from the Alameda Principal.
Although traffic can be crazy, hiring a bike isn’t a bad option: there are miles of bike paths and it’s a great way to get to the beach.
Hotels are concentrated in evocative Old Malaga, in walking distance of the historic sights, bars, restaurants, shops and the Playa de la Malagueta.
There are cheaper choices around the main train station in the new part of town, a 20-minute walk from the sights. If you want to spend a lot of time on the beach and enjoy Malaga’s nightlife, look at the seafront hotels along the beaches of Malagueta and Pedragalejo.
Old Malaga is packed with tapas bars, gastro bars and new edgy restaurants, several sporting Michelin stars for their takes on new Mediterranean cuisine.
For seafood (and the city’s famous pescaíto – crispy fried small fish) head to the strip of restaurants along Playa de la Malagueta, or east to the cool bistrots and chiringuitos (beach bars) of Pedragalejo or El Palo, that stay open long into the night.
Smart shops and international chains line Old Malaga’s pedestrian Calle Marqués de Larios and around, but the whole district’s little independent boutiques make for fertile fashionista hunting ground.
The big Sunday Cortijo de Torres flea market in the fair grounds has 300 stands; Sunday also sees local artists and artisans selling their creations at Muelle Uno near the cruise terminal.
Try the excellent covered market, the Atarazanas Central Market for local produce and foodie treats.
Local wines and olive oils, Spanish designer fashions and colourful hand-painted ceramics.
Other guides relevant to this destination
Andalusia, Spain
A big dazzling region, packed with fascinating cities, beautiful landscapes and beaches, colourful fiestas and oodles of sunshine.