Best Places to Visit Around Malaga: What to See Near the City

If you have already explored the main attractions of Malaga and want to discover something new, the best idea is to go beyond the city.
Just a short drive from Malaga you will find whitewashed villages, impressive mountain landscapes, nature parks, beaches and some of the most famous sights in Andalusia.

In this guide I will show you the best places to visit around Malaga — where to go for a day trip, what is really worth seeing and how to get there.

Best places to visit around Malaga

The surroundings of Malaga offer a great variety of day trips. Many of these places can be easily reached by car or public transport, which makes Malaga a perfect base for traveling around Andalusia.
Below you will find the most interesting attractions near Malaga that you can visit in one day.

La Concepción Historical-Botanical Gardens

This botanical garden is the perfect place for nature lovers.
It has been around for over 150 years. You can get to the garden from Malaga in 20 minutes by car.
This is a great opportunity to diversify your holiday, hiding from the heat and hustle and bustle of the city in the cool shade of plants and trees.

The botanical garden covers an area of 23 hectares, where you can stroll along winding paths and admire various sculptures, waterfalls, streams and ponds.
More than 25,000 plants of 2,000 different species grow in this garden.
Numerous rest areas and picturesque views of the historic garden and Malaga will enhance your walk.
To avoid getting lost, pick up a map of the garden at the entrance.

Caminito del Rey Malaga

Dedicated to thrill seekers. Just an hour's drive from Malaga is the famous Caminito del Rey, an 8 km route that runs along a narrow footpath approximately 1 metre wide above the Garganta del Chorro gorge.

The history of this place began in the 20th century, when two hydroelectric power stations were built at the beginning and end of the gorge.
To make it easier for workers to move between sites, suspended walkways secured with wooden supports were erected along the cliffs.
After construction was completed, the paths fell into disuse and gradually fell into disrepair, but later they were ‘discovered’ by extreme sports enthusiasts.

The trail got its name after King Alfonso XIII of Spain walked along it in 1920.
In 2015, the route was completely reconstructed, and today Caminito del Rey is a safe but still very emotional walk.

An amazing combination awaits you: breathtaking views, heights, narrow footbridges over the gorge and a decent dose of adrenaline. It's not often that you get to experience sensations like this.

The route takes approximately 3–4 hours to complete, depending on your pace. Tickets are inexpensive, but it is best to purchase them in advance on the official website, as the trail is very popular.

Nerja and the famous Nerja Caves

A small coastal town located about 50 minutes' drive from Malaga by car.
It is best to plan a whole day for a visit to Nerki and leave in the morning, because there are several interesting places here that you will definitely want to see.

What to see in Nerja

The best way to get to know Nerha is to visit the cave that is famous in these parts.

Nerja Caves

On 12 January 1959, it was discovered quite by accident by a group of young people who had gone out to catch bats. By 1961, the cave had been declared a cultural and historical heritage site.

It is a real underground city where numerous archaeological finds have been discovered. Some of them are as old as 20,000 years!
Traces of primitive human life have been found here: rock paintings, fragments of fabric and ceramics.

Walking through the huge halls, you lose track of time. The walls and vaults are covered with stalactites and stalagmites of bizarre shapes. Particularly impressive is the huge stalactite column with a diameter of about 18 metres and a height of 32 metres — one of the largest formations of this type in the world.

Not all halls are open to visitors yet, but the proposed route, approximately 2 km long, makes a strong impression and is memorable for a long time. It takes about 45–50 minutes to explore the cave.
After that, you can continue exploring the surroundings of Nerja.

Aqueduct of Águila (Acueducto del Águila)

This aqueduct is also known as the Eagle Bridge. This majestic structure, approximately 40 metres high, is considered an important monument of engineering architecture.
The structure consists of several tiers of arches, stacked on top of each other to form four levels.

The aqueduct is located on the road from the Nerja caves towards the city, about a five-minute drive away.
There are small areas nearby where you can stop and take a closer look at it.

Nerja, Balcón de Europa (Balcony of Europe)

The town of Nerja itself is very close by — just 5–6 minutes by car.
There are several public car parks in the city; the closest one to the Balcón de Europa is Parking Balcón de Europa on Plaza de España.
From here, it's about a ten-minute pleasant walk to one of the most famous places on the Costa del Sol.

The Balcony of Europe is a viewing platform offering stunning panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Part of the old fortress used to be located here.
The name was suggested by King Alfonso XII, who was impressed by the views.
His statue stands at the very edge of the observation deck — leaning on the railing, he gazes out at the sea and conveys a sense of calm and tranquillity.

Other places to visit near Malaga

💡 For convenience and ease of travel, we recommend renting a car 🚗

If you have already visited Malaga itself and want to discover interesting places nearby, consider the following destinations:

• Fuengirola — the majestic Sohail Castle and the famous Biopark.
• Torremolinos — excellent walking parks and the unusual Crocodile Park.
• Benalmadena — a real treasure trove of attractions: from the port to the viewing platforms.
• Marbella — a luxurious resort with a beautiful promenade and an old town.
• Ronda — the impressive Puente Nuevo bridge and breathtaking views of the gorge.

And if you have time left for Malaga itself, you can check out these places:

• Malaga attractions — what to see in the city and which places are a must-visit.
• Street markets in Malaga — where to find the best local products and experience the atmosphere of the city.