Hmary1

We have five hours or so in Malaga and plan to get the hop on off bus for transport and a general overview , although the route is 80 minutes long.
Is it practical to take a regular bus to the castle and botanic gardens.?
We plan on visiting the Cathederal and Alcazaba.
Can we walk to the Alcazaba from the old town?
Should we see the Picasso museum or his birthplace? is a timed ticket necessary in April ?
Just trying to put a well planed day together to give us a good taste of this city and history.
Any other must see's ? any suggestions ?

PalenQ

Can we walk to the Alcazaba from the old town?>

I walked up hill to it - if that is the old fort looming right over town - been a whiles ago. don't recall it being a long march or anything.

Robert2533

5 hours isn't much time to enjoy Málaga, but you can try. Will you be there in time for lunch?

Christina

I don't understand why you would take a regular bus if you plan to use the hop on/off bus which goes to it (the castle and botanic gardens). It has a stop right at the castle. No city bus goes there as far as I know, the closest they come is along Paseo de Sancha, I believe, or Calle Victoria on the other side.

The hopon/off bus also goes to the botanic garden, it's the green line on this map http://www.city-sightseeing.com/tours/spain/malaga.htm

I don't think any city bus goes there, not very close anyway. Bus 2 lesves from Alemeda Principal around c/Torregorda and then goes up there to terminum San Jose (about 12 stops) but that's still pretty far away from it.

The Alcazaba is basically right next to the old town, its fortress is on the the borders of the city. Here is info and a map http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/alcazaba.htm

Malaga has tons of museums, depends on your interests. The Picasso museum is one of the most wellknown, I liked the city museum, and the Caremn Thyssen art museum is good, but there are quite a few others. I was in Malaga several days so did go the Picasso museum but I wouldn't go if you aren't a big fan of his work, of course. I'm not and wouldn't have gone except I was there a while. I've seen about a zillion Picasso museums, it seems. not really, but I must have seen at least 4.

kimhe

Malaga is big time museum city, so you have lots to choose from: http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...-culture-spain

Highly recommend a lunch in one or more of the tapas bars inside the fabulous Atarazanas food market in the heart of the city. Cafe Bar Atarazanas and El Yerno are conchas finas, oysters, razor clams, prawn skewers etc. etc, much fish and seafood, but also great vegetable and meat tapas. Full of groups of friends and families, loud, crowded, but still very laid-back and the people running the bars are in full control.
http://eastofmalaga.net/2014/07/25/w...ry-perception/

Cafe Bar Atarazanas: http://azahar-spain.com/azahartapas/...do-atarazanas/
El Yerno: http://azahar-spain.com/azahartapas/el-yerno/

And the market is 50 meters away from Casa Aranda, perhaps my favourite cafe in all of Spain.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/an...=lp-affiliates
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

Or all kinds of Malaga wines on barrel in Antigua Casa de Guardia, 50 meters from the food market towards the sea. Not much have changed here since they opend in 1840:
http://antiguacasadeguardia.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attract...Andalucia.html

bilboburgler

good ceiling in the covered market