Port of Call Malaga

[Budapestimp]

Any ideas on what to do in Malaga? Beach? Walking tour? We (6 adults) will be there in September. Thanks

[welcomeguest]

Sorry to jump on your thread but also hoping to find out if there are any left luggage facility at Malaga Port as flight to UK not until late evening and would like to see city. AOS 11th September departure.

[kestrel]

Any ideas on what to do in Malaga? Beach? Walking tour? We (6 adults) will be there in September. Thanks

I will suggest an excursion to Alhambra in Granada. If you prefer some place closer, then I will suggest Ronda.

This site provides nice guide and photos: http://www.travelinginspain.com/

[sandbox]

Suggest the Hop on Hop off open top tour.

http://www.city-sightseeing.com/index.phtml?command=search&clear-search=true&destinations=Malaga

[Keith1010]

We found Malaga just a very nice town to walk around rather than doing a formal shore excursion. We believe that it is a good idea to pace yourself on a cruise so we book excursions for certain ports and then balance that off by walking around in others. Malaga was one of those where it was just fun to walk around. There are many winding streets and it was just enjoyable to go up and down streets and to take in all that was around us.

Keith

[Missus Makkem]

I will suggest an excursion to Alhambra in Granada. If you prefer some place closer, then I will suggest Ronda.

This site provides nice guide and photos: http://www.travelinginspain.com/


Granada is a 2 hr drive,& Rhonda is a little closer ,but both not for 1 day only in Malaga,
If on a cruise, the beach is close to the pier, very clean & quiet,then a follow up with a stroll into the city by the Bull ring, amphitheater,Picasso,s house, and a relaxing drink in the bars close by.

wonderful shopping along the pedestrian streets

[ActiveTraveler]

We found Malaga just a very nice town to walk around rather than doing a formal shore excursion. We believe that it is a good idea to pace yourself on a cruise so we book excursions for certain ports and then balance that off by walking around in others. Malaga was one of those where it was just fun to walk around. There are many winding streets and it was just enjoyable to go up and down streets and to take in all that was around us.

Did you ever have a problem with communication? I only know a few Spanish words, so to do it alone, I need to meet people who speak English.

[UKBayern]

Did you ever have a problem with communication? I only know a few Spanish words, so to do it alone, I need to meet people who speak English.

Malaga is on the Costa del Sol, one of the prime European tourist destinations, that among many other nationalities, attracts millions of British holidaymakers each year. You will find plenty of locals who speak english.;)

[suekay]

Sorry to jump on your thread but also hoping to find out if there are any left luggage facility at Malaga Port as flight to UK not until late evening and would like to see city. AOS 11th September departure.
I think you'll need to leave your bags at the train station

[Martita B.]

As I've been to Malaga a few times I can certainly recommend The Don Curro Hotel ~it's in the middle of Old Town ~charming small family owned property. Very reasonably priced ~Lots of wonderful restaurants, boutiques, etc. close by.
I will again be staying in Malaga next April ~I so wish the Port construction could be finished ~it's been torn up for 2 years!
Martita B.

[kazganymede]

Malaga is on the Costa del Sol, one of the prime European tourist destinations, that among many other nationalities, attracts millions of British holidaymakers each year. You will find plenty of locals who speak english.;)
I'm wondering if there is a car rental at the port of Malaga so we can drive to Ronda for the day?

[Missus Makkem]

I'm wondering if there is a car rental at the port of Malaga so we can drive to Ronda for the day?

No there is nothing at the pier,will have to take a taxi or a 20 min walk to the main promenade area.

Try booking a day hire,ask them to pick you up at the ship

[raindropsalways]

Could someone please advise what the terrain is like in Malaga. We know about the Castle and Fortress on top the hill but do not know if the grounds below are fairly level or not. We require the use of mobility scooters and inclines can be real rough on batteries. At present we plan on taking a bus to the Castle, but would like to do most of the rest on our own.


