Celebrity Reflection - Western Mediterranean - Day 7 - Malaga

Author Anne Plau

A welcoming city

We arrive in Malaga early in the morning. The city lies in a wide bay, surrounded by two mountains. A lot of things to see in Malaga are very close to the port. We have been to Malaga a few times and look forward to coming back every time. You can find information in our posts Malaga and Malaga attractions.

Carriages waiting for customers

It is a wonderful summer day, clear and sunny, the temperatures should reach 30 ° today. The port area is very extensive, it is a 2½ kilometer walk to the port exit. At the cruise terminal there is a port bus from the city of Malaga and a shuttle bus from Celebrity Cruises, which both shuttle to the port exit. Although the price of the local bus is significantly lower, we are the only passengers. Everyone else crowd into the shuttle bus and even accept waiting times. This widespread behavior continues to baffle us.

La Manquita - the one-armed one

Our first destination today is the cathedral. It has only one tower - the second was not built because there was no money - and is called La Manquita, the one-armed one. The cathedral is worth seeing.
We visited the church a few years ago. At that time, many nets were stretched inside because the plaster was partially loosening and everything inside had to be painstakingly restored. The work is almost complete, there are only a few nets left, and the cathedral is more beautiful than we remember.

La Manquita Cathedral - Chapel of the Incarnation

High above Malaga

The castle complex Castillo de Gibralfaro, which we visited years ago and which is dominating high above Malaga, is our next destination. The bus to the Castillo stops at Paseo del Parque opposite the town hall, right next to the very well-kept Parque de Malaga. We visit the Castillo and walk around the castle on the parapet walkways. The view of Malaga from there is overwhelming.

We look directly into the round of the La Malagueta bullring, the cruise ships lying in the harbor, the Moorish fortress Alcazaba and the cathedral. There is a nice café in the garden of the Castillo. After a little refreshment we go back to town on foot. This footpath is beautifully laid out, leads past the walls of the Alcazaba and then partly over the new promenade to the old town.

Tour of the historical center

There is a lot to see in the old town. We start our tour at the Roman theater, which is also used for open-air events. A glass pyramid stands out in front of it, under which the remains of a Roman fish factory are located.

We continue to the Picasso Museum and then to the Picasso Birthplace in Plaza de la Merced. We take a break in one of the cafés near the Teatro Cervantes, then we continue to the Plaza de la Constitución and come back to the square by the cathedral. It is pleasant to stroll through Malaga. There are many beautiful squares and streets, buildings and shops to discover, and the city is clean and tidy. We feel very comfortable.

Before we take the bus to the ship again, we walk through the Parque de Malaga, which is parallel to the harbor basin. It is a well-tended green area with beautiful plants, a watercourse and a small stage. We have the impression that a lot is being done in Malaga for residents and visitors.

Malaga Park