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Park at the underground marina car park (1)
Underground marina car park
opposite the port. Cross the road and enter the port through the gateway. In front
is the Port Authority Building (2)
Port Authority Building built in the
early 1930s. Turn left and walk parallel to the Paseo de los Curas with the inner basin of the port on the right. You will see the dry dock and car ferry terminal,
serving the Spanish enclave of Melilla in Morocco from where, on the 17th July 1936, an army uprising led by General Franco was the starting point of the Spanish Civil War.
Normally the replica galleon Santisima Trinidad (3)
Santisima Trinidad
is moored in the port and can be boarded by day for a couple of euros (including a drink) per head or at night it becomes a restaurant and nightclub. Built in
Havana in 1769 the ship, with four gun decks mounting a total of 136 cannons, was reputed to be the then largest in the world. The chequered history of the ship
came to an end when, at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805, she surrendered to HMS Neptune commanded by Nelson´s close friend Captain Thomas Freemantle.
HMS Prince took her in tow but, being badly damaged, she sank in a storm.
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At the end of the inner port, turn right along the Paseo de la Farola to the Lighthouse (4) 
Lighthouse.
Look back inland and spot some of Malaga´s cultural landmarks:
Walk back along the Paseo de la Farola heading toward the Monte de Malaga, passing a couple of attractive 19th century buildings, the College of Advocates
and the Office of the Naval Commander, until you arrive at a large roundabout (5) dominated by a magnificent rubber tree.
On the left of this are three linked pedestrian crossings which take you to the
Paseo del Parque
Paseo del Parque that runs
parallel to the port
Paseo del Parque running parallel to the port.
The park that the paseo takes us along was conceived as a
botanical garden, and created in 1897, from land that had recently been reclaimed from the sea. There are an option of routes through the park but the one to
the right affords better views of several interesting buildings. In sequence, you pass on the right the
Three Graces Fountain
Three Graces Fountain
(the work of French sculptur Alphonse Durenne), the formal
Gardens of Pedro Luis Alonso (6)
Gardens of Pedro Luis Alonso,
Malaga Town Hall (7)
Malaga Town Hall
(an elaborately decorated vanilla and grey neo-baroque building from 1919) and the
Banco de Espana
Banco de Espana
(a neo-classical building with a columned portico resembling a Greco-Roman temple, built from 1933 to 1936).
After passing the Banco de Espana, take the pedestrian crossing to the right and cross to the building with a blue tiled roof. Known as the
Rector´s House
Rector´s House
this building houses the administrative offices of Malaga University. Built in 1923 it was originally a post office and has letter box motifs displayed
on some of its walls. Walk up the steps and go inside, turn immediately to the right and down a flight of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, preserved
in situ, is a part of the city wall maintained from pre-Moorish times through to the end of the 15th century. Return to the ground floor and on your
right in the centre of the entrance hall, again preserved in situ, are remains of a Roman fish-salting factory.
Exit the Rector´s House, cross back over one pedestrian crossing, and turn right. Walking along you will see to the right, nestling in the shade of another
giant rubber tree, the Casita del Jardinero. Built in 1908, this was formerly the home of the park´s head gardener and is now a Tourist
Information Office.
The next building is the Aduana (8)
Aduana,
completed in 1829 the old customs building is due to become a Fine arts Museum. Until the land was reclaimed in the late 19th century, the quayside ran
alongside this building. Just after the Aduana take the pedestrian crossing on the left, cross back to the Paseo del Parque and walk to the right. Shortly
afterwards on the left is a children´s playground with a bronze statue of a donkey. Just before the end of the Paseo del Parque, take the pedestrian
crossing to the right (towards the Malaga Palacio Hotel) and then the crossing to the left, arriving at the
Plaza de la Marina
Plaza de la Marina
(the carpark is housed below).
The first building reached on the Plaza is the
Diputacion de Malaga
Diputacion de Malaga (Building with red facade)
which houses an art gallery open to the public. The next building is a ticket office for Malaga´s popular Teatro Cervantes. Immediately in front of the ticket
office is a seated bronze statue of
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen.
The statue, by Jose Maria Cordoba, was a gift from the Danish royal family in 2005 to commemorate Andersen´s visit to Malaga in 1862.