Betty

[dav964]

We've just returned from a trip on AOS that sailed from Malaga. Some tips for you:

On arrival at Malaga airport grab a map of Malaga town from the tourist information place. Now follow the signs to the train station. This is a single line track and the train runs between Malaga and Fuengirola. You need to get the train heading towards Malaga and get off at Maria Zambrano (four stops - 12 mins, trains run every 30 mins). A ticket costs 1.50 Euros and there's a self service ticket machine at the station. The exit from Maria Zambrano station leads to a shopping mall. Immediately to your right after the barriers there's a left luggage facility. A large locker costs 4.50 euros for a day.

Now depending on your time and the outside temperature you can either look around the shopping mall or venture outside. If you do the latter then you can easily walk to the fruit/meat/veg market (about 10 mins and worth a look) and then onto the cathedral. This costs 4 euros to get into and there are several interesting tapas bars in the nearby squares. There are also a couple of other churches that will be highlighted on the map and the main shopping street is right there as well. If you wanted to get to the beach that's not too far away - we saw it but didn't go there.

Finally to get to the port you can get a taxi from outside the MZ shopping mall which will be between 10 and 15 euros depending on how much the driver thinks he can get away with.

[raindropsalways]

Savvysue - Thank you so much for the information. That really helps us determine what we hope to do. It appears that there are a lot of interesting places to go and things to see in Malaga.


Betty

[UKBayern]

I'm wondering if there is a car rental at the port of Malaga so we can drive to Ronda for the day?

No, at the port there aren't any. Most of the car rental agencies have an office in the modern main train station in Malaga. It is about a 20 minutes walk, or EUR 8-10 in a taxi. When searching on car rental websites, select "Malaga Renfe" as the address.

[suekay]

Savvysue - Thank you so much for the information. That really helps us determine what we hope to do. It appears that there are a lot of interesting places to go and things to see in Malaga.


Betty
Hi Betty

We met you on the Legend Far East cruise last year. Glad to hear you are still travelling the world:) How was your train journey through Europe? When do you go on Adventure? (my Mum and I are going 11 September). John and I were in Malaga for the day in June - it was flat and you shouldn't have any problem with the scooters

[AVAD]

How far are the attractions in town, such as the church, market, etc. from the pier? Is it an easy walk or will we need to take a bus or taxi?
Thanks for any tips you can give.
Ava

[suekay]

It depends at which berth the ship is docked, but it's about a 20 minute walk from the port to the old town. The main shopping street, cathedral and indoor market are all quite close together

[raindropsalways]

Sue – It is great to hear from you. We, Ruth and I, are sailing out of Barcelona on the Concordia in mid October and then hopping on the Century back to the states. Our train trip across Europe was an experience. We booked through Bahn, which I would recommend for any handicapped. We both even managed to get on the Thalys trains at the same time. Oh, we made good use of your detergent, thanks again.


Betty

[cruisingsherry]

Any ideas on what to do in Malaga? Beach? Walking tour? We (6 adults) will be there in September. Thanks

The Alhambra tour is great, check it out. We went on the ship's excurison.

[kate52]

Our cruise calls at Malaga on a Monday. I know the museums will be closed that day.
Having already been to Granada, we just want to spend the day in Malaga, but really wanted to see the Alcazaba and the castle. Can anyone help with the best way to get to the castle- is it walkable? And would we be able to go into Alcazaba grounds on a Monday or is the whole site shut?
Thanks for any help,
kate

[alasmaci]

We will be visiting Malaga on Oct 23 so did a bit of research.

Just to let you know what Frommer's advises about walking to Gibralfaro Castle:

Warning: Do not walk to Gibralfaro Castle from town. Readers have reported muggings along the way, and the area around the castle is dangerous. Take the bus from the cathedral.
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/malaga/A20992.html#ixzz0wgcJ3TGi

[miguelangelo]

Hello everybody,

First of all, I want to apologize my english, I'm from Malaga and my english is not so good.

