Flights to Málaga

Malaga is more than just a sun trap for those seeking a cheap getaway, it’s a port city bursting with history and ensues culture. Between the museums and Moorish ruins, you’ll find a charming town and the perfect destination for an activity-packed holiday.

Fly with SAS to Malaga Costa del sol Airport and you’ll be ready and raring to begin your holiday feeling relaxed and well rested.

Malaga Costa del Sol Airport

OCTOBER 2023

Latin American art, Basque food and beautiful hiking trails. We’ve picked out five unique things to do if you want to experience the best of Marbella.

Unique art museum

Ralli Museum

The Ralli Museum is a must for art lovers. The museum is filled with surreal and colorful works, including paintings and sculptures from Spanish and South American artists. Just a short hop on the bus from the Marbella town center and a stone’s throw from the beach, this hidden art gem is a treat for the whole family—and best of all, it’s free!

Beach close to greenery

Playa de Artola

Marbella’s beaches host a lot of lively clubs, but if you’re looking for a smaller and quieter beach to spend the day on, Playa de Artola is a great option. It’s the only beach in Marbella that isn’t located next to the vibrant city but surrounded by beautiful sand dunes. All this adds to Playa de Artola’s popularity, so be sure to arrive in time to bag yourself a spot.

Basque dining experience

La Sidreria Usategui

La Sidreria Usategui is one of many Basque restaurants in Marbella—and probably the most authentic of them all. Here they brew their own cider, served in giant glasses from giant barrels housed inside the restaurant. The food is created with love and grilled to perfection, not least the meat dishes that the restaurant has become famous for. However, it can be a little difficult to find: La Sidreria Usategui is hidden in an ordinary residential building in a narrow alley off Marbella’s main tourist drag.

Walking among greenery

Sierra Blanca

Marbella is perfect for hike lovers. Sierra Blanca is one of many hiking trails in Marbella and is beautifully situated next to pine forests and other greenery. The area is particularly eye-catching in the fall and spring—and if you visit Sierra Blanca the day after rain, there’s a chance you’ll see a waterfall in the forest.

Organic food market

Mercado Ecológico de Nueva Andalucía

If you happen to be in Marbella on the third Saturday of the month then the Mercado Ecológico de Nueva Andalucía, next to the Rio Guadaliza, is not to be missed. This market is a dream come true if you’re looking for organic food at a great price. Here, local farmers gather to sell the week’s harvest—and once you’re done shopping, you can finish off with a cool afternoon swim on the beach, just a stone’s throw away.

MAY 2023

Malaga is one of the oldest cities in the world – and unusually well-preserved. As a result, there are many old cafés, traditional shops, and historic bars. Here are six timeless tips for the capital of the Costa del Sol.

Attracting tourists and malagueños alike

El Pimpi

History is literally in the walls of this 50+ year-old restaurant. They are covered with blue and white Andalusian tiles, old posters, and photographs of famous guests. Waiters dart among the tables with trays filled with tapas and wine. The historic atmosphere and well-prepared tapas dishes attract tourists and locals alike. The menu includes local specialties like ensalada malagueña (a rustic salad with salted and dried cod, orange, green olives, and potatoes), boquerones fritos, and salmorejo (Andalusian tomato soup). Save room for the signature dessert: orange sorbet with olive oil, sea salt, and almond crisp.

The restaurant is next to the Picasso Museum, one of the city’s most famous attractions.

Genuine and relaxed atmosphere

El Cabra

On Sundays, Malaga residents like to escape to Pedregalejo, a former fishing village half a mile east of the city. Although Pedregalejo has been gentrified in recent years, the atmosphere is still genuine and relaxed. Along the long beachfront promenade, you’ll find everything from modern health hippie hangouts to traditional chiringuitos – simple beach restaurants with plastic tables and freshly grilled sardines. One of the oldest and most famous is El Cabra, which opened in 1965 and offers a spotless seafood paella.

Traditional delicatessen

Juan Dios Barba

The city’s oldest food market, Mercado Central de Atarazanas, is a must for foodies. Around the city, there are also several so-called ultramarinos, traditional delicatessens that sell air-dried hams, wines, jams, almonds, cheeses, and other goodies over the counter. An excellent option is Juan Dios Barba, near the Mercado Central de Atarazanas. Here you’ll find a wide selection of local cheeses and bacalao, or salted and dried cod.