Take the downward flight of stairs in front of the statue and turn sharp left at the bottom into the Interactive Music Museum (9). The museum has
over 300 instruments from around the world and is open:
- 10.00 to 14.00h and 16.00 to 20.00h Mondays to Fridays
- 11.00 to 15.00h and 16.30 to 20.30h Weekends
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On leaving the museum walk ahead, and a little to the left, into the underground car park. A few metres to the left or right revals some remnants of the
old city wall, part of the facade of an old Moorish tower and part of the old port quayside from the 17th century. These were all revealed when the carpark
was built in 1988. This area is due to be redeveloped to become the terminal for two metro lines currently being constructed and due to open in 2012.
Cross to the centre of the carpark and take the spiral staircase upwards to the fountains of the Plaza de la Marina. At the top of the steps turn right
and walk a few metres towards the sea. On reaching the railings, look down to a bronze statue of a traditional Malagueno fish seller known as
El Cenachero
El Cenachero.
Return to the opposite side of the Plaza (city side rather than sea) and take the pedestrian crossing towards Barclays Bank. Look to the left
and you will see a roundabout with a statue depicting
Manuel Domingo Larios, 2nd Marques de Larios
Manuel Domingo Larios, 2nd Marques de Larios.
The Larios family originally came from the Rioja region of Spain where they bred cattle. After arriving in Malaga in the early 19th century, they
developed successful businesses processing sugar cane, and in the tobacco and textile industries. The product with which their name is now most
closely associated is Larios Gin, dating from the 1930s.
The statue of Manuel Domingo Larios, made from bronze on a marble pedestal, dates from 1899. Larios was instrumental in securing the
development of the Calle Marques de Larios, Malaga´s finest shopping street, which runs immediately north from the statue. Larios is depicted on
a grand pedestal flanked by a man with a pickaxe and shovel, representing labour, and a half-naked woman offering a child, representing the gratitude of the city.
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You are now at the junction between the Alameda Principal, an avenue of mature shady Plane and Rubber trees, and the Calle Marques de Larios, a wide pedestrian
avenue of shops. Resisting retail temptation, take the Alameda and walk along its right hand side noting the ornate street lamps. At the end of the
first block there is a narrow alleyway to the right which is home to a row of simple but popular fish restaurants.
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The Alameda was developed by Lopez Mercader following reclamation from the sea in 1783. In the 19th century it was known as
the Salon de Bilbao. There was a central pedestrian walkway containing many sculptures and fountains and carriageways either side. It was bounded
at the eastern end by Casa Larios and there was no bridge across the river at the far western end. The central walkway was opened to traffic in 1925.
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Continuing along the Alameda, at the next junction is a view of an elaborate doorway to the Edificio Edipsa. Carry on to an alley on the right,
the Calle Pastora and on the corner ahead are some old wooden doors to the
Casa del Guardia
Casa del Guardia,
the former police gaol. Serving wine from barrels since 1840, the Casa de Guardia is said to be the
oldest bar in the city
Casa del Guardia, oldest bar in Malaga.
Order drinks by pointing to any of the barrels and a record of what you drink will be chalked on the wooden counter in front of you.
After popping in for a drink or a browse, continue along the Alameda noting the
colourful flower stalls
Colourful flower stalls in the Alameda
on the central reservation to the left. Carry on to a bridge (10) spanning the Rio Guadalmedina which is more of a storm overflow at this point.
Just beyond the far end of the bridge is
El Corte Ingles
El Corte Ingles, Spain´s leading department store.
Instead of crossing the river, take the pedestrian crossing across the road towards the interesting
BBVA
BBVA building with its unusual shutters.
Following the line of the river, heading seawards, after a couple of hundred metres is a white-walled building declaring itself the
CAC Malaga (11)
Contemporary Art Centre, Malaga
which is a
Contemporary Art Centre
Contemporary Art Centre, Malaga.
Formerly a market, the Mercado Mayor, it now houses both permanent and temporary, thought-provoking and fun, exhibitions:
- Closed Mondays
- 10.00 to 20.00h Tuesdays to Saturdays
- 10.00 to 14.00h Sundays
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Exit the CAC and turn left towards the "river" and at the river turn left again. Following the line of the river with the CAC to the left, note the former
market loading bays
CAC market loading bays.
Pass under a row of shady trees and watch birds skim the water. Just before the next river bridge, take the pedestrian crossing to the left
and then the crossing across the main road ahead. Beside the main road are two old port buildings, the second of which houses the Aula de Mar, an aquarium
with fish, turtles and model ships.
