When I was presented the opportunity to move to Málaga and manage the Eat Sleep Cycle Málaga Hub, I of...
When I was presented the opportunity to move to Málaga and manage the Eat Sleep Cycle Málaga Hub, I of course snapped up the opportunity, but even then I could not have expected what I was about to experience over the following 18 months. Málaga has changed my life.
5 minutes from the city center and you are on the bustling Playa de la Malagueta which is full of interesting people enjoying the sun or sheltering from it under beautiful palm trees.
Walk or cycle in any direction and you can enjoy beaches for miles on end. Find a quiet cove for a bit of your time or a volleyball court for meeting the locals. If you love beaches you will love Málaga.
Málaga Airport sees international direct flights, not just from all over Europe, but also from Canada, the USA and beyond. But that’s not even the best part, once you land at Málaga Airport you can jump on a train or bus directly from the airport and be in the center of town in 20 minutes. It is one of the best international connections in the world.
My favourite dish in Málaga is an espeto de sardines (6 grilled sardines), a mixed salad and patatas frites (chips). This is best enjoyed with a local white wine and staring at the sea. All along the Málaga coast are inexpensive Chiringuitos with their own small grill giving off “to die for” food smells.
I always wondered what it was like for people that are actually born in a perfect place. Well Málaga has the answer because most Malagueños stay in Málaga for a reason. It has the beach, it has mountains, it is a great city with all the main shops. An international airport, a boat port, need I go on!
Málaga is the most mountainous province in all of Spain making it a perfect place to train on your bike. It’s hard to do a road ride above 100Km below 2,000 m of climbing if you go inland. In fact Málaga is perfect for a range of outdoor sports, you will find little need to be stuck in a gym.
Did I mention the climate? Málaga benefits from some of the best weather in all of Spain. Afternoons throughout winter are in the late teens with mainly sunny days (320 days per year in fact). Cloudy and rainy days are rare and this definitely helps people to stay in a good mood!
When I first arrived in Málaga it was a Sunday. Apart from major cities most places are really quiet on Sundays. Not Málaga! The terrazas were buzzing and people were out and about having a good time. I found the ambience immediately infectious and it got me in the right mood!
If you like dressing up Málaga is your place. Locals can be seen in their best on Friday night, Sunday afternoon or any other time during the week.
I don’t join in personally but love the way everyone makes an effort and gets out to be with their friends and family as much as they can, rather than sitting at home watching TV.
The locals are friendly from the outset and curious about you and your story. Andaluz people ae some of the most open and welcoming in all of Spain. Combine that with the typical laid back nature of a coastal town and you have a magical welcoming combination.
It seems like a constant calendar of festivals and celebrations in Málaga. The Semana Santa is one of the most famous in all of Spain and people come from all over to enjoy it. Even the Christmas lights are famous! There is so much going on in fact this may become one of your negatives not positives about the city. Just kidding, it´s great!
If there were a street to sum up Málaga it would be Calle Carretería. Bustling bars, multicultural restaurants (from Japanese ramen to cookies and malaguna traditional fried artichokes), motorbike, scooter shops and more.
It is one of the main entries into the city from the river and bike friendly.
It just so happens that the Eat Sleep Cycle Málaga Hub is situated number 100 on Calle Carretería!
The most famous bar in all of Málaga is El Pimpi. Partly because it is owned by Antonio Banderas and partly because it is the finest example of the atmosphere and cuisine that Málaga has to offer.
Even if you don’t like art, you’ve heard of Picasso, right?! Picasso was born in Málaga and his wish was for his artwork to be displayed at his birth place. How cool is that!
If you like to ski, hike, fish or snowboard, Málaga is less than two hours from the Sierra Nevada where you can access some of the best slopes in Europe. The Montes de Málaga are also a playground for mountain bikers, hikers & anyone who loves the great outdoors.
Málaga has some of the best sunsets I have ever seen
They are amazing on the beach and they are amazing on the bike. Once you have seen a few you will not want to experience a sunset anywhere else.
As well as being popular with the locals, Málaga is popular with expats so you are sure to find plenty of friends that speak your own language. Unlike Girona which is cycling focused, most expats live in Málaga for the weather and general lifestyle rather than for cycling. This makes the people you are likely to meet more diverse and more interesting!
If you start getting itchy feet in Málaga you are in a great place to explore the rest of Nalaucia. With Antequera, Ronda, Granada (the Alhambra) and more on your doorstep you can spend months and even years exploring new places and expanding your horizons.
If any new Mayor wants to learn best in class then they should visit Málaga. It´s true that there is always building work going on in Málaga and that is because the Mayor has been actively improving the city since he started in the year 2000. It’s unbelievable how much the city has improved over his reign and he keeps going!
Every night is a party night in Málaga. Because there is a healthy dose of beach tourism you can always cross people letting their hair down for a good night out. So it is always there if you want it!
Imagine that this is a cycling blog and we get to cycling at number 20! Cycling in Málaga is one of the best hidden secrets about the place. Granted Málaga is a city but in just 10 minutes you can be on the slope of a 20 Km climb (Puerto Leon) with the city lights flickering behind you. The gravel and mountain biking is superb too with routes often originating at the beach!
See you in Málaga soon!