In my opinion, Malaga have enough atractions to stay during the scale. The main ones are;

- Cathedral, once of the renacentist jewels of Andalucia. Relatively modern but beautifull building, placed at less of 300 meters from Port's doors.
- Alcazaba ( moorish palace ), very nice building and gardens. Easy to reach and fantastic views. Beside the Alcazaba is the Roman Theater.
- Gibralfaro ( moorish castle ), is posible to go by the walls of Alcazaba, but is a hard way. The sightseen bus is a good way to go there, or by taxi. The views are really breathtaken.
- Museo Picasso. The recently open museum dadicated to the born in Malaga artist Pablo Picasso. Really worth the visit.
- Picasso's house. The house where Picasso was born is turned in a museum.
- CAC, Conterporary Art Center, for the lovers of the very modern art.

The center of the city is very very close to the Port entrance, is not necesary to take taxi or bus, but the new passanger's terminal is a litle far from the entrance, so my recomendation is to take the shuttle bus from the terminal.

Tipycal plates of Malaga's kitchen are the "pescaito frito" ( small fried fish ) and "espetos" ( grilled sardines ), and the best places to try those and more delicious seafood are the restaurants beside the beach in Pedregalejo area.

Out of Malaga, Ronda is the best option to do a visit. The bullring (one of the oldest in the world), the "Tajo", fantástic views, the arab baths, and the charming streets of the old city makes this town one of the most romantics places to see in Andalucia.

The visit to the Alhambra is another good option, but is better with the ship's excursion, not by your own, because a previous reservation is necesary.

I hope you enjoy your visit, and let me know if you need any explanation.

[dingsterkat]

Hi Miguelangelo - Gracias para las recommendaciones! I do think we are planning to explore Malaga on our own to the places you mentioned, then find a good restaurant for a long Spanish style lunch. I can close my eyes and see what I want to order: Gazpacho Andaluz and Paella with a nice bottle of Spanish red wine. My guess is it won't be too hard to find such commond dishes on a menu in Malaga - but do you have any suggestions for a nice restaurant in this area not too far from the port? After lunch, a trip to the Corte Ingles will be in order before returning to the ship. Is that a simple taxi ride? How about the bullring in Malaga? Is there a museum or tour there? Thanks in advance for your help - your English is much better than my Spanish!;)

[drdaddy]

Miguelangelo,

I agree. Thank you for your recommendation, in English!

We, too, want to stay in town. We have heard that the Tapas and Sangria in Malaga is very special. Do you have recommendations for Tapas near the port?

Also, is Pedregalejo near the city center?

Muchas Gracias y practica su Ingles por que es importante por Los Gringos de Cruise Critics Forum! :D

Rob

[miguelangelo]

Hi dingsterkat,

You can find a lot of places to eat gazpacho and paella, but it's harder to find a good one. Most of the places offer a kind of "pre-cooked" thing called " paellador" that I'm sure is not the kind you are looking for.
In the center area you can try the "Restaurante Chinitas", a nice restaurant andalusian style, placed near Calle Larios ( the main street ). They also have good fried fish and "jamon iberico". ( www.elchinitas.com ).
From Calle Larios to the Corte Ingles is a 15-20 minutes walk, and from there is easy to take a taxi ride direct to the ship.
I think it's possible to visit the bullring "La Malagueta" during the mornings. Beside the bullring it's another good restaurant, "El Refectorio", very recommendable.

[miguelangelo]

Miguelangelo,

I agree. Thank you for your recommendation, in English!

We, too, want to stay in town. We have heard that the Tapas and Sangria in Malaga is very special. Do you have recommendations for Tapas near the port?

Also, is Pedregalejo near the city center?

Muchas Gracias y practica su Ingles por que es importante por Los Gringos de Cruise Critics Forum! :D

Rob
Hi drdaddy,

To make a "tapas tour" during your visit to Malaga is, in my opinion, an excellent choice.
You can find a lot of places with good food in small portions, the best way to try our gastronomy... And our wines.

