I've jotted down just some of the things that I love about Malaga!
Dog Friendly
Dogs are not only welcomed in shops, restaurants, cafes and bars but they are positively doted on! Seeing dogs in clothes shops is something that I don't think I'll ever not find it strange......but in fairness it was convenient to pop in for a browse in S'Fera one day with Bones in tow.
Pictured is a dog loose lead wandering around a shop. As you do in Malaga......
Cycle Friendly
The city is mainly pedestrianized (but new laws have been introduced that you have to push your bike in these areas) and there a lot of top quality bike lanes in parts of the city. The cycle out to the Russian Museum and La Termica on the bike lanes is particularly pleasant and achievable by all ages when using the bike lane
Pedestrianization
As mentioned above, there are very few places you can drive in the city. If people bring their car to the city, they park in massive underground car parks and wander in to the centro. The city being pedestrianized makes it spotlessly clean and I would image it has very good air quality. Being car free means that public road ways are used for cafe and bar outdoor seating which is a great way to enjoy the fabulous Malaga weather.
Haberdashery, Fabric and Leather shops
Yes there are still haberdashery shops operating in the the city. Want a piece of cord or a piece of ribbon - take your pick of numerous shops that sell these things. There are also lots of fabric stores in a particular area of the city and then you will also find small leather shops that sell belts, bags and other leather goods. Ciaran bought a hand made belt in one of the shops and the owner cut it to size, punched holes in the belt and added a loop to it. Ciaran then went and lost a ton of weight about 5 months later(!) so he went back to the shop and had it adjusted getting more holes punched and a bit of it lobbed off. How great is that?!
Small unique stores (not chains) add so much to the culture, charm and ambiance of a city
Panaderias / Bakeries and Bread shops
Another of the charming type of shops that adds to the atmosphere of the city - there are panaderias all over the place. When we first arrived we happily partook in this tradition and bought homemade bread every few days and shared a Napolitana (sort of like a Pan au Chocolate) every day when we were doing our Spanish course as the sweet treat at morning coffee break really helped us get through the struggles of lessons! We've given this habit up since we went back on keto a while back - remember I mentioned Ciaran needing his belt taken in, this is why!!!
Malaga is a Living City
People live in Malaga. So when the tourists all stopped visiting due to Covid there was still a bit of activity around the city. OK, so it is very quiet (it is definitely a unique time to be experiencing the city and probably the greatest in recent times) but it is not a ghost town by any means.
Cafe Culture
The cafe culture is vibrant. Everyone in Malaga loves to chat over coffee in the morning and then a cana of beer in the afternoon or a glass of wine, leading in to a slow late dinner with family and friends. There is a buzz around the place outside cafes and restaurants most of the day.
Art Scene
Because I am involved in PIGSY art, I am seeing tons of art. Malaga has lots of galleries both private and state run. I love the attitude that the people I meet have towards art and artists. They are so respectful and show a reverence for art. Perhaps this comes from being the home town of the art great Picasso?
See here for details of Art Galleries and Museums in Malaga
Friendliness
We have found Spanish people in Malaga to be very friendly. They love dogs and always chat to us about Bones - particularly older people which is very nice. When we go out and if we are struggling with speaking Spanish most people we encounter have no problem by helping us and speaking English. Our taxi driver yesterday was a lovely man and told us all about his two brothers - one living in Dublin, the other in Belfast (conversation was in full Spanish) he then went on to say that he doesn't think the Irish and English are alike but that he thinks the Spanish and Irish are more alike. I have to agree!!
Cleanliness
Bins are EVERYWHERE and there are large crews of council staff on foot who regularly empty the bins and sweep the streets. Every morning about 4.30am the street that we live on is hosed down by the council. Possible due to the fact that if you were to compare where we are living now in Malaga with Dublin, you might say we live in a Temple Bar like area of town. Luckily it is very very quiet at the moment due to the pandemic and low volume of people in the area.
For household rubbish in the city there are large communal bins made up of a small looking bin in the street that drops the rubbish underground when you place your bag in. These bins are then collected daily by crews. It's a great system! Recycling of cardboard and plastic is also provided.
Public Transport
Buses and Trains are regular and cost effective. Yesterday we took the bus to Marbella, going on the slow less direct bus on the way there (stopping in Torremelinos and Fuengirola) it took about 90 mins. The return journey on the more direct bus was 60 mins. Tomorrow we are heading to Fuengirola to meet up with a friend but will take the train and not the bus. The train is modern and extremely comfortable. For info the bus to Marbella was less than 7 euro each way.
Convenient access
From Ireland you can conveniently get to Malaga with one short plane ride with Aer Lingus or Ryanair. From the airport there is an airport in to the city centre or you can take the train which leaves you up at the river in the city.
I'm glad to share a few of the things I love about Malaga with you - let me know if you have visited and what are your favorite things!
