Málaga Tourist Guide
Coming to Malaga on vacation we must remember that Spain is a country Mediterranean, where the lifestyle and customs may sometimes differ from our Polish.
So that our holiday is not spoiled by the nuances, it is worth familiarizing yourself with a few practical tips.
Airport
Málaga airport is the largest airport in Andalusia, however, it should not scare the average tourist. Despite the expansion, it is not one of the largest and is so legible that everyone will find it easily.
Arrivals
After landing, first look for a sign indicating the place of collecting checked luggage and the exit (Equipajes y Salida). At Málaga airport, baggage claim is on level 0, then head towards Salida. Once we pass the moving door separating us from the 3 arrivals terminal, on our right we will find the exit from the airport, and right behind it, there is a taxi rank, bus stop or suburban train.
Outlets
If you have checked baggage, first look for the registration desk and then go to the check-in gates on the right side of the main entrance. After going through all the procedures and then the duty free shop you will find yourself at the departures terminal. Here we should pay attention to exactly which terminal our Gate is located - B, C or D. The new terminal D is on the right side of the entrance, the older B and C on the left - especially to Terminal B, we have a long walk.
Communication
There are 3 ways to get from the airport to the city center and nearby towns.
Suburban railway
This is the fastest and cheapest way to reach the city center, for example. Take the Cercanias Malaga suburban train within 10 minutes for a price of only € 2.80 from the Aeropuerto Malaga station (Malaga Airport) to Malaga Centro or Malaga Maria Zambrano (Maria Zambrano railway station). The funicular departs every 20 minutes, the first departure from the airport starts to the city center at 6:44 a.m. (from the center at 5:20 am); the last one at 00:54 at night (from the center at 23.30). We can also take the train to places such as Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola. Stations, timetables and travel times can be found on the Renfe Cercanias website (here ).
City bus
The A Express fast line (L-75) goes to the city center in 20 minutes for the price of € 3.00. From the airport (Aeropuerto Malaga), if you want to get to the city center, you have to get off at the Avda stop. Principal - Larios, or Paseo del Parque - Plaza Marina. Timetable here. When traveling in Malaga by bus, we will pay € 1.30 for the journey, and we will buy the ticket from the driver. Importantly, we always get in through the front door, keeping the arrival queue - contrary to appearances, the Spaniards respect it very much and do not try to squeeze in front of people who were at the stop in front of us. At the stops you will find information about the route and frequency of the journey (rarely the timetable), so it is worth familiarizing yourself with the departure time on the carrier's website in the lineas y horarios tab (lines and hours).
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Taxi
The taxi rank is on the right side of the airport exit, where very often in heavy traffic there is one person who manages which taxi we are to take. All taxis in Málaga are white and if they operate under the banner of different corporations, the price list is the same, and the cost of the journey to the city center is approx. 20.00 / 25.00 €. If we travel alone and we did not make the last course of the suburban train, we will easily find a person who, going in the same direction, will want to share the course and the cost of the journey with us - in Málaga it is a situation on a daily basis. Moving around the city by taxi is quite popular and is not expensive, however, it is always worth asking about the cost of the trip, because we will pay the most at night, in the morning or on holidays. The approximate cost of the trip can also be checked on the pidetaxi.es website
It is best to travel from Malaga to other larger towns of Andalusia or Spain by train, bus or car.
Train
It is a very popular form of public transport between the largest cities in Spain. The AVE high-speed train in particular is very modern and comfortable (all seats are reserved), fast (from Malaga to Madrid we will get in 2.5 hours, and from Malaga to Seville in 2 / 2.5 hours), but also expensive if we do not buy a ticket in advance. In addition, it pays off to purchase tickets immediately both ways, because we will get a 10% discount on regional routes, and long-distance routes (largo recorrido) 25%. Timetables, routes and tickets can be purchased on the Renfe website. The main train station, Malaga Maria Zambrano, is at Calle Héroe de Sostoa.
