Spain (Spring 2023) - Granada to Malaga

Now that we had luggage, we took a cab to the train station for about 8 or 9 Euros. Walking to the station would have been difficult with bigger luggage.

The streets are so narrow that you need to meet the driver at a square at the end of the alley because taxis can’t fit down the streets.

Cafe Granada

While we waited for the train, we walked up the street for some coffee here. Also got some toast with chorizo spread on top. There are snack bars in the train station as well but they are expectedly a bit more pricey in the station.

On the Train

Malaga

Malaga is a great town. This beach resort city has plenty of tourists enjoying the Costa Del Sol beaches and water but has great character. Also known for being Picasso’s birthplace, it is one of the oldest cities in Europe and at the same time kind of a party town.

This is definitely a tourist destination but plenty of locals are out and about every night at the bars and restaurants.

It’s probably not a bad place to use as a travel hub as well since there is an airport that can access pretty much all of Europe. The airport was one of the reasons I chose to come here as it made going to LIsbon very easy (and affordable).

The old town section reminds me a bit of Florence where everything is concentrated in a smaller walkable area vs some of the bigger cities.

*Lots of dining, drinking, and shopping options in the central old city area that is all pedestrian*

We walked to the rental from the train station which was not that bad even with luggage. It was not worth getting transport because a car can’t get close to the center of the old city because it is a pedestrian district.

*Typical side street in Malaga - a cab is useless here*

Since we were here a week in the middle leg of a month long journey, we found a rental unit with a washing machine to finally do some laundry. Like a lot of places here, it had a washer but no dryer. There was a lot of hanging laundry around the unit during our stay. I tried microwaving some socks to see if it would make the dry faster with not so great success.

The apartment we rented was pretty big and in a great location right in the middle of the old city down a narrow alley. The only complaint was that the wifi was not that reliable but everything else was great.

Meson Antonio

This was our first stop to get some nourishment. Meson Antonio was just a building away from where we were staying. A very popular place, we were able to get a seat since is was not a busy time at 4:30 PM. There were still plenty of locals finishing up their lunch there. Must be great to be Spanish - I think the workday must be 10-12 / lunch / 4-5.

The place is casual but nice (like cloth napkins nice). A lot of their seafood options fried though where I would have liked some non-fried options. I’d prefer my boquerones fresh in oil and vinegar rather than fried.

Walk to the Beach

It’s a short pleasant flat walk to the beach area from the center of town. You can either walk through a park or along the harbor front where there are bars and restaurants. At the end of the harbor walk is a mini-Pompidou art museum that sits under the colored glass cube.

The different beaches are also identified with their own sand sculpture looking sign. The closest beach to the city center is Malagueta.

El Gallo Rojo

We decided to have some refreshments once we got to the beach area. These streetside cafes would be a lot better if they didn’t allow parking in this area because the cars block the view of the beach and sea.

This was a nice little place to stop for drinks and they also had other snacks that you could order inside.

Taberna Del Pintxo

This place caters to tourists but I felt like having Barcelona style tapas that night. Like you find in Barcelona, it is self serve where you pick your tapas from the counters and the waiter at the end tallies up your bill based on the toothpicks or plates you have accumulated (like a sushi boat place). You order your drinks from a waiter.

Since it’s a touristy place, it’s not that cheap (for Spain anyway) but you get a bigger selection of tapas. This place is also pretty big so it makes it easier to find a seat without waiting.

Renard Cocktail Club

This was a fun little place with creative cocktails and a great atmosphere. The seating areas are small and separated so good for smaller parties. They have a few small bar areas in addition to the intimate table seating.

You get fancy drinks in fancy glasses here. This was a great place to end the night.

When I asked them why the fox theme everywhere, they said that when the owners purchased the bar, the taxidermy fox that is over the bar was left behind so they kind of just made it their mascot.