I'm going to make a list with some of the places that I usually visit, but you can be sure that there are much more.

****Calle Larios - Cathedral area

- Gorky . (excellent wines, spanish ham )
- La Moraga. ( modern and surprising place)
- Orellana. In front of la Moraga, an old and usually crowdly place, very cheap.
- La Parrilla. ( good wines and plenty dishes)

***** Calle Larios-Corte Ingles

- Antigua Casa Guardia (very old place to try sweet "Malaga wine")
- Kobe ( small place out the circuit but very nice)
- Meson Iberico (in my opinion one of the best tapa's places in Malaga). Usually crowded
- La Mensula (clasic place, good quality)

**** Alcazaba area

- Garum (nice terrace to rest after the visit)
- W, A very small place with excellent kitchen.
- El Pimpi, probably the most typical place, very turistic.

And very many more places that I'm forgetting.... Maybe is a good idea discover yourself!!

Pedregalejo is a little far from the center, you will need a taxi ride.

[raindropsalways]

El Corte Ingles is just a block or so the other side of the river on Alameda Principal. Depending on how energetic you are, it is walkable. Of course, with an arm full of packages, a taxi on the return would be practical. We are going to the Atarazanas Market and then by the building that housed Félix Sáenz Department Store; they are a couple of the local sites. The Atarazanas Market is fairly close to Coret Ingles.


Betty

[bearette]

I was looking at a cruise that left from here. I am gathering research so I know very little. What is the closest airport? About how much is a taxi (is there better transportation?) to the port? About how much does a reasonable hotel cost here?

Thanks

[dingsterkat]

Miguelangelo - thanks for the restaurant recommendations. We will definitely go to one or the other. I only wish we were there now!
One more question if I may: when is bullfighting season in Malaga? We will be there in the end of October - any chance of a corrida? We've been a couple times in Madrid at Las Ventas. An exciting event! Thanks again for your advice.

[miguelangelo]

Hi bearette;
Malaga international airport is very near the city, less than 10 km.
You can go by train from the airport to the city centre, but, in my opinion is much better to take a taxi direct to the ship, in normal trafic the cost is going to be less than 25 €, and going to take less than 15 minutes.

[miguelangelo]

Hi dingsterkat;
I was looking but I dont found any bullfigth in October... Anyway I going to keep looking and, if see something interesting I'll tell you.

[drdaddy]

I am terribly sorry but I am trying, with the moderators, to figure out why my signature sometimes does not appear.

[drdaddy]

Needed to try editing it. Sorry again.

Edited

[Pastordonna]

Miguelangelo:

Looking for a car rental around cruise port or information on walking to Renfe Station to pick up car there. I understand that the taxi drivers do not want to go short distance.

donna493@centurytel.net (donna4933@centurytel.net)

[screwcork]

Hi,

We stayed i Malaga this summer - before and after a cruise. On this link there are many photos from Malaga which certainly is an underestimated part of Costa del Sol!

http://travel.webshots.com/album/580721600oOnxAS

As to taxis we had no problems with "short trips":

Screwcork

[browneyes7]

Does anyone know how far Marbella is from Malaga? Would that be a possible train trip from Malaga to Marbella? Does anyone know about how long it would take on the train to go from Malaga to Marbella?

[computerworks]

Does anyone know how far Marbella is from Malaga? Would that be a possible train trip from Malaga to Marbella? Does anyone know about how long it would take on the train to go from Malaga to Marbella?

Marbella is about 60km from Malaga, about a one-hour drive.

We will be there in November and have been looking at a drive along the coast with a stop in Marbella

Miguelangelo:

Looking for a car rental around cruise port or information on walking to Renfe Station to pick up car there. I understand that the taxi drivers do not want to go short distance.



We, too, are looking for a recommendation for car rental with pick-up/drop-off at or near the cruise terminal. We spoke to a large rental agency there, but they only service at the airport.