A Journey Through Ancient Malaga

Málaga and the Andalusian region are quite rich in ancient history, archaeology, and natural wonders. From the stunning Roman Theatre and the impressive Alcazaba to Gibralfaro Castle, the breathtaking Caves of Nerja, Malaga Museum, the beautiful Cathedral, and Ifergan Antiquities Gallery, there's so much to explore. In this post, I’ll share highlights from my recent trip there with my girlfriend.

 In Malaga

These reflections come from two different trips—one in March 2023 and the other in September 2024. During both visits, I enjoyed iconic sites like the Roman Theatre, which is conveniently located in the city center. It's just a stone's throw away from the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro, both of which I highly recommend. These stunning landmarks offer breathtaking views of Málaga and a chance to immerse yourself in the city’s rich history (bring a bottle of water, and a snack). The Alcazaba just feels like a serene oasis amidst the bustling streets. And don’t miss the Cathedral in the heart of the city — it's worth admiring from the outside, but if you have time, definitely explore the interior as well. It's also possible to go to the cathedral's tower, but only if you go there with a guide - I haven't done that myself though.

The Málaga Museum is another recommendation. It beautifully highlights the city’s history, spanning from the earliest prehistoric settlements to the Phoenicians, Romans, and Muslims. While the museum isn’t huge, its thoughtfully curated collections are bite-sized, leaving you intrigued and eager to learn more!

One unique feature of the museum is its basement storage room - they display a portion of their artefacts in a rather non-chalant manner, which is just perfect - there's several pictures of the room underneath! This approach adds an interesting, behind-the-scenes vibe to the experience.

Besides the museum, Alcazaba and Gibralfaro there's also the antiquities dealer Ifergan Gallery, which is located in Malaga, however their gallery in Malaga is more of a museum than a shop - you have to pay 7 EUR to get in, and there you can view a selection of their pieces. Whilst I was there they had a huge collection of Phoenician terracottas on display. I was quite suprised by this way of doing it (I guess they would be bombarded by tourists if it was free), but overall it was great visiting the gallery, seeing the figures and learning a bit about the phoenicians.

The Caves of Nerja

The Caves of Nerja are absolutely stunning—I can wholeheartedly recommend this experience. The rock formations are just incredible, just see the pictures underneath - it almost lookst as if you're on the moon. A great tip is to purchase a combined ticket that includes entry to the museum in the center of Nerja. My girlfriend wasn't a huge fan of the museum though, she was pretty hung up on the fact that there weren't any cave-paintings, which was one of the reasons we really wanted to go there. Nonetheless, I do think it is worth visiting if you're going to the caves anyway. This ticket, with access to the museum, also provides a convenient ride on a train-like vehicle to and from the caves. If you're not traveling by car, I highly suggest opting for this package for a hassle-free visit!

Thank you for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed the pictures, as well as the writing. I've been to Malaga a bunch of times now, and I've always found it enjoyable because there's always something more to see if you're up for travelling a bit by bus, train or car.

Best Wishes,
Theodor

 

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