Things to Do in Málaga, Spain: Walking Guide

The best things to do in Málaga include exploring its Renaissance cathedral, Moorish fortifications, historic markets, museums and distinctive cemeteries. The city brings together layers of Roman, Islamic, Christian and modern history, all within a lively Mediterranean setting. Neywo has a free audio guide for Málaga with 323 narrated places.

What to See in Málaga

Málaga Cathedral and the Palacio Episcopal

The Cathedral Basilica of the Virgin of Incarnation, usually known locally as Málaga Cathedral, is one of Andalusia’s major Renaissance monuments. It stands on the site of the city’s former main mosque, within the boundaries of the old Moorish walls. Construction began in 1528 and continued until 1782, although the building was never completely finished. Its architecture combines early Gothic ideas with Renaissance and Baroque elements.

In nearby Plaza del Obispo, the Palacio Episcopal adds another layer to the cathedral setting. Built from 1762 under the patronage of Archbishop José Francisco Lasso de Castilla, the palace is attributed to architect Antonio Ramos. Its Baroque design and use of marbles in different colours make it particularly striking. It is also presented as Ars Málaga Palacio Episcopal, or Palacio Episcopal Centro de Arte.

Palacio de los Condes de Buenavista and Museo Picasso Málaga

The Palacio de los Condes de Buenavista is a sixteenth-century palace on Calle San Agustín, beside the San Agustín convent and close to Málaga Cathedral. Built around 1530–1540 for Diego de Cazalla, it occupies the site of a former Nasrid palace.

The building is an example of Spanish civil architecture from the first half of the sixteenth century. Declared a Historic-Artistic Monument and a Property of Cultural Interest in 1939, it later became home to the Museo Picasso Málaga, which opened there in 2003. The palace’s own history makes it an important part of a visit to the museum.

The Mercado de Atarazanas

For a taste of Málaga’s market architecture, visit Mercado de Atarazanas. The building was designed by Joaquín de Rucoba and constructed between 1876 and 1879 on the site of an old Nasrid naval workshop.

Only one element of that earlier building survives: a marble doorway incorporated into the market. It offers a visible reminder that the modern market stands on a site with an Islamic maritime past.

Mesón de la Victoria and Málaga’s Traditional Inns

The former Mesón de la Victoria is a remarkably preserved building dating from 1632. It was once an inn managed by Franciscan friars from the Convent of La Victoria. Designed by Diego Delgado, its three floors are arranged around a central courtyard. Stables and storage areas occupied the ground floor, while the upper levels contained living quarters and a gallery facing Camas Street.

Declared a Property of Cultural Interest in 1964, the building now houses the Museo de Unicaja de Artes y Costumbres Populares, giving this former inn a new cultural role.

Nearby, the former Mesón de San Rafael, also known as the Parador de San Rafael, reflects Málaga’s historic hospitality district. Its restrained neoclassical forms and position inside the block distinguish it from a building set directly on the street. The site is linked to the older tradition of lodging and commercial establishments around the city’s former access gates. Today, it houses the headquarters of Turismo Andaluz.

Mercado de Salamanca

In the El Molinillo neighbourhood, Mercado de Salamanca stands out for its Neo-Mudéjar architecture. Built between 1922 and 1925 to designs by Daniel Rubio Sánchez, the covered market has matching façades at either end.

Each entrance features a horseshoe arch made from patterned bands of brick, together with Art Nouveau metal grilles. Inside, colourful tiles cover the walls, while a metal structure shelters the market’s single nave. The combination of brick, ironwork and ceramics makes this one of Málaga’s most distinctive market buildings.

The Former Mercado de Mayoristas and Contemporary Art

At the mouth of the Guadalmedina River, the former Mercado de Mayoristas connects Málaga’s urban history with its contemporary art scene. Designed by Luis Gutiérrez Soto, the building occupies an area that once marked one of the limits of the Muslim medina.

The former market now houses CAC Málaga, the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga. Created as a cultural initiative of Málaga’s city government, the centre promotes twentieth- and twenty-first-century visual art. It officially opened in February 2003.

La Malagueta Bullring

The Plaza de toros de la Malagueta stands in Málaga’s eastern district beside the Paseo de Reding. Built by Joaquín Rucoba in 1874, it was inaugurated on 11 June 1876.

The central arena, or ruedo, measures 52 metres in diameter. The bullring gives its name to the surrounding La Malagueta neighbourhood and remains one of the area’s most recognisable landmarks.

San Miguel Cemetery

The San Miguel Cemetery, also called the Historic Cemetery of San Miguel, is one of Spain’s principal historic monumental cemeteries. Burials have taken place here since the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Much of the cemetery has survived almost intact, including the entrance, chapel, pantheons, condolence rooms and wake rooms. These features preserve the character of a nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century cemetery. The grounds also contain the Mausoleum of Salvador Barroso.

English Cemetery and Saint George’s Anglican Church

The English Cemetery in Malaga, also known as the Anglican Cemetery or Cemetery of Saint George, occupies a peaceful hillside garden overlooking the sea. Established from 1831 in the Cañada de los Ingleses, it was the oldest non-Roman Catholic Christian cemetery established on mainland Spain and the first Protestant cemetery in Spain.

The cemetery was designed as a terraced botanical garden. Exotic plants grow alongside tombs and memorials in classical, neo-Gothic and modernist styles. One of its earliest graves belongs to Robert Boyd, an Irish liberal who joined General Torrijos’s expedition and was executed with Torrijos on the beaches of San Andrés in 1831.

The nearby Saint George’s Anglican Church forms part of this distinctive historic setting.

Other Historic Places to Discover

Málaga’s heritage continues through smaller sites and less familiar landmarks. The Mansion of the Hacienda San José, also known as Palacete de la Hacienda San José or Palacio de la Hacienda San José, is a historic mansion in the city.

The Castillo y Muralla de Santa Catalina combines a fortified structure with a palatial residence in Málaga’s eastern district and is protected as a cultural property by the Government of Andalusia. The city’s religious heritage also includes Parroquia de Cristo Rey, a local church in Málaga.

Explore Málaga with a Free Audio Guide

Neywo makes a Málaga self-guided walking tour easy to follow. The app offers five walking tours, one bus route and one bike route, with narration available in 11 languages.

The walking tours range from 1.68 to 2.44 kilometres and take 85 to 115 minutes. Their themes include Picasso’s Málaga, the city’s Roman and Moorish history, markets and Holy Week, the port and bullring, and chapels, convents and parish churches.

The bus route covers 10.3 kilometres in 44 minutes, while the bike route covers 2.2 kilometres in 11 minutes. Across the tours, the routes include between 5 and 11 narrated stops.

Download Neywo and explore Málaga at your own pace: the app tells the story of each place as you reach it, with no group and no schedule. Once you have explored the city, continue through Andalusia or discover nearby destinations such as Granada, Marbella and Nerja.