Alongside all the incredible history that I 'discovered' when visiting Malaga, I also had an evening of another kind of tourism. This Spanish city is quite a traditional place, but it also has its fair share of young and energetic people, and there are more than enough bars and restaurants to keep up with the trade here. When it comes to nightlife, I'm not much of a club go-er, so I wanted to highlight some of my favourite bars and areas I went to that were perfect for a sunset drink or just to hang out and watch the busy Malaga streets and the people there. I did some scuba diving in Malaga a few months before I visited the city, and it showed me a completely different side to that more adventurous trip. In the next part I'll look at some chill out parks in Malaga. But for now, here are my version of the best chill out areas around Malaga, Spain.
Quiet beach in Malaga to relax
At first I wasn't even sure if Malaga had a beach, as the city centre is not pointed towards the beach, as is the case in many tourist coastal cities. It actually takes a little bit of adventuring to find the beach, although once there it is a normally southern Spanish tourist beach. I was there in late March, so the beach was fairly open, but during the hot hot hot summer months here, it's crowded. Playa la Malagueta is the closest city centre beach, and walking down the pretty harbour shopping area is the simplest way to get there. Walking past the yachts and boats moored up here is a nice route, and will also take you to the sticking out point of the harbour before you reach the beach.
There are plenty of 'chiringuitos' or beach bars here, and although the prices are a little higher than in the centre, it's a great place to look out over the ocean and enjoy the feeling of the sun on your skin.
Bars and drinking spots with a historical Roman view
One of my favourite little squares (of which there are many in Malaga) is the Plaza Malaga on Calle Alcazabilla. This is the square that overlooks the Roman theatre in Malaga and the walls of the Islamic Alcazaba. We sat in the early Spring sunshine for two hours, having wine and looking at the people here. There is a massive number of chairs and tables at the one huge bar in the square, and although drinks again, are a bit more expensive, it really is a beautiful spot. From here you can enjoy the Spanish slower pace of life, as well as take in the Roman and Medieval history in this spot. Getting to this square is very simple, especially if you follow the obvious foot traffic that walks from the port/beach, past the cathedral (very hard to miss), and then round to the left at the foot of the large hill on which sits the Gibalforo Castle. Both times that I visited this little sun-filled square there were street performers, artists and singers all bringing a fantastic sense of culture and energy (even the bad ones) and the setting really is just a little bit magical.
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The author
Joe Thorpe
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