The Alcazaba of Malaga

The Alcazaba of Malaga

Visiting the Alcazaba of Malaga is a must-do experience on the Costa del Sol. To explore this historic marvel with complete freedom, we recommend hiring a car at Malaga Airport. This way, you can move around easily and make the most of your time in the city. Here you’ll find all the information you need to plan your visit to this stunning monument.

History of the Alcazaba

The Alcazaba of Malaga is an extension of Gibralfaro Castle, situated on the hill above it, and with its origin dating back to the Phoenicians. If you would like to find out more about its history, opening times or anything in relation to your visit, we tell you in the link above.

During the Arab occupation, in 1340, Yusuf I planned an extension to the castle, situating an alcazaba on the hill below the castle. After being remodelled several times, especially the remodelling undertaken after the victorious siege of the Catholic Monarchs which ended on August 19th, 1487, the Alcazaba of Malaga that we know today was built.

Nowadays, and the reason for the extension of the Alcazaba, both buildings are incorporated into one. If you decide to visit, coming from the city, you will find the ancient Roman theatre on the northern side, which has been preserved in perfect condition and, notably, you will see the northern wall of the Alcazaba and the main entry door.

If you decide to approach from the south, from the sea, you will be able to see the Castle and the Alcazaba of Malaga in perfect condition, together with the ascent of the La Coracha neighbourhood and part of the wall that joins them. At that time, the sea practically reached the foot of the wall and this extinct neighbourhood, which is now just a steep hill that provides access at the bottom of the wall.

Inside the Alcazaba of Malaga

If you decide to visit from within the Alcazaba of Malaga, you will find, among many other things: the Nasrid Palace; Torre del Cristo (Tower of Christ), which provides access to the inner courtyard; or the Puerta de la Bóveda Vaída (Gate of the Sail Vault), with an innovative architectural design for the period.

Fountain in the courtyard of the Alcazaba of Malaga
Fountain in the courtyard of the Alcazaba of Malaga

Once inside, the excellent guided tours will tell you the path you should follow, but we’ll tell you beforehand that you will be able to delve into an authentic wonder of internal corridors kept in perfect condition, cross courtyards of Nasrid fountains, or beautiful gardens full of colourful flowers, if you visit in spring or summer.

Views of the Alcazaba

From inside the Alcazaba, you can marvel at the best views of the city of Malaga, since it is situated on the foothills of Monte Gibralfaro, offering you unrivalled panoramic views.

Being situated on a hill, the views will be impressive, depending on where you are standing. If you access it from the northern side, it is a longer path to climb up, but you will cross the hill via a path that will offer you some incredible views of the northern part of the city, cathedral and part of the bay of Malaga, while walking among trees under the watchful eye of the Alcazaba.

You can also enjoy incredible views of the entire Alcazaba from the Roman theatre, especially at night, when it is lit up. Since it is in the heart of Malaga’s historic quarter, at the foot of the Alcazaba, you can enjoy these views from some of the bars and tapas restaurants in Malaga or take them in from some of the nearby bar terraces.

Views from the Alcazaba of Malaga
Views from the Alcazaba of Malaga

Tourist information: Prices, Opening times and How to get there

Below, we tell you all the tourist information you need to be able to visit the Alcazaba.

Prices to visit Alcazaba Malaga

The ticket includes the joint visit of the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Castle, and these are the updated prices for 2022:

  • Normal entry
    • Alcazaba: € 3.50
    • Alcazaba + Gibralfaro Castle: € 5.50
  • Reduced entry (students)
    • Alcazaba: € 1.50
    • Alcazaba + Gibralfaro Castle: € 2.50
  • Group entry (+10 people)
    • Alcazaba: € 2.50
    • Alcazaba + Gibralfaro Castle: € 4.00
  • School entry
    • Alcazaba: € 2.00
    • Alcazaba + Gibralfaro Castle: € 3.50

Prices to visit the Alcazaba (Malaga)

The Alcazaba is open every day except for January 1st and December 25th and the opening times will vary depending on whether you visit in winter or in summer.

  • Winter opening (November 1st until March 31st): 09.00h – 18.00h
  • Summer opening (April 1st until October 31st): 09.00h – 20.00h

You should know that you can only enter up to 30 minutes before closing time, which is when the last entry starts. In addition, the lift that takes you to the Nasrid Palace is not available on Mondays, so you would have to climb up on foot.

The duration of the visit to the Alcazaba is between two and four hours, depending on the pace you go at. If you do a joint visit with the castle, it may take up to five hours, but we guarantee it is one of the best things to do in Malaga.

Location and how to get to the Alcazaba (Malaga)

It is situated in Malaga’s historic quarter at calle Alcazabilla, 2, Malaga.

There are several options for reaching the Alcazaba, being situated in the heart of the city, it is easy to arrive by any mode of transport. If you want to arrive by bus, it will be easy to come from any part of the city centre, since it is the core of all the city and even the provincial routes.

The map below shows the different points from which you can access the Alcazaba and buy tickets.

Parking

Both for parking near to the Alcazaba and the Castle, there are several options, although it can be a little difficult given their proximity to the historic quarter. You can try to park in the surroundings of La Malagueta and the bull ring, but if you arrive on the hour, it will be difficult to park.

In any case, if you don’t have a vehicle to enjoy the Costa del Sol and the Alcazaba of Malaga, here at CarGest, we offer you a hire car service so you can park quickly in one of the underground car parks in the centre of Málaga and don’t waste time on your visit to the city.

If you prefer to leave your car on the outskirts of the city, you can do so in our covered parking at Malaga Airport, and from there take the C1 line right to the center of Malaga.

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