Wondering how many days to spend in Malaga? The short answer is 3 days. That gives you enough time to see the Old Town properly, spend an afternoon on the beach, and get out to Caminito del Rey or a coastal village without spending your whole trip rushing between things.
But the deeper answer depends on what you actually want from the trip. I lived in Malaga’s Old Town for several months, and in that time I watched a lot of people arrive off a cruise ship for six hours, or just hit the bars at night to leave to Marbella the next day. Both of those are fine, as long as you know what you’re missing out on.
This guide breaks down what you can realistically do with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 days in Malaga.
- Is Malaga Worth Visiting At All?
- Is 1 Day In Malaga Enough?
- Is 2 Days In Malaga Enough?
- Is 3 Days In Malaga Enough?
- Is 4 To 5 Days In Malaga Enough? (Or Too Much?)
- Should You Spend A Week in Malaga?
- Does The Time Of Year Change How Many Days You Need In Malaga?
- Where To Stay In Malaga
- How Many Days In Malaga FAQ
- Related Posts
Is Malaga Worth Visiting At All?
Before we get into how long, it’s worth answering this, because I hear it constantly and I used to think the answer was no.
I associated Malaga with wild stag parties. I saw it as somewhere you fly into and immediately leave, a gateway to the Costa del Sol rather than a destination. Culture was for Seville and Granada, right?
I was wrong, and I’m glad I gave it a chance. Malaga is one of the oldest cities in the world at 2,800 years old, it has over 40 museums, and the Old Town has atmospheric alleys where you’ll find charming tapas bars. And, the tapas were the best I had anywhere in Spain, I mean just pop into Casa Lola Strachan or Taberna De Jarana to see what I mean. The Malagueños were welcoming, despite what the media would have you believe.
Malaga’s coastal location also means you can combine a city and beach holiday. Long sandy beaches are walkable from the city centre and pretty beach towns are all a short bus ride away. I found that the city was always lively, but not in an overpowering way, the nightlife was the same.
So yes, it’s worth visiting. It’s just smaller than people expect, and that’s what dictates how many days you need.
Is 1 Day In Malaga Enough?
This is my least favourite option, but it can work. Malaga’s main sights sit within about a 20 minute walk of each other, so one day is enough to tick off the Alcazaba, Gibralfaro Castle, the cathedral, the Old Town and Malagueta beach. I’ve written a full 1 day in Malaga itinerary that maps out exactly how to do it.
However you will miss almost all of the museums, any day trip, and the slower parts of Malaga that are actually the best parts. You won’t have a lazy two hour lunch. You won’t sit in Parque de Málaga listening to the parrots for half an hour. The real picture is you’ll be looking at your watch rushing landmark to landmark.
Where one day works is if you’re on a layover, you’re arriving by cruise ship, or Malaga is a stop between two other Andalusian cities.
If you’re in port for 6-8 hours, skip Gibralfaro. The climb eats 40 minutes each way and the Alcazaba gives you a better sense of the city’s history. Do the Alcazaba, the cathedral, Calle Larios and a long tapas lunch, and you’ll have had a real day rather than a rushed one.
Is 2 Days In Malaga Enough?
This is the minimum I’d suggest if you’ve flown here. Two days is when Malaga stops feeling like a checklist. Day one covers the historic centre, day two is yours: the Picasso Museum, the Centre Pompidou or the Carmen Thyssen, a long beach afternoon at Malagueta, and dinner somewhere you chose rather than somewhere you fell into at 9pm because you were exhausted.
Two days also means you get two evenings, and evenings are when Malaga is at its best. The Roman Forum lit up at night is one of my favourite sights in the city and it’s completely free.
What you’ll still miss with 2 days in Malaga is any day trip. And Malaga’s day trips are a big part of what makes the region special.
Two days works if you want a city break, you’re not fussed about the wider region, or you’re combining Malaga with Seville and Granada on a bigger Andalusia trip.
Is 3 Days In Malaga Enough?
I recommend 3 days to almost everyone and it is what I’d book if I were visiting Malaga again. Here’s roughly how I’d split it:
- Day 1: Old Town, Alcazaba, Gibralfaro, cathedral, tapas crawl in the evening
- Day 2: Day trip. Caminito del Rey if you want an adventure, or Nerja and Frigiliana if you’d rather a gentle day by the coast
- Day 3: Museums in the morning, Malagueta beach in the afternoon, espetos and a tinto de verano to finish
That third day is the one that changes the trip. It’s the day you stop moving. You’ll get a much better feel for the city eating breakfast in the same café twice than you will seeing one more church. I recommend Casa Aranda for churros or Mi Cafecito for something a little lighter.
Three days is also long enough to justify the flight without hitting the point where you start googling “what else is there to do in Malaga,” which, being honest, happens sooner than people expect.