On exiting the aquarium, turn right and after a few metres cross the road and continue right along the
Avenida de Manuel Agustin Heredia
Avenida de Manuel Agustin Heredia
- another of Malaga´s principal industrial benefactors. Ahead, in the midddle of the avenue, is a
bronze statue of Manuel Agustin Heredia
Statue of Manuel Agustin Heredia.
Continuing on, you pass a modern 18-storey apartment block with ornametal concrete balconies, then a row of shady cafes. Shortly after these, on the left, is a
small but charming formal public garden. On leaving the garden, take the pedestrian crossing ahead and then take a left turn towards a Barclays Bank. Walk along,
under a row of trees and, at the end of the block, turn left along the south side of the Alameda.
Pass the numerous bus stops and notice the attractive wrought-iron ornamenting the lottery sellers´ kiosks. Watch out on the left for the doorway of the
Archivo Municipal (12). Take a glimpse inside this building which dates from 1792 and usually houses public exhibitions of paintings. On exiting,
turn to the left and take the first pedestrian crossing (actually three linked crossings) back across to the north side of the Alameda.
At the end of the crossings follow signs straight ahead for the
Mercado de Atarazanas (13)
Mercado de Atarazanas.
The arched stone doorway
Entrance to Atarazanas Market
to the Atarazanas Market dates back to the 14th century and was built during Moorish rule. Except for the archway, the building was demolished in 1868
and the current iron structure was built in 1879 (and renovated from 2008 to 2010). In previous eras the building has been used as a military arsenal
and as a workshop for boat building and rope making. In the late 1700s it housed an Artillery Barracks and a College of Surgeons and was used as a
hospital during epidemics. From 1879 it was Malaga´s main fruit, vegetable, meat and fish market until new premises were constructed in 2008.
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Cross over to the market and walk around it to the right. Turn right onto Calle Sagasta and note the decorative and unusual Angules de Aquinada
building. On the left, as you walk down Calle Sagasta, is the Baroque-style former
Felix Saenz department store
The former Felix Saenz department store
now converted to apartments. Pass this building and arrive at the
Plaza de Felix Saenz
Plaza de Felix Saenz. Both the store and
the plaza were named after the founder Felix Saenz Calvo who, like Heredia and Larios, made his fortune in Malaga after moving here from La Rioja.
Turn left in the direction of the distant white brick towered church, the
Iglesia de San Juan (14)
Iglesia de San Juan.
En-route to the church, pass by a very old-fronted farmacia on the left, the Farmacia Bonficio Gomez. Pass the Iglesia de San Juan on the right,
follow the narrow alley, and turn left at the next junction along
Calle Cisneros
Calle Cisneros
which houses several shops selling flamenco dresses and costumes.
At the end of Calle Cisneros there is another bridge over the river. Stand on the bridge and look downstream. Despite a misleading local sign, the next
bridge down is the Puente de Los Alemanas
Puente de Los Alemanas.
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The Puente de los Alemanas is an iron bridge that replaced an earlier one washed away by floods in 1907. The new bridge was financed by
the German government in gratitude for the heroism of the people of Malaga in saving German lives when the frigate Gneisenau became shipwrecked
at the mouth of Malaga harbour in 1900.
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Instead of crossing the bridge, turn left before it and look out for an exquisite small, old building the Museo Artes y Costumbres Populares (15),
housed in the Meson de la Victoria built by monks in 1632. Open:
- 10.00 to 13.30h and 16.00 to 19.00h Mondays to Saturdays in winter
- 10.00 to 13.30h and 17.00 to 20.00h Mondays to Saturdays in summer
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Exit the museum and turn left. After just a few metres, turn left again down Calle de Acujero. Immediately on the left you see a building resembling
a large cage which is the new Atarazanas Market and worth exploring. Exit the way you entered and turn left to continue along Calle de Acujero.
At the end of this street is the rear of the old Atarazanas Market with a magnificent
stained glass window
Atarazanas Market rear stained glass window
depicting Malaga as viewed by ships arriving in the port. As you walk towards the market, don´t miss the extravagent balconies on the left. When you
reach the former market, turn left. After a few metres take Calle Herreria de Rey and walk alongside the Cafe
Casa Aranda
Casa Aranda, a city institution
where Malaguenos go for churros con chocolate
Churros con chocolate.
At the end of Calle Herreria de Rey, walk across the small square and join
Calle Alercon Lujan (16)
Calle Alercon Lujan.
Follow this until it connects with Calle Marques de Larios. Turn left and continue to the
Plaza de la Constitucion (17)
Plaza de la Constitucion.
