Malaga: arranging a minibus pick up -- how to choose a location?
 

Good morning!

We'll be hiring a charter minibus (16/ 19 seater) to take us Granada after a check out from Molina Lario Hotel in Malaga.

Prior to departure for Granada, I'm considering 2 options (visiting on foot OR combination walk + minibus?) :

Option 1) Hotel Molina Lario > Romana Theater > Cathedral > Mercado Market (bus pick up at his location).

Option 2) Hotel Molina Lario > Mercado market > Cathedral > Roman Theater > Picasso Museum (bus pick up at his location).

My question is related to the arrangements of the bus pick up location. I would like to minimise backtracking from attractions back to the hotel which would also cut into our time in Granada.

Is the area around the Market and around the Picasso museum suitable for a bus pickup? Is there a parking area where the bus could wait for us? Looking at Google maps, I saw a parking lot outside of the Market, not sure if a minibus can park and wait there.

OR

Is my only option to walk back to the hotel and have the bus pick us up there?

Thank you for any advice or insights!

What are your plans for your luggage between hotel checkout and minibus pickup if doing this on foot?

Ask the company you are using.
I have hired buses for groups and found that the only real way to get decent arrangements.

I suggest you arrange for the bus to pick you up at the hotel, very short walk from both the Picasso museum and the Atarazanas market, we're talking 250-300 meters and 3-4 minutes.

The streets around the Picasso museum are very narrow, tons of people and perhaps a few other buses waiting and total confusion. Also quite narrow streets around the Atarazanas market. Should not neccessarily be a problem to arrange for a minibus pick up here, but ample possibillities for misunderstandings.

Hope you have at least one more day in Málaga. Hotel Molina Lario is 300 meters from the fabulous Moorish Alcazaba Palace/fortress, some centuries older than Alhambra. http://www.malagaturismo.com/en/tour...ail/alcazaba/6

Molina Lario is next door to the old Aduana Palace, and any moment the long awaited Museo de Málaga will open here: http://www.malagaturismo.com/en/tour...ana-palace/446

Your hotel is less than 100 meters from Los Mellizos, one of the best places in town to have seafood, paella and local rice dishes. http://www.losmellizos.net/index.php...home&address=6

And you are 200 meters from legendary Antigua Casa de Guardia, an institution in town. No better place to taste the excellent and sweet Málaga wines (on barrrel) and conchas finas. Not much have changed here since it opened in 1840. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Andalucia.html

The hotel is also right behind the new Muelle Uno (Quay One) with all the cafés, restaurants and shops, AND the Noria ferris wheel with spectacular views of the city and the sea: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/muelle-uno.htm
The Málaga Noria: http://www.andalucia.com/cities/mala...heel-noria.htm

Have a great stay in Málaga, can't wait to come back here in a couple of weeks myself.

Joannyc, oops...! of course, I should have mentioned that as the bus is hired for the whole day, we'd first put our suitcases onto the bus before exploring the market, etc. hence, I thought I could avoid going back to the hotel.

Ribeirasacra, now in the process of figuring which company I'm going to use. some of the replies come back in Spanish! That'll make things difficult to explain. But there are a few who wrote back in English, so I should be ok. Thank you for encouragement.

Kimhe, Every time I read your replies, I wish I'd have a lot more time in the areas to follow your advice. ... we are spending two nights in Malaga but not much time in the city itself *_*. Perhaps, my initial planning was not so good, but as things are:
day 1 / flight arrives at 22.30h
day 2 / full day excursion to Ronda (returning around 8-9pm)
day 3 / 9-11am Malaga. 11am transfer to Granada, Granda center sightseeing
day 4 / Alhambra day....

At least I wanted to get a taste of the Market and see the Roman Theater (without entering). Not decided on the Picasso museum though. We have an "Art Day" in Madrid (Prado + Sorolla museums) on our last day in Spain.

Was all set and excited about visiting Antigua Casa de Guardia.. but they are closed when we are there *_*

You will of course have a fabulous day in truly spectacular Ronda! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6gIUrQvUV4

My favourite flamenco dancer Rocío Molina in the Ronda bullring back in 2007, saw here for the first time a few nights before this in my most memorable concert/theater experience ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQcJC72NTsc

So maybe see a flamenco performance while in Ronda?

Tablao Flamenco El Quinque: http://elquinque.es/en/ https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Andalucia.html

Or the fabulous flamenco guitarist Celia Morales: http://www.celiamorales.es/ https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti..._of_Malag.html

And back in Málaga city, the Alcazaba is just behind the Roman theater, so you will definitely see it, "the best-preserved Moorish fortress palace in Spain." http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/alcazaba.htm
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/an...sions/alcazaba

But you should come back to 3000 year old Málaga some time, one of the oldest cities in Europe and nowhere in Spain so much is happening right now.
"Beauty, but now a cultural capital, too": http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...isit.html?_r=1
"Spain's new creative heart": http://www.cntraveller.com/recommend...u-centre-guide

if you are not confident with Spanish then use one of the companies that have replied in English. The better the English will make your work easier.
Even think about paying a bit more for the company with which you can happy communicate with.

Kimhe, what a great video of Ronda. breathtaking views! We'll do a walking tour + light tapas lunch in Ronda and then off to Bodega Garica Hidalgo for tasting and a cross between late lunch/early dinner. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Andalucia.html
I so hope this day is as wonderful as I'm picturing it!

Ribeirasacra, thank you for the solid advice. Yes, will sort through the replies. I suspect that drivers won't speak much English, but at least coach company representative should. God forbid we'd need assistance later on and communicating in Spanish is not an option ;)