Oldest is best when it comes to ice cream

Casa Mira

There are plenty of ice cream parlors to choose from in Malaga, but the oldest is the best. Casa Mira opened in 1890 and is now located at several addresses in the city, including the shopping street Calle Marqués de Larios. The most stylish ice cream parlor is hidden on the smaller Calle Andrés Pérez – the beautifully restored interior is worth a visit in itself. The specialty is turrón, or soft almond nougat, which is sold as both ice cream and candy. A refreshing treat is ‘Blanco y negro’, coffee with vanilla or turrón ice cream.

Traditional tavern with a crowded bar

Mesón Mariano

Few traditional taverns in Malaga maintain such a high standard as Mesón Mariano. That’s also one of the reasons why the bar is often crowded with locals. If there’s a free spot, it’s wise to grab it, order a glass of Pedro Ximenez and a plate of fried eggplant with molasses, a plate of jamón, a malagueña salad, and at least one dish with artichokes. The latter is the restaurant’s specialty. Choose between, for example, confit artichokes, fried artichokes, or artichokes wrapped in Iberian ham.

Festive and authentic atmosphere

La Tranca

It’s hard to imagine a more authentic place to start the evening than La Tranca. If there is one, it would be Antigua Casa de Guardia, Malaga’s oldest bar. But La Tranca has a more festive atmosphere and better tapas (don’t miss their empanadas), and you often have to squeeze your way to the bar to order. The walls are covered with vinyl covers, vermouth is served straight from the barrel, and the bills are written with chalk directly on the bar, just like in the old days. And because it is often crowded, it’s easy to make new friends.

June 2022

If you thought Malaga was just the airport you land at on your way to sun-drenched beachfront towns like Marbella or Fuengirola, think again. The capital of the Costa del Sol has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years. With its glitzy port area, an exciting variety of art and a burgeoning food scene, it’s time to consider Malaga a vacation destination in its own right.

Day one

Live your Andalusian dream

Palacio Solecio

Wake up in Palacio Solecio, a stunning boutique hotel set right in the heart of the historic old town, steps away from the Museo Picasso and the Roman Amphitheater. Built in the 18th century, the facade of this Andalusian palace was considered a masterpiece of architecture for its times. Fast forward to 2022, and it has been meticulously transformed into a modern boutique hotel that strikes the perfect balance between old and new. It is also home to one of Malaga’s gastronomic must-visits, Balausta, where chef José Carlos Garcia wows locals and visitors with his traditionally inspired, contemporary cuisine.

Get your pedal on

Recyclo Bike Café

Malaga’s first bike café, Recyclo Bike Café offers everything you need for a healthy morning in the capital of the Costa del Sol, from delicious artisanal coffee to tasty snacks and, of course, bike rentals. Bikes range from city bikes to hardtail and full suspension mountain bikes, available to rent by the hour. Before setting off to explore the city, enjoy a cup of locally roasted coffee (or a glass of craft beer, if that takes your fancy) with some nibbles made from fresh produce sourced directly from the nearby market. Better still, Recyclo offers plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.

Stock up on jamón

Mercado Central de Atarazanas

Just down the road from Recyclo Bike Café, Mercado Central de Atarazanas is not the most famous covered market in Malaga, but it might just be the most interesting. The market here dates back to the 14th century, although the construction of this particular building began in 1870. Apart from a fabulous selection of fresh produce, this is also a great spot to stock up on everything from acorn-fed jamón ibérico to jars of olives and salted anchovies. While you’re at it, stop at one of the food stalls for a lunch of grilled sardines or juicy pescaitos fritos (Andalusian-style small fried fish).

Soak up some street art

Calle Casas de Campos

Once one of Malaga’s most chic neighborhoods, the modern-day Soho might appear to be little more than a collection of derelict buildings – that is, until you look more closely. Thanks to an initiative known as MAUS (Malaga Arte Urbano Soho), this grungy-looking neighborhood has become the city’s center of street art. From Calle Casas de Campos with its mural of Charlie Chaplin and the giant rodents by Belgian artist ROA, to the lesser-known works in Calle Alameda Principal and Plaza de la Marina, it’s easy to while away an hour or two in fascinating, yet often overlooked, part of the city.

Dine with the glitterati

Only YOU Hotel Malaga

Since opening in 2021, Only YOU Hotel Malaga has become the place to see and be seen in Malaga. Besides the hotel itself, a beautifully designed 93-room, five-star boutique gem, the property also features two excellent restaurants and a rooftop terrace with an infinity pool, a well-stocked bar and views to die for. Start the evening off with dinner at the seventh-floor Lola Restaurant, which serves a Mediterranean menu of seasonal, locally sourced dishes, before moving over to the Lolita rooftop bar from where you can gawk at the panorama of the city over some killer cocktails.

