A stroll through lovely Malaga

Our one and only port stop on the Oasis cruise was in the Southern Spanish town of Malaga.  This was our second time in Malaga, and we find it to be an absolutely delightful little city and a super easy cruise stop.

RCI runs a shuttle bus from the pier into town.  Prices have come down since we were last there, and I believe it was selling for €5 roundtrip to those who are interested.  On a particularly hot day this might be nice, or if you struggle to walk, but for us, the 10 minute walk into town is a pleasant stroll and we see no need to pay to miss out on it.

Heading off the ship, just a few minutes walk away you encounter the city's beach. See how close the ship is to the edge of the beach?  We are standing on the beach in the photo and that huge "building" behind us is the ship!

 The sand is a bit rocky here, but there is plenty of space to set out a towel or swim, and lots of shaded areas and loungers to rent if you want one.  If you were looking for an easy beach day in a port, it would be hard to beat this one that can be reached in only 5 minutes on foot.

Past the beach, you walk down the smaller pier, where sail boats and yachts dock.  This is built up into a shopping area with many upscale shops and eateries.  Expect to pay at least double (and often far more) for a drink or snack here over the costs in town.  We stroll right on past everything and on into town ourselves (well, we often stop at the free public restrooms about halfway down).

Once past the pier, cross the street and you will find yourself in the lovely park.  This park goes on for quite a way in either direction, has tons of shade, lots of nice benches to sit on, beautiful flowers and is a wonderful place to just relax and people watch.  I seriously enjoy just sitting here and taking it all in when in Malaga.

Across the park, you can enter right into the heart of old town.  We like to cross over by the old cityhall and then work our way in past little shops, the remains of the old Roman amphitheater and cafes towards the cathedral:

2 cafe con leches, 2 colas and a big plate of churros for under 10 euro!  Right in the heart of the city.  You can't beat the prices.

I love this old cinema building!

The cathedral itself is pretty without being too much--it is certainly a small one by European standards.  What I really love are the gardens and trees that surround it, which give it a really nice and inviting feel.

All in all, Malaga is an extremely charming, very clean, reasonably priced town which can easily be explored on foot.  You really can't get much better than that for a short cruise port stop, or a longer land visit.  I hope I have the chance for another visit there soon.

--Hadley