Walk diagonally across the square to the
Genoa Fountain
Plaza de la Constitucion and Genoa Fountain,
a fine example of Italian Renaissance design decorated with aquatic motifs, nymphs, children and dolphins. Continue diagonally
across the square into the narrow Calle Compania. The building at the junction between Calle Compania and the Plaza de la Constitucion is the
Sociedad Economica de Amigos del Pais
Sociedad Economica de Amigos del Pais.
Built in 1785 it was once the office of the maritime consul and later a Jesuit school.
Proceeding along Calle Compania, on the right after a few metres, is the 16th century Palacio Villalon (18) housing Andalucian and Spanish art
from the 19th century.
Return to the Plaza de la Constitucion to the
Cafe Central
Cafe Central
directly opposite. On the walls inside are a large number of old photographs of the square. On exiting back into the square, turn left and after a
couple of metres turn left again to leave the Plaza through an
arched entrance
Arched entrance to Pasaje Chinitas to a former convent, into the
Pasaje Chinitas
Pasaje Chinitas.
Turn down the first narrow alley on the left and go straight over the next intersection of alleys. Look out for number 6.
Continue to an intersection, the
Plaza del Carbon (19)
Plaza del Carbon,
with the Cafe Madrid opposite. Take the pedestrianised road to the right,
Calle Granada
Calle Granada,
and follow this road which is one of the oldest in Malaga and formed part of the route that Ferdinand and Isabela entered the city at reconquest.
Along the road you come across the Banos Arabes which, although of more modern origin, are worth a visit. A little further along, on the
right hand side, is the Iglesia Santiago (20)
Iglesia Santiago.
Built on the site of a former mosque, this is one of Malaga´s oldest churches. It is also where Pablo Picasso was christened on 10th November 1881.
Continue along Calle Granada and just ahead you will see Plaza Merced (21)
Plaza Merced:
From excavations on the Plaza Merced, it appears to once have been the site of a huge Roman amphitheatre. In 1489 Plaza Merced
was just outside of the city walls and, by Royal Decree, was declared a tax free market.
Three convents were built around the square, two of which were short-sightedly demolished in 1899 and the early 1900s to make way for more modern
buildings. The side of the square you have just joined, follows the northen edge of the walls around the old Muslim city.
For much of the 19th century, it was known as Plaza Riego after a liberal revolutionary who led a military uprising in Cadiz in 1820. Plaza Merced
was landscaped to its present form in the 1700s and most of the current-day buildings emerged in the mid to late 1800s. In the centre of the square is
an obelisk known as Torrijos Obelisk
Torrijos Obelisk in Plaza Merced.
Along with fifty of his supporters, General Torrijos was shot on 11th December 1831 on San Andres beach to the western side of the port, following
an unsuccessful uprising against the despotic King Ferdinand VII.
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On entering
Plaza Merced
Calle Granada leading off Plaza Merced,
turn left along the south side of the square and continue into Calle Alamos. A few metres along, on the left at number 32,
is the Doll´s House Museum (Museo de Munecas), housed in a restored 18th century Baroque building with over 50 items dating back to 1850.
Opening hours:
- 11.00 to 13.00h Tuesdays to Sundays
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Further along Calle Alamos, on the right at number 7, is the Museo de Reales Oficios housed in the 18th century Palacio de los Marques de
Cropani. This is worth a visit if only to enjoy the beautifully restored interior. Opens:
- 11.00 to 14.00h Mondays to Sundays
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From here, retrace your steps along Calle Alamos for a few metres before turning left into Calle Carcer which takes you to the
Teatro Cervantes (22)
Teatro Cervantes,
dating from 1870. Pass the Teatro on your left and visit the Mercado La Merced (23). Enter via the steps
down and into Supersol supermarket, taking the exit immediately to the right into the market. After exploring the market, exit through the usually busy
market cafe. Go down the steps outside the market cafe and cross the pedestrian crossing. Immediately ahead is the
Picasso Birthplace Museum (24)
Picasso Birthplace Museum,
where Picasso was born on 25th October 1881, currently housing art galleries. The building dates from 1861 and is open:
- 09.30 to 20.00h every day
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On exiting the Picasso Birthplace Museum, walk diagonally across the Plaza Merced. Looking to your right, above number 14, you will see a tiled mural
depicting the former Convent de la Merced. At number 14 there is free entrance to a small art gallery run by the Picasso Foundation. It
is also worth noting the fine upper window casings at number 12 and the undulating roof and guttering of numbers 9 and 10.
