Malaga what to see and do FREE 31 ideas

Malaga what to see and do FREE: 31  ideas

Malaga is often unjustly considered just an arrival point for the lively resorts of the Costa del Sol or the historical and cultural gems of the rest of Andalucia, but the city itself makes an ideal destination in it's own right and if, like us, you are a slow traveller who likes wandering around getting the feel of a place you can easily spend a week, or two or three without getting bored, or spending a lot of money either. All the things to see or do on this page are either Free every day or free at least at some point during the week.

1. Stroll around the centre and along the water front. 

The centre of Malaga is delightful for strolling around. Most of it is pedestrianized, it's a clean, light, sunny city full of shops, bars, restaurants, museums, impossible to get bored whatever the weather (which is usually good anyway). Once you're done with the centre Free every day head down to the water front to 

2. Parque de Malaga Free every day for a stroll amongst the tropical vegetation - almost a small botanical garden, and then to 

3. Palmeral de las Sorpresas Free every day 

and 

4. Muelle Uno Free every daywhere everything is open even on Sundays, there are great views of the Alcazaba, the most interesting yachts come in to moor and there is often something else going on. 

5. Alcazaba: Absolutely worth the visit. The Alcazaba is not as splendid as some of its more famous cousins but definitely gives a taste of the typical style of architecture, fountains and gardens of Andalucia. Free on Sunday afternoons from 14:00 to closing and less than 3 euros the rest of the time. Our visit

6. Castillo Gibralfaro: The views on the way up and from inside the castle are spectacular. You can walk all along the walls, right round, and admire the views, explore the central area, which is all open and there is even a small museum. 

Free on Sunday afternoons from 14:00 to closing and less than 3 euros the rest of the time.  Our visit

7. Cathedral: The cathedral is free from Monday to Thursday from 9 until 10.

Walk along the promenades and/or enjoy the beaches, depending on the time of year. 

8. Walk east along the promenade: from Muelle Uno head for the Faro (lighthouse) and turn left and you are on Malagueta beach. If you want sea and sun you could just stop here. Otherwise keep walking along the wide promenade, there are plenty of places to sit and rest, some very well-equipped open air gyms, bars and restaurants which are open. You can carry on to Pederalejo (where the sea front is like that of a small fishing village and the restaurants grill sardines and other fish on the spit in boats 

filled with sand all afternoon). Loads of people walking, cycling, jogging,enjoying the sea air. Our visit Free every day

9. Walk west along the promenade: walk past the port, which is the boring bit and then towards Huelin Park (or take the underground), just after that the promenade goes along the sea front and the main road deviates away from it so you get to walk along a very wide promenade far away from the noise of traffic (unlike going east). This area, centred around playa Misericordia, has an enormous range of facilities for all ages from play parks, to gyms, to benches, more restaurants and bars, fewer people and more locals than in the other direction. Our visit Free every day

Museums

Malaga officially has 37 museums, mostly in or near the historical centre so you are unlikely to get bored even if it does rain (and it most probably won't). Some are free every day, some just some of the time. These are our favourites:

10.Museo Unicaja de Artes y Costumbres Populares free on Tuesdays from 13.00 to 17.00. The museum is quite large and divided into different rooms which show different aspects of traditional life in Andalucía in past centuries. The lower floor houses rural environments dedicated to fishing, the mill and bakery, stables and related activities, la bodega, an oil press area and the reconstruction of a rural kitchen and dining room, while urban spaces are located on the upper floor. Our visit

11. Museo de Malaga in Palacio de la Aduana: free for EU citizens - sections dedicated to Archaeology, mosaics, ceramics, paintings, we visited three times for an hour each time.

12. Museo Municipal de Malaga FREE the visit starts at the top with a video maqueda about the history of the city. On the same floor there's some really quite nice contemporary art and below some older paintings. The first floor is dedicated to the symbols of Málaga and a video, this time with subtitles in English and Spanish and there's a temporary exhibition on the ground floor. 

Art Galleries

13.Picasso Museum free on Day of Andalusia (28 February), International Museum Day (18 May), World Tourism Day (27 September), every Sunday free admission the last two opening hours. We went when it was free and found it interesting, probably wouldn't have paid the official entry price because not our favourite artist.

14. Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga: Free on Sunday afternoons from  17:00. Very pleasant indeed. We went twice, both times when there was free entry and each time we waited over half an hour in the queue but we definitely thought it worth it. The Carmen Thyssen museum in Malaga also has a very good website showing all the pictures hosted in the various exhibitions with information about the artists and paintings: https://www.carmenthyssenmalaga.org/en/. Entry is usually 10 euros but is cheaper between 2.30 and 4pm so check the website.

15. Centre Pompidou : Free on Sunday afternoons from 16:00. Only a very short queue! Paintings by Kandinsky, Miro, Picasso and Chagalle. There's also a bed designed as a sardine tin. it depends if you appreciate modern art (I admit my ignorance!) 
16. Museo Revello De Toro : Free on Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00. Interesting building etc if you have some spare time.
17. Centro de arte contemporáneo: hmmm, free, we wandered and wondered on a rainy afternoon.

18. Collection of Saint Petersburg the Russian Museum  Free on Sunday afternoons from 16:00., haven't managed to get there yet........

19.Museo Jorge Rando : free art and cultural centre, haven't managed to get there yet........

20.Picasso Birthplace Museum: Free on Sunday afternoons from 16  to 19:45

Oh yes, and if you actually don't mind paying....:

http://www.malagaturismo.com/en/sections/city-of-museums/17

21. Botanical Garden

Jardín Botánico Histórico Finca de la Concepción: Free on Sunday 1st April – 30th September: 15:30-19:30 and 1st  October – 31st March: 9:30-16:30. This was one of our favourites because we love plants, gardens, green areas. You need half a day to get up there and do it justice. Also, check free times on the above link because they tend to change quite frequently.... Our visit and more info on getting there by public transport

22. Mercados de Abastos

Visit the local municipal markets and have a look at the enormous range of local and Spanish products, you can also try some, or do shopping to go back to your apartment and cook. In March we gorged on strawberries and avocados, in late summer and autumn the mangos and other local tropical fruit are spectacular, oh, yes, and the fish.....Atarazanas in the centre is the most famous and full of tourists, at Huellin and Carmen there are mostly local people, Salamanca will be beautiful when they finish restoration work. Free every day

23. Cuevas del Tesoro Cala del Moral, Rincon de la Victoria

or Cuevas Cantal are the only Marine Caves in Europe which can be visited and one of three worldwide. The caves are Bene de Interés Cultural and therefore entry which normally costs less than 5€ per person for adults is free from Monday to Friday for the first hour of opening which in the winter season is from 10 until 11 o'clock. You can get there by local bus from Malaga, more information about how to and our visit here

Churches

Apart from the cathedral there are many interesting churches to visit in Malaga.

24.  Sanctuario de la Victoria

The church is imposing from outside and interesting inside but the real reason you are there is to see the amazing  camarín, a masterpiece of the most exuberant Baroque style, behind the altar. Follow the signs to the right of the altar through the sacristy. More information here Free every day

25.Iglesia de Los Mártires, 

26. Iglesia di San Juan and the Gothic style 

27. Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón which was actually finished in 1920 are also  right in the centre and are all Free every day

28. English cemetery

English cemetery on Paseo Reding. It usually costs 4 euros to go in which seems a bit excessive, but on weekdays from Monday to Friday mornings it's free from 9 until 10. This will not be top of your list of things to do in Malaga, but it's an interesting way to spend half an hour on a slow travel visit to Málaga, reading the inscriptions on the tombstones also puts one in one's place as regards being a traveller nowadays, considering the amount of people from far off places who died in Málaga even in the 19th century. The tombstone of the Elizabeth Williams from Cardigan, Wales who died at sea off Málaga in 1857 at the age of 98 was particularly suitable for inducing contemplation....... 

Interesting places to invest in food or drink

Not  a free activity, but only a couple of euros.....

29. For coffee Cafe Central which is famous for the fact that, as in many other places in Malaga, but they are the most famous, you can drink your coffee with exactly the right proportions of coffee and milk, from Nube to Mitad to Solo, about 2.50 sitting down inside Closed

30. For Vino de Malaga Antigua Casa de Guardia . Yes, there are tourists, yes you should go anyway, just ignore them and enjoy the vintage ambience and the excellent choice of local wine from Pajarete to Guinda, from Vermut to Lagrima Trasanejo, from €1,20 per glass, you can relax and keep an eye in the bill because it's written in chalk on the bar in front of you.

31. For churros Casa Aranda which has taken over a whole side street in Malaga, you should eat them with hot chocolate (you, actually I'm not that keen...)

Have you got some more ideas for free things to do in Malaga? Leave your contribution in the comments section.