Day two

Shop till you drop

Calle Marqués de Larios

If shopping is your poison, then Malaga has you covered, with its wide range of high-street and independent brands. Malaga’s main shopping district is centered around the pedestrianized Calle Marqués de Larios, where you will find most major brands including Mango, Massimo Dutti, Bimba and Lola and COS. Zara, a must-visit when in Spain, is in Calle Liborio Garcia, just off Calle Larios. For smaller boutiques, head to the top of Calle Larios, take a right at Plaza de la Constitucion, and then a left until you reach Calle Andrés Pérez, with its independent stores including the La Casa del Cardenal antiques shop.

Be a culture vulture

CAC Malaga

For art lovers, Malaga is a veritable treasure trove. Pablo Picasso was born here, and the museum dedicated to him, hidden down one of the prettiest streets in the old town, is one of the best. Then there’s the Carmen Thyssen Museum, with its impressive collection of 19th century Spanish art and the Centre Pompidou Malaga for modern and contemporary art. For something more off the beaten track, check out the CAC Malaga contemporary art center, which exhibits works by international and emerging Spanish artists – including Louise Bourgeois, Olafur Eliasson, Damien Hirst and Julian Opie – in a former market built in 1927.

Photo: Shutterstock

Refresh yourself with a side of history

Taberna Antigua Casa de Guardia

Founded in 1840, Taberna Antigua Casa de Guardia is officially the oldest bar in Malaga. Far from a historic gimmick, it continues to serve a superb selection of fresh tapas and Andalusian wine and sherry drawn directly from the wooden barrels that line the wall. Be aware, lunch here is not a buttoned-up, sitting-down kind of affair. These people do it the old way, so jostle your way to an empty space by the bar, order some freshly grilled seafood, Iberian ham and local sheep’s cheese and wash it all down with a glass of outrageously affordable wine.

Take a siesta on a beach

Playa de la Caleta

If all that food and wine has you feeling drowsy, it’s time to make like a Spaniard and go for a siesta – and where better to do so than on the beach? The city beaches may not be as lovely as the ones at Torremolinos or Puerto Banus, but they do the trick. Playa Malagueta is the closest to the city, but it gets quite crowded. Meanwhile, La Caleta is a 30-minute walk (or five-minute cab ride) away and well worth the effort. Just make sure you lather up with plenty of factor 50 if you feel the zzz’s coming on.

Gorge yourself on seafood

Marisqueria Noray II

Malaga is a seaside town so where better to sample the freshest, spiniest of creatures from the Mediterranean? Marisqueria Noray II may not look like much from the outside, but this unassuming bar on a particularly unappealing side street in Soho just happens to be one of the city’s top shellfish spots. Here, brothers Miguel and Paco Robles prepare the catch of the day, provided by fishermen from the bay of Malaga, for a discerning crowd of hungry seafood lovers. Don’t miss the razor clams, the grilled shrimp or the scallops – and whatever is on special.

Do you want to travel in even more comfort? You can always upgrade your SAS flight ticket to the next travel class. This gives you access to fast track, priority boarding and meals & snacks onboard.

¿Desea explorar el mundo? Con Scandinavian Airlines y nuestro socio comercial de SkyTeam, puede volar alrededor de todo el mundo. Nuestros destinos

At SAS, we make it easy for you to start your journey close to home. We offer a high frequency of departures, seamlessly connecting smaller regional airports with our major hubs. This means you can enjoy well-coordinated connections and a time-efficient journey to Spain, keeping your overall flight duration to a minimum. You will step on board our modern fleet of comfortable Airbus aircraft, where our punctuality and Scandinavian care ensure your holiday to the Costa del Sol starts with a sense of calm.

Your baggage allowance depends entirely on the travel class you choose when booking – Economy, Premium or Business. At SAS, we always apply clear and generous rules so you can bring everything you need for your holiday in the sun or your round of golf. You can enjoy a transparent premium experience from the very start, with no need to worry about unexpected extra charges at the gate. Everything is handled with the utmost care, allowing you to focus entirely on your destination.

If you are flexible with your travel dates, you can easily find the best flight deals using our handy low-fare calendar. It gives you a quick and clear overview of all our departures, making it easy to plan your holiday at a competitive price. Remember, you can always add Fast Track and lounge access to make your journey even smoother, and as a EuroBonus member, you earn valuable points on every flight to Malaga. Explore our fares and book your ticket today.