A long weekend in Malaga in 4 days

From coffee shop to coastline, and tapas to temperament - this is how you taste Malaga in 4 days.

There are some cities that you feel a click with as soon as you set foot on their streets. Málaga is one of those. Not necessarily the most beautiful, not the biggest, but certainly the warmest. Literally and figuratively. Here life sloshes against the quayside of the harbor, sizzles on your skin at the beach, and is served in a wine glass at sunset.

We took time out for an extended long weekend. Four days, from Friday to Monday, with only an overnight bag, a healthy appetite and an open agenda. This is our itinerary.

Day 1 - Friday: Arrive, breathe, acclimate

You arrive. In Málaga. Early in the morning, when the city is still slow to get going. Skip the rush and start like the locals: quietly. Leave your bag behind (your hotel room probably isn't ready yet) and find the first best terrace where you can land for a while with an espresso and a glass of water.

Have lunch light, close by. No ambitious lunch planning today - this is your arrival day. Choose something close to where you're staying. A gazpacho, a tostada with jamón, a first cold caña. The city will come to you naturally.

Then wander downtown. Without a route, without Google Maps. Be guided by cobblestone streets, hidden squares and a sudden ray of sunlight. Cross Calle Larios, walk into a boutique, order another little something.

By dinner time (or at least your Dutch version of it) the appetite starts to come. But in Spain it is only around 20:00 that the restaurants are crowded. So you can choose: either eat early on a terrace at, for example Plaza Carbón or Plaza de las Flores, or shift your rhythm and go to the table late. Whatever you choose: don't go to bed too late. A full day awaits tomorrow.

Day 2 - Saturday: Breakfast, wandering and shopping with a glass of wine in hand

Saturday mornings smell of coffee and sunshine. For breakfast you have two choices: hip coffee in Soho, for example, at Santa Coffee, or all-day brunch with sourdough bread and poached eggs at BrunchIT on Calle Carretería.

Today is a real city day. Shop in the stately Calle Marqués de Larios, stroll through Calle Nueva, and make a great find in boutiques like VILA on Calle San Juan.

Got an appetite? Time for lunch or drinks. El Pimpi is iconic - with its wooden barrels, tiles and Andalusian atmosphere. Inside it's lively and warm, outside you sit delightfully between tourist and local. Be sure to make reservations in advance, though.

In need of something cultural? Drop in at the Picasso Museum or discover street art in the Soho neighborhood. Malaga is small enough to get lost spontaneously, but big enough to find something new every day.

👉 Any other addresses? Restaurants in Málaga
👉 General tips for your weekend? Discovering Malaga

Day 3 - Sunday: Sea salt on your skin or a bike under your ass

Sunday. The city sleeps off a bit. The stores are closed. You aren't. Start your day with a full breakfast. Then you choose: beach or adventure?

Option 1: Lay down your towel on Playa de la Malagueta, or bike a little further to the laid-back Baños del Carmen Whether the quiet Playa de Guadalmar.

Option 2: Rent a bike and follow the coastline toward El Palo, a neighborhood full of fishermen, children's laughter and simple restaurants where sardines are cooking on charcoal. It's about a 30-minute bike ride, and it's wonderful.

For the energetic types among us, consider a trip to El Caminito del Rey, the famous mountain trail just outside Málaga. However, a cab and reservation in advance are required.

Dinner? Then La Deriva your place of the day. International, stylish, warm. This is where you want to end the day with wine, a table full of food and long conversations.

Day 4 - Monday: Checking out with a croissant in hand

Your last morning. If all goes well, you'll check out relaxed and still have time for breakfast or a short walk. Maybe one last visit to that one coffee shop or score one last souvenir.

Then catch the train or a cab towards the airport. Málaga María Zambrano Station is on Explanada de la Estación - practical, convenient and easily accessible. The return trip begins, but you? You take Málaga with you for a while longer.

Additional tips for when you have time to spare

• Snark on the flea market of Málaga (depending on the season)
• Go wine tasting at Bodegas Bentomiz in Sayalonga
• Store in outlet center Plaza Mayor, just outside the city

Málaga is not a city to tick off. It is a city to get to know slowly. In 4 days you can soak up the atmosphere, feel the sun, and catch a glimpse of the rhythm of the south. Whether you come for the beach, the tapas, the art or just nothing - Málaga gives it to you. Without haste, without fuss.

And that's exactly why we want to go back.