We're going to spend a few days in Málaga end of April next year and I wonder if you have any suggestions where to stay. We're looking for a hotel with a calm beach where we can just stay a few hours sunbathing, but we also want to do some sightseeing nearby. Any suggestions?
We're open to the idea of renting a car if it's 45min+ away from the airport.
The airport is only 15 minutes or so from Torremolinos on the Costa Del Sol. It’s filled with Ex-pats but should offer you what you want. There are plenty of hotels there.
My friend lived in Nerja a few years ago.
It has a long beach and seemed to be a nice little town.
There is also Torrox .
Both are a drive east of Malaga, but not too far.
No need to hire a car to get to some resorts west of Malaga. You can take the train from the airport
In order of proximity to Malaga here is a list of the major beach resorts:
Torremolinos
Benalmadena
Fuengirola
La Cala de Mijas
Marbella
Puerto Banus
Estepona
Estepona would be my choice however it is the farthest from the airport. The closest ones are frequented by British tourists and ex-pats and have a certain, distinct vibe about them, one which I prefer to avoid. However, for such a short period and a few hours of sunbathing I'm sure they'd be fine.
If you did want to visit Estepona then a car would be a wise choice and it's a very easy drive straight along the A7 or AP7 (toll road). The AP7 will get you to Estepona faster, there's less traffic and the toll isn't exorbitant. It's also where I picked up my two speeding fines so be mindful!
We stated at the Costa Del Sol area beaches for a few days some years ago. Wasn't impressed by the beaches.
Torremolinos was expensive
We stayed at Fuengirola and it was OK.
Thanks for the suggestions.
For sightseeing it seems that staying in Malaga or Marbella would be better. Any thoughts on playa de la Malagueta? Or is it too close to town?
Both Marbella and Nerja seem lovely as well.
What do you have in mind for sightseeing?
We have been to Girona and Barcelona many years ago and we loved the old, historic downtowns, Roman ruins, castles, etc. We also love Spanish food but I guess we can get there anywhere in Spain.
If you like castles then visit Malaga’s Alcazaba. It’s up on a hill and affords a great view of the city. East of Malaga (75km) is Parque del Acueducto in Almuñécar. It’s the ruin of a Roman Aqueduct.
Marbella has a small old town and a small castle and it's not far from the beach. The main square has a large number of restaurants but the food is average to poor and expensive, I've eaten a bit better in some of the places amongst the side streets but nothing memorable.
Estepona has a very lovely old town and it is right on the coast so the beach is a few minutes walk from the town centre. There are some very good restaurants there but also some poor ones. Don't make the mistake of following the often recommended suggestion of eating where the locals eat as you'll likely end up in a place serving up average food at cheap prices, it's the price that makes it popular with the locals.
Malaga is great for old sights and the food scene is excellent.
All three places can be combined over a few days as they are very close to one another.
Thanks for all the replies.
I was watching Rick Steves' Andalucia: the Best of Southern Spain and he mentions Málaga as a "city to drive by" toward Nerja. I wonder if that was intentional or if they just focused on Granada, Nerja, Cordoba and Seville. Also, Málaga is not part of Rick Steves three weeks itinerary (but Nerja is).
I absolutely disagree with Rick Steves that Malaga is a city to drive by. He treats Malaga like it's only a transportation hub, but Malaga has so much more to offer. We spent 2 nights there and wish we had a 3rd night.
This is what we did and saw while in Malaga:
Visited the Cathedral
The vibrant city center is beautiful with gorgeous architecture, nice stores and lots of cafes and restaurants.
Atarazanas Market
Picasso Museum - there are tons of art museums but we visited only the Picasso
Visited the Alcazaba and Castillo de Gibralfaro - the walk to the top of the Alcazaba is stunning, with towers, pathways, gateways, Roman columns, arches, patios with fountains and lush greenery and exotic flowers, and the small Nasrid Palace. And beautiful views of the port and the Mediterranean.
The Promenade by the port - a great place for drinks and to watch the sunset.
And a ferris wheel
We didn't stay on the beach. Instead, we stayed in the Barrio Soho at Soho Malaga. It's a small boutique hotel located very close to the pedestrianized calle Marques de Larios.
