Most people know Malaga as the gateway to the Costa del Sol. Lots of (cheap) flights bring you from whatever airport in Europe to Malaga airport, where you can either take a bus or train or rent a car to get to one of the coastal resorts as soon as possible. But why not stay a day in Malaga itself and visit the old town? It has lots of things to offer, also if you travel with children.

The easiest and cheapest way to get there is by bus. From the bus station or train station west of Malaga there are frequent busses that bring you to the center. A single trip costs around 1€.
Starting at the east side of the Alameda Principal, where bus 19 from the airport stops, you can walk to the north to enter the city center.

Following the Calle Molina Lario soon you’ll arrive on the Plaza del Obispo where at your right hand you’ll find Malaga’s Cathedral (Catedral de la Encarnación). The Cathedral was built on the site where the city’s main mosque once stood. The only thing that has remained of the mosque is the Patio de los Naranjos. The building of the Cathedral started in the 16th century and was finished in the 18th century. In reality it was never finished completely; nowadays it’s still missing the top part of the main façade and the south bell tower. Therefore the nickname of the Cathedral is La Manquita (one-armed). Inside you’ll find a domed ceiling, a huge nave with an gigantic cedar-wood choir with 42 sculptures, 15 chapels and two organs. There’s also a museum.
Open: Mon - Fri from 10am – 6pm
Sat 10am – 5pm
Entrance: 3,50€

Still on the Plaza del Obispo, at the northwest you’ll find the Palacio Episcopal, originally the Bishop’s Palace but nowadays a group of buildings that houses the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art and an exhibition space. The museum is almost exclusively dedicated to painting and sculpture, made by Valdés Leal, Jacinto Espinosa, and Niño de Guevara, some sketchings by an adolescent Picasso and replicas of works by Tizziano and Correggio.
Open: 10am – 2 pm and 6pm – 9pm

Going northeast, passing the Iglesia del Sagrario and going through the Calle Cister and Calle San Agustin, you’ll find the Picasso Museum, probably the most famous tourist attraction of Malaga. Here you’ll find more then 200 paintings of Picasso. You can also visit the house where he was born (Casa Natal de Picasso).
Open: Tue – Thu and Sun 10am – 8pm
Fri & Sat 10am – 9pm
Entrance: 6€

Going a bit north again, on the calle Picador, is the Flamenco Museum (Peña Flamenca Juan Breva). Here you’ll find an interesting collection of objects related with the “Cante Jondo” (what some would consider the most spiritual Flamenco style). Ther´s also an important library of recordings, a photo archive and a collection of guitars belonging to famous local guitarrists. Visits must be arranged beforehand. Tel: +34 952 210 876

Getting a bit hungry or thirsty already? Nearby, on the Plaza de la Merced are a few terraces, where you can have a drink and/or lunch. At the meantime you can have a look at the obelisk on the Plaza, erected as a tribute to General Torrijos.
From here on you have two options. The first option, and probably the best if you travel with children, is to leave the center and go southeast and visit the Alcazaba, a fortress with leafy terraces, waterways and viewpoints. Nearby are the Roman theatre and the Castillo de Gibralfaro, also with nice views over the city of Malaga.

Traveling without children, or older children? Then a good option might be to stay in de old center and visit the Hammam Baños Arabes (Turkish baths) close to the Plaza de Merced (Calle Tomas de Cozar). Take some warm baths, cold baths, and maybe even a massage, and you’ll be completely relaxed.
Open: 10am – 10pm
Bath: 24€, massage from 16€

Completely refreshed you can continue your walk. Cross the Calle Mendez Nuñez, and walk on until you’re on the Plaza de la Constitución. Here you’ll find some other interesting buildings. First of all the Casa del Consulado (the economic society), a building created in 1785, first occupied by the Maritime Consul and later used as a Jesuit school. Since 1961 it has been the headquarters of the Economic Society. Its most significant element is its majestic door of veined marble.

Nearby it is the Iglesia del Santo Cristo de la Salud, built in the 16th / 17th century. This church has a spectactular dome. It used to house the School of Fine Arts where Picasso once studied.
Open: 9.30am – 12.30pm
6.30pm – 7.30pm

Other buildings you find on or nearby the Plaza de Constitución are the Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón, built by Fernando Guerrero Strachan between 1907 and 1920, the Iglesia de los Mártires and the Iglesia de San Juan.

Have a stroll through the small streets of the old town and slowly get back to the Alameda Principal. If you cross this street, on the Plaza de la Marina you find the Interactive Music museum. This museum is as well a centre for activities and dissemination for everything related to the world of music and houses one of the most comprehensive private collections in Europe, with over 300 instruments from different periods, countries and civilisations. Throughout the year the museum organises an intensive cultural and musical programme. For more information visit their website: http://www.musicaenaccion.com

After spending a whole day walking through the streets of Malaga, you can either take the bus back, or try one of the many restaurants it has to offer!