Hiking in Malaga: Discover the Best Trails august 21, 2024 – Posted in: Spain, Travel – Tags: Andalusia, Holiday, Malaga, Shopping, Souvenirs, Spain, Vacation

Exciting Hiking Trails in Malaga

Looking for something different to do on your vacation in Malaga besides lounging on the beautiful beaches, going shopping, and dining Malaga also offers fantastic hiking opportunities. Many tourists may not realize it, but surrounding Malaga and throughout Andalusia runs one of Europe’s largest hiking trail systems, Gran Senda.

Gran Senda is 942 km long and consists of 35 stages. The route, known as GR 249, covers mountains, coastlines, and white villages throughout the province of Malaga. The hiking trail varies in difficulty, and you can find more information about the individual stages on Gran Senda’s official page: The Great Malaga Path.

In addition to the stages we hiked in Malaga, we have also explored Gran Senda in Nerja and Ronda. You can read more about those adventures by clicking on the links.

3 Wonderful Hikes in Malaga

Let’s focus on Gran Senda in Malaga for now. We visited Malaga in March 2023, when the temperature was perfect for hiking. As beginners in the wonderful world of hiking, the trails we discuss here are suitable for everyone. Although we love hiking and often cover 20 km, these routes can be shortened, extended, or made more challenging according to your preferences.

During our time in Malaga, we enjoyed three delightful hikes:

• GR 249 – Stage 1: Rincón de la Victoria – Malaga
• GR 249 – Stage 35: Alhaurín de la Torre – Malaga
• A city walk around Malaga visiting various attractions

Below, you can read about our experiences and descriptions of these hiking routes.

Rincón de la Victoria – Malaga

Gran Senda – Stage 1 is a coastal trail. Learning from our previous experiences, we took bus number ? there so we could walk back home and not have to wait when we arrived. The bus departs from the station at the harbor. Look up Estación Muelle Heredia on Google Maps.

Since there is a ticket office at the station, you cannot buy tickets on the bus. You need to purchase your ticket at the small office, which costs a few euros. Ask for a ticket to Rincón de la Victoria.

The hike starts almost right at the Rio Totalán river. When you get off the bus, head towards the water where the trail is marked with a large sign.

Recommendations

Stage 1 of GR 249 runs along the coast the entire way. There is a promenade all the way, so you avoid walking in the sand. This also means you can bring a stroller along the hike. It’s a peaceful and enjoyable walk suitable for everyone, with fantastic views over Malaga. The first part is more local, and from El Paso onwards, you’ll encounter many tourists.

Start early in the morning before it gets too hot, and remember to bring swimwear so you can enjoy the beach along the way. There are cafés and restaurants throughout the route, so you don’t need to pack a lunch.

Alhaurín de la Torre – Malaga

If you want to escape the tourist crowds in Malaga, you should hike GR 249 – Stage 35. This route takes you past the old aqueduct, through artichoke fields, and near the airport. You’ll see planes landing and taking off continuously, which is entertaining for both kids and adults.

The final part of the hike leads you past the ancient Phoenician settlement by the large river delta and across the Guadalhorce River. The area around the river is very popular with mountain bikers, but the trails are wide, and people are friendly about sharing space. Mountain bikers here in Spain also signal as they approach from behind. The hike ends at the large chimney at Playa de la Misericordia.

Recommendations

Take bus number 135 to the small suburb of Alhaurín de la Torre. You can board at Estación de Autobuses, and the ticket costs 1.70 euros. You should buy your ticket at the station. Ask for a ticket to Peñon. Get off at the roundabout at Av. El Peñon. The large sign marking the start of Stage 35 is located at the end of the green park, just before Calle Isla de Lobos.

There are no shops or cafés until you reach Misericordia Beach, so bring plenty of water and snacks. The trail is flat the entire way, so if you don’t have hiking shoes, you can also complete the hike in a good pair of sneakers.

AllTrails

In addition to the detailed descriptions of the route on Gran Senda’s official site, we always use AllTrails for our hikes. The hiking app is easy to install on your phone, and it shows even the smallest trails known only to locals.

In the past, we used to struggle figuring out if a trail would end up being a dead end, but we find the app very helpful on new adventures. It’s free to sign up for the first 7 days, after which it costs about 40 dollars per year. We don’t get paid to promote it – but we really like AllTrails!

A City Walk in Malaga

Once you have AllTrails, you’ll see that there are plenty of hiking routes in the area, but Malaga also has many interesting attractions we wanted to see. We took a city walk around the city, visiting many of the major sights, which you can also read about here: 10 Must-See Attractions in Malaga.

While reading the description from home and even inputting the route into Google Maps may not seem like much, the 5 km walk will still give you a workout, especially the steep climb up to Castillo de Gibralfaro. The view from the old fort is magnificent and worth the effort.

More Tips for Your Malaga Holiday

A Lovely Hotel in Malaga

Malaga has a plethora of hotels, which can make it a bit overwhelming to decide where to stay. We found a delightful place in Centro right by the Guadalmedina River, and you can always find your way back! There are many other hotels in this area, but we wanted to treat ourselves and stayed at the fantastic Vincci Selección Posada del Patio.

There are certainly cheaper hotels in Malaga, but Posada del Patio, as it is also called, is just a bit more luxurious. The rooms are so beautifully decorated that you’ll want to stay in bed all day. But that won’t happen! The breakfast buffet is exquisite, filled with both small and large delicacies. You can also order freshly cooked eggs, pancakes, and other delicious dishes if you desire.

The hotel is located right on the edge of the charming pedestrian streets. But the hotel also has its own pool on the rooftop terrace – so what should you choose? Rune, being a specialist in great gifts, had found another hotel with its own Roman ruins in the basement! Here you can find the walls of the old Roman port and a well-preserved well. Someone was quite pleased there, and you know your partner well!

Read more about the hotel here: Vincci Selección Posada del Patio and see all the other hotels in Malaga by clicking here. You can also search for hotels in Malaga right here:

Booking.com