Often overlooked Tourist Attractions in Malaga
Tourists on a city break or those travelling up for the day from their holiday home in Marbella, Estepona or Torremolinos often miss out on some of Malaga’s more interesting attractions because tourist guide books have left them out in favour of gilt-edged churches, the cathedral and Roman amphitheatre. But there are hidden treasures in Malaga that are well-worth visiting.
1. Malaga Automobile Museum
Set in an old tobacco factory, Malaga Automobile Museum boasts more than 80 veteran, vintage and classic vehicles dating from the earliest days of motoring at the end of the 19th century to the present day. Alongside these splendidly restored vehicles the museum displays motoring-related art works and vintage fashion – there are hundreds of handbags and hats on show that allow visitors to imagine themselves behind the steering wheel of a veteran or vintage car, trundling down country lanes to visit the still undeveloped Costa del Sol and the delights of deserted beaches. The museum is located in Edificio Tabacalera, Avenida Sor Teresa Prat 15, and opens from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm. Admission 7.50 Euros.
2. Malaga Wine Museum
A must-see for wine lovers, Malaga’s wine museum showcases several millennia of local wine-growing. Housed in a beautiful 18th century town house, the museum’s exhibits are arranged to guide visitors from the past to the present day, with a few wine-tastings thrown in for good measure. Located at the Plaza de los Viñeros 1, the museum opens from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on Mondays to Fridays, and from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm on Saturdays. The admission fee of 5.00 Euros includes the wine-tasting.
3. Casa Natal de Picasso
Most tourists head for Museo Picasso Malaga, totally bypassing the birthplace of the great artist himself. The house where Pablo Picasso was born has been turned into a lovely museum, and serves also as a centre for academic research on contemporary art and stages temporary exhibitions. Picasso was born in Malaga, but moved to Madrid aged 9. The house displays a good collection of personal memorabilia and boasts a well-stocked shop. Located at the Plaza de la Merced 15, the museum is open daily from 9.30 am to 7.45 pm, except on Public Holidays. Admission is free.
4. St George’s Cemetery
Built in the 19th century to provide a final resting place for foreign citizens who met their maker in Malaga, St George’s Cemetery was the first Protestant burial ground in Spain and is often called the English Cemetery because many of its “residents” stem from Great Britain. It’s a surprisingly romantic place to visit on a hot day and a profound history lesson in the complex relationship between two great seafaring nations who dominated international trade for centuries. The cemetery is located in Avenida Pries 1 and opens from 10.30 am to 2.00 pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays, and from 10.30 am to 1.00 pm on Sundays. Admission is free.
5. Bodegas El Pimpi
After sunset the narrow, winding streets north of Plaza de la Constituçion come alive, when bars and tapas bars along Plaza de la Merced, Plaza de Unicbay and Plaza Mitjana open up for business. Bodegas El Pimpi attracts a fun-loving, cosmopolitan crowd, and offers an evening with traditional music and delicious wine (and you’ll be an expert after visiting the Wine Museum!). Located in Calle Granada 62, the bar opens at 7.00 pm and stays open until 2.00 am. Deemed a Malaga “institution”, this maze of an old building has become a tourist attraction in its own right. There are numerous rooms and small, charming patios where one can sit and reflect on the day’s adventures.
If you’re looking for somewhere unusual to stay rather than returning to your Marbella holiday home with the first coach or train of the next day, try El Riad Andaluz, a beautifully restored former monastery with eight rooms and tea and coffee served all day. Decorated with Moroccan flair, the rooms are grouped around a lovely patio in Old Town Malaga. You’ll within easy walking distance of Malaga’s best restaurants, vibrant clubs and bars. The small hotel is located at Calle Hinestrosa 24.