Passing the Torrijos Obelisk, continue diagonally across Plaza Merced towards the old farmacia, Bustamente Farmacia, established in 1739. At
the end of the crossing, turn left and walk in the direction of the tunnel under Monte de Malaga. Before reaching the tunnel, turn first right along
Calle Alcazabilla
Calle Alcazabilla.
In front, on the left, note the ornate built in 1945. Just before reaching the cinema, turn right into
Calle Santiago
Calle Santiago
and turn left at the end. After another few metres turn left again into
Calle San Agustin
Calle San Agustin,
and on your left is the Picasso Museum, housed in the
Palacio de Buenavista (25)
Palacio de Buenavista
which is a magnificent 16th century Renaissance-style building. The Picasso Museum is open:
- Closed Mondays
- 10.00 to 20.00h Tuesdays to Thursdays
- 10.00 to 21.00h Fridays and Saturdays
- 10.00 to 20.00h Sundays
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There is an additional Archaeological Museum in the basement of the Palacio de Buenavista where some of the earliest Phoenician city
foundations can be seen in situ. On exiting the museum, turn left and you´ll see the
Iglesia San Agustin (26)
Iglesia San Agustin. Continue on and you´ll
see the Iglesia del Sagrario (27)
Iglesia del Sagrario
in Calle Santa Maria and Malaga´s magnificent
Cathedral de la Encarnacion (28)
Cathedral de la Encarnacion,
built over Malaga City´s main Aljama Mosque which itself was built on the site of a former Christian basilica. If visiting the cathedral, allow some time for inside
plus the gardens.
Opposite the cathedral´s western side, you can enter the
Plaza del Obispo
Plaza del Obispo,
with an ornate fountain from 1785, and the
Palacio Episcopal (29)
Palacio Episcopal
which are great vantage points to admire and photograph the
cathedral´s massive western frontage
Malaga Cathedral´s western frontage.
The Palacio Episcopal dates from 1800 and is interesting to look inside. Open:
- Closed Mondays
- 10.00 to 14.00h and 18.00 to 21.00h Tuesdays to Sundays
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Continue to walk around the cathedral noting the southern and eastern sides are less ornate until, on the far side, beside some formal gardens
you see the Cafe Restaurant El Jardin with an elegant interior. After passing the cafe, turn to the right along Calle Cister, passing the
Abadia de Santa Ana (30), circa 1600, housing a small Sacred Art Museum.
Continue to the end of Calle Cister, then bear slightly to the the left and walk up a short stone-stepped slope to where the
Roman Theatre (31)
Roman Theatre
can be viewed and the entrance to the Moorish Palace
The Alcazaba (32)
The Alcazaba with Roman Theatre in foreground.
On leaving the Alcazaba, turn sharp left up a one-way street, the Paseo de Juan Temboury. This soon bends to the left where you then take a fork to
the left and walk uphill along the foot of the Alcazaba walls. At the end of the wall you see a flight of steps.
Take these steps which lead to a sloping path that zigs left then zags right before crossing to another six steps and a further sloping path. This leads you
to the Castillo del Gibralfaro (33)
Castillo del Gibralfaro (33)
up a steep path rewarded by spectacular views
View from Gibralfaro
of the city, the port and the sea. Near the top the path forks. You can take either route as both end at the Gibralfaro carpark. Turn left within the
carpark and visit the Castillo de Gibralfaro.
On leaving the Gibralfaro, turn to the left and walk down the tree-lined road. After a couple of hundred metres a
driveway on the right leads to the Parador de Malaga Gibralfaro built in 1928. Take a look at the Parador or continue to walk downhill where soon you will
see a turn to the left marked Al Tunnel and Puerto Oscura. Take this quiet and shady road through pine and eucalyptus trees and follow for
about fifteen minutes to the rear of the Gibralfaro and Alcazaba.
At the bottom of this road go through the tunnel ahead and take the flight of steps immediately ahead leading to the
Jardines del Puerto Oscura (34)
Jardines del Puerto Oscura.
Take one of the varied routes, and take a crossing, leading down to the formal
Gardens of Pedro Luis Alonso (6)
Gardens of Pedro Luis Alonso
to the left of the Town Hall. Walk left through these gardens and across the road at the far end you will see a glass and metal building which is the
Museo Municipal (35)
Museo Municipal
which contains some of the city´s large collection of art.
From here its a short, flat stroll back to the underground carpark (1).
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