Bus
Contrary to the train or suburban railway, we can reach most cities by bus and the smaller towns of Andalusia. Tickets are cheaper, but the route is much longer. From Málaga by bus, we can travel to:
- Granada (one way cost approx. € 12.00; travel time 2 hours) - Córdoba (one way cost € 12.00; travel time approx. 3 hours) - Seville (one way cost approx. € 19.00; travel time approx. 3 hours)
- Gibraltar - direction La Linea de la Concepcion (one way cost around 13.50 €; duration 3h).
In addition, we will reach the so-called pueblos blancos (white villages); including to:
- Nerjy (one way cost approx € 4.50; travel time 1.5h) - Mijas (one way cost approx € 2.30; travel time approx 1.5h) - Antequery ((one way cost approx 6, 00 €; journey time about 1h)
The timetable, travel time and ticket cost can be found on the EMT Malaga website. The main bus station in Málaga is located on the Paseo de los Tilos.
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Car
The best way to visit all parts of Andalusia is by renting a car in Málaga. The road condition is very good, but the signs are sometimes illegible and I recommend using the navigation. We divide highways in Spain into toll-free and free. I recommend using free highways or expressways, which are very often located right next to a toll highway. The permissible blood alcohol content is 0.5 ‰. The permitted speed is: 50 km / h in built-up areas, 90 km / h outside built-up areas, 110 km / h on expressways, 120 km / h on motorways. What should you pay special attention to?
- City Center: it is not recommended to enter Andalusian city centers; the streets are narrow, often one-way and there is no possibility to park your car.
- Parking lots: parking your car in Málaga is quite a challenge, if we have one fortunately we can find a spot on the street, however, it is recommended to leave the car on underground car parks or larger squares (e.g. at the Rosaleda Stadium); if we park the car in an unguarded parking lot, then by the so-called illegal parking we can be asked for a fee - then we either look for another place or just give them a change for our peace of mind.
- Transitive: Andalusians, like true southerners, do not pay attention to the lights, pedestrians also very often cross the street according to their wishes, i.e. how and where they want
therefore you should keep your eyes wide open
Shops
We will do grocery shopping both in supermarkets of international chains - Lidl or Carrefour, and typically Spanish supermarkets - SuperSol or Mercadona. Unfortunately you will not find there typical Polish products, such as cream 18%, kabanos sausages, groats or white cheese. Sometimes even finding chives or rice in bags is a challenge. Spanish prefer their products and only in stores such as Lidl, Eroski or El Corte Ingles you will find international products. Payments can be made in cash and by debit card or credit card, but then we may be asked to provide proof of identity.
In turn, in smaller stores or local mercado very often you would need to pay only in cash. It should be remembered that in Spain grocery stores, clothing stores, shopping centers are closed on Sundays, and in Malaga, we can buy basic products only in the so-called "Chinese". Do not be surprised by the lack of signs informing about the opening hours of the store, or closed shops or pubs in August, during the Spanish holiday season.
Siesta
This is not a myth, the laziness of the Spaniards or a tradition that aims to make the lives of tourists difficult. In Seville or Granada, at 40 degrees, it is impossible to live or breathe, so the residents run away from the greatest sun to their homes to rest and return for the evening with new strength. Therefore, also in Málaga, most shops (except chain stores and shopping centers) are closed from 1.30pm / 2.00pm to 4.30pm / 5.00pm. Museums and most venues remain open.
Restaurants
Spanish love to eat outside, which is why the number of restaurants is staggering and they are open until late, but you need to remember a few rules:
- we eat in places where we find locals, it is always a sign that there is food good and cheap, despite the fact that many times the decor does not encourage people to enter the premises
- breakfast is served between 9.00 and 11.30 (see the Top 10 Best Breakfast Places in Málaga Ranking )
- the kitchen is closed during the day, so we will not eat between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
- Spanish last meal, most often eat in the form of tapas around 21.00 / 22.00, so the kitchen
should be open until 00.00 / 1.00 at night (See r for recommended restaurants in
Málaga )
Alarm phones
Police (Policia Nacional): 091; Local Police (Policia Local): 092
Fire Department (Bomberos): 080 Ambulance Service (Ambulancias): 061
Consulates and Embassies
The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in the Kingdom of Spain
Calle Guisando 23 bis; Madrid
tel: +34 91 37 69 555