Is 4 To 5 Days In Malaga Enough? (Or Too Much?)
Four to five days is great, but only if you leave the city because Malaga does not have five days of city sightseeing in it. It has about two and a half. If you book five days and plan to spend all of them within the city limits, you will run out of things you actually want to do around day three and you’ll end up in your fourth museum feeling nothing.
What five days is brilliant for is using Malaga as a base. It’s extremely well connected and the day trips are worth the time:
- Caminito del Rey: once the world’s most dangerous hike, now an easy 2 hour walk 100 metres above the Gaitanes Gorge. Book well in advance, it sells out.
- Nerja and Frigiliana: about an hour away. Frigiliana has whitewashed houses and cobbled streets, Nerja is a fishing village with the famous Balcony of Europe.
- Granada: around 2.5 hours away, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. The Alhambra alone justifies the journey, but book tickets months ahead.
- Ronda: dramatic clifftop town split by a gorge. Under two hours by car.
- Cordoba: roughly an hour on the high speed train, and the Mezquita is one of the most extraordinary buildings in Spain.
- Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola: all on the C1 coastal train line if you just want a different beach.
Should You Spend A Week in Malaga?
I would only advise you to book 1 week in Malaga for two specific reasons. The first is if you’re treating Malaga as a base for all of Andalusia. Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Ronda and the Caminito are all doable as day trips, and staying in one place for a week is far less exhausting than dragging a suitcase between four hotels. If that’s your plan, a week is a good call.
The second is if you’re not really here to sightsee. If your holiday is beach, long lunches, a swim, a nap and a walk along the port, then a week in Malaga is a lovely week. There’s no shame in that. It’s a very easy city to do nothing in. It is a big reason I love it here. Playa de la Malagueta is the main beach but Playa de Huelin is just as nice, quieter with a more local feel. Conversely, I wouldn’t book a week of pure city sightseeing. You’ll be finished mid-week.
Does The Time Of Year Change How Many Days You Need In Malaga?
Malaga gets around 300 sunny days a year, so it’s a year round destination, but the summer heat does affect how much you can fit into a day. In July and August temperatures sit in the mid to upper 30s, and you will lose the middle of the day whether you planned to or not. On many an occasion I walked into Old Town with great intentions but ended up sipping an icy glass of tinto de verano in the shade. If you’re visiting in high summer, add a day to whatever you were going to book, because you’ll be doing your sightseeing in two short windows either side of a long lunch.
- Spring (March-May) is the best time to visit. Sunny, milder, and you can be out all day, so 3 days covers 3 days of activity.
- Summer (June-September) is the busiest and hottest. August in particular is packed, both the beaches and the Old Town. Add a day and book accommodation with a pool.
- Winter (November-February) sits between 12°C and 18°C, which makes Malaga one of the warmest cities in Europe in winter, and it’s the cheapest time to visit. Sightseeing weather is perfect. Swimming weather is not, so if the beach was part of your plan, you’ll need fewer days than you thought.
If you’re coming in December, Calle Larios has some of the best Christmas lights in Europe.
Where To Stay In Malaga
Wherever you stay, stay in or near the Old Town. Malaga is compact and walkable, and being able to walk home after dinner rather than working out buses is worth the small premium.
- $ H-A Hotel Trebol: in the heart of Old Town, rooms are bright and modern with all the essentials. Breakfast provided.
- $$ Hotel Don Curro: 3 star hotel in the Old Town, elegantly decorated rooms and spacious bathrooms, some with a balcony. Breakfast included.
- $$$ Cristine Bedford Málaga: 4 star boutique hotel in the Old Town with beautiful architecture throughout. Spacious rooms with a minibar and coffee machine, plus an on-site restaurant and bar.
How Many Days In Malaga FAQ
Is Malaga or Seville better for a short trip?
Seville has more to see and is the stronger choice if you only want one Andalusian city and you’re there for culture. Malaga wins if you want a beach, better connections, and cheaper prices. If you have 5 days, do both, they’re around 2 hours apart by train.
Can you do Malaga as a day trip?
Yes, and plenty of people do, either from Seville, Granada or the coastal towns on the C1 train line. You’ll cover the Old Town, the Alcazaba and the cathedral comfortably. See my 1 day in Malaga itinerary for the exact route.
Is Malaga expensive?
No, it’s affordable compared to Barcelona and Madrid. The Old Town is the priciest part of the city. An average meal is around €15 and tapas start at about €3, with coffee around €3.50.
Is Malaga walkable?
Very. Most of what you’ll want to see sits within a 20 minute walk. There’s also a good bus network and a Metro, though the Metro doesn’t reach the Old Town or the main sights, so you’ll likely not use it at all.