Malaga-delicate question

I’m here in Malaga right now. I have a sensitive nose and haven’t noticed anything and have been walking all over the tourist area. I am staying downtown near Calle Larios. This is my third time visiting Malaga. I’ve been here two Februarys & one October, if that makes a difference.

I too am sensitive to odors and do not remember noticing any when we were there for 3 days 2 years ago in May. We were a block or two up from the promenade.

We were there for five days a couple of years ago and didn't notice anything unusual. Could it be a season things or just after a rain or ???? Personally I am very reluctant to take the opinion of one reviewer. If it is a half dozen or more than I will take notice.

I have been to Malaga several times and never had any issues with odors. Rather a nice place to fly into or out of. I am reaching out to you because I would not make Malaga my home base. I think Seville would make a better base with a day trip to Cordoba. I find Seville much more charming, Malaga is a college town with easy transportation. Seville is more of a "I want to move there and spend the rest of my life there" kind of place. J

All I noticed about Malaga is the overabundance of high rise condos--and terrible traffic.

Those on a hop on hop off bus didn't see anything because it wasn't able to make the circle promptly.

We very much better enjoy inland Spain--like Granada and Madrid. It is a very economical place to travel and there's a great history there too.

We're in Lisbon this week for a few days. It's another place very worthwhile seeing.

A few years ago, Nerja was having some sewage issues, but they were resolved. I haven’t heard anything about Malaga having a similar issue.

Thank you all for your quick replies!
We are thinking of Malaga, because DH & DS really want to be by the sea. I know that Seville is enjoyed by many, which is why we added some time there at the end of our trip.
Good to know that the "sewer smell" was an anomaly, experienced by these particular YouTubers.
Thanks again.
J

I lived near Malaga for 12 years. It's a lovely city - the old centre is not modern high rise and is a great place to explore on foot.
And there are beaches.
I think your itinerary is good, although I'd drop Antequera for another night in Cordoba.

I searched and found that there were some complaints in early 2024, not just in Malaga, but also Marbella, and other places along the Costa del Sol. The overview said:

A "Malaga sewage smell" refers to a noticeable unpleasant odor of sewage that can sometimes be detected in certain areas of Malaga, Spain, often attributed to issues with the city's sewage system, particularly during hot weather or near the coast, where leaks or outdated pipes can contribute to the smell; residents have reported experiencing this odor in various parts of the city, including near beaches and along the promenade.
Causes:
Issues like old sewage pipes, potential leaks, high tourist volume during summer, and occasional overflows can lead to sewage smells.
Where it might be noticed:
Some residents mention experiencing the smell more prominently near the beach areas like La Carihuela.
Complaints and action:
Locals and visitors have reported complaints about the sewage smell, prompting calls for maintenance and upgrades to the sewage system.

Not sure if it’s exactly the same thing, but here in Barcelona, in the lower neighborhoods (El Raval, La Barceloneta, El Gòtic...), we get something similar on certain days of the year.

Luckily, it doesn’t happen often. It’s not usually due to bad maintenance or leaks in the underground sewers but rather a basic physical phenomenon that’s hard to prevent: differences in atmospheric pressure.

Most of the year, the air pressure at ground level is higher than the pressure of the gases in the underground sewers, which keeps those gases trapped inside. However, on certain days when there are really low-pressure fronts (bad weather), the effect reverses—the gases from the sewers push up into the air at street level, which is why you can smell them.

This is hard to control because wastewater in cities doesn’t flow through vacuum-sealed pipes, which'd be prohibitively expensive.

As I said, fortunately, it doesn’t happen often—at least in Barcelona—and it’s typical of cities by the sea, where the groundwater level is high compared to the city's surface level.

In practical terms, it can be a tad of a nuisance those days in certain streets -it's not general in the whole neighbourhood- but it wouldn't be something that would prevent me from visiting.

Wow! Thanks to all who replied with their experiences, and research. I'm confident that all will go well. I have been to Europe about a dozen times, but never Spain. Really looking forward to it
J.