Is it worth visiting Malaga and the Costa del Sol in winter?

Malaga has been becoming more popular with travelers and nomads in recent years – almost a little too popular, considering the sharp rise in accomodation prices. And the Costa del Sol has long been a mass tourism cliche, conjuring up visions of package holidays, high-rise hotels, hordes of lobster-red British pensioners. Well,, it’s certainly highly developed for mass tourism, which is not all bad in terms of daily living. It’s incredibly easy to get around, everything is well organized, and at least in the winter season, it’s possible to find reasonably priced accommodation. And this was the primary reason why I made my base in Torremolinos for a month – an affordable place from which I could explore Malaga, the coast, and Andalusia.

I stayed in Torremolinos from mid-November to mid-December 2023. I was able to find a studio apartment in the center of town for roughly $700 for the month by booking far in advance on Booking.com. It was surprisingly nice inside, but located in an aging condo building that looked a bit Soviet from outside. Realistically speaking, I wouldn’t expect to find a decent apartment now for less than $900 on Airbnb anywhere along the Costa del Sol, even in the off-season – but you might get lucky and if you are not dependent on public transit, you might find something on the outskirts for a better price. If you want to stay in Malaga proper, it will be more expensive. Book well in advance to find the best deals.

Torremolinos has a bit of that “faded resort town” vibe, but it comes alive at night. It’s known as being very LGBT-friendly, but you will also see families, retirees, and a pretty diverse mix of tourists and locals. Nightlife isn’t my thing, but I chose Torremolinos because it is a very central location for visiting both Malaga and the western part of the coast. The town is quite walkable, with numerous supermarkets and a pedestrianized zone full of restaurants and touristy shops. 

The best thing about staying in Torremolinos for me was the cat colony along the waterfront! The cats appeared to be well cared for by local volunteers. Walking the coastal path from Torremolinos to Benalmadena, you are bound to meet at least a dozen kitties.

Things to do in Malaga and the Costa del Sol during the off season

As it was not exactly beach weather that time of year, I looked for other things to do. In Malaga, there are a number of interesting museums to choose from including branches of the Centre Pompidou and the Russian State Museum(!), the Picasso Museum as well as his birth home, the Museo Carmen Thyssen, among others. The bustling port area is worth a look, and of course the lively old town which was gorgeously decorated for Christmas. The Roman theater and Alcazaba (fort complex on a hill) are also must-sees.  The beaches in Malaga city are not particularly attractive, but you can take the Cercanias (commuter train) down the coast to the west if you are staying in the center. Nerja, about an hour to the east of Malaga, is said to be the most beautiful beach in the area, and there is regular ALSA bus service, although I never made it there on this trip. 

There were two side trips I had planned, and both of them were the absolute highlights of my stay. The first was an overnight trip to Granada. I arrived midday and spent one afternoon and evening visiting the city center and El Albaicin, the Arab quarter. The next morning I arrived at the Alhambra at opening time and spent most of the day exploring the complex before I had to get back to the bus station. In retrospect, Granada really deserved more time, as I barely scratched the surface – but I know I will come back to Andalusia, maybe next year.

The second side trip was a day tour by bus to the British enclave of Gibraltar. These tours are very popular with expats living on the Costa del Sol. They pick you up early in the morning from a fixed location in town, drop you off in the center of Gibraltar after going through passport control, and take you back in the afternoon. 

Gibraltar is a tiny, cramped town overshadowed by the behemoth Rock of Gibraltar. It can be seen in one day and really is an ideal daytrip from anywhere along the coast. The Rock has a little bit of everything: World War II tunnels, hiking trails, a Moorish castle, a cable car, a suspension bridge, the mystical St. Michael’s Cave, spectacular views to the coast of Morocco, and most importantly – monkeys! Europe’s only wild monkeys live on the Rock. They make fantastic photo ops, but do watch your belongings as they can be quite aggressive.

These are just a couple of the myriad possibilities for trips you can take from the Costa del Sol. There are also a number of parks and attractions in and around Benalmadena, such as the Castillo de Colomares – not an actual castle but a monument to Christopher Columbus, and the Puerto Marina, which apparently has won the”Best Marina In The World” award several times. I am hardly an expert on such things, but it’s definitely an attractive place with interesting architecture.

The Cercanias train extends further west to Fuengirola, which has a cute old town, Bioparc zoo, and a curious number of Scandinavian shops.

The region has excellent connections in terms of buses and trains, which make it incredibly easy to get by without a car, unless you want to explore some of the more off-the-beaten path villages. 

What are the pros of staying in Malaga/Costa del Sol?

The main benefits of staying in this area for me were convenience and the access to such a huge variety of activities. While it’s not the cheapest place for nomading, I would consider it great value for money when considering the reasonable prices for food and transport. There is plenty to do for free or at low cost – hiking, beach walks, etc. Many museums have free visiting hours on Sunday. The weather in November/December was really pleasant, around 18-20 degrees Celsius most of the time, with only a few gray and rainy days.

What are the cons of staying in Malaga/Costa del Sol?

The cons: I personally would never consider coming here between the months of June through September, because of the intense heat and sun, not to mention the hordes of tourists. The high level of commercialized tourist-oriented development along the coast may be a turnoff for some. If you are looking for authentic Spanish charm, there are still pockets of it, but you will have to make some detours to find it. I would highly recommend combining your time here with some excursions into the further inland Andalusian cities like Granada, Cordoba, Seville, etc (of course, you could also stay there instead and skip the coast entirely, depending on your tastes and budget!).

Malaga is nice for its size, but it’s not my favorite city in Spain. It didn’t blow me away like Valencia and Madrid in terms of architecture, and it’s surrounded by a lot of brown landscape, which I don’t love. Admittedly, this is very subjective. Fans of smaller cities may be quite happy here. 

Most stores, including large supermarkets, close on Sunday (save for a few small convenience shops like Carrefour Express). Also be mindful of siesta hours – many shops will close during the afternoon. This is common throughout most of Spain, of course, and not specific to Malaga.