Malaga's Best Chill Out Spots Part 2

The first part of these articles focused on the the beach in Malaga and my favourite square to have a coffee or a wine in the sun, looking out over the Roman theatre in Malaga. In this part I want to show you my favourite place to sit and watch the boats and cafe goers, as well as the best park to enjoy some greenery, trees and flowers! The third and final part will look at the marina in Malaga in more detail as well as another park I loved.

Paseo del Parque - Palm trees and sunshine

Leading onto the principal street in Malaga, the Paseo del Parque is a gorgeous tree-lined avenue, with artists, photography exhibit and street performers. It's right next to the monolithic cathedral and also very close to the Museo de Malaga. My home city of Caceres has a similar avenue (but much smaller) and for me, these palm trees, neatly lined up, provide the ideal casual strolling place. Much of this city is historical, beautiful and atmospheric, but the very best parts of the Andalusian cities, for me, are these beautiful passages under the trees.

Added to the beauty of the street, is the way that it separates the two parts of the city. To the right of the photo above you can find the historical centre, the Roman theatre and the Alcazaba, but to the left of the photo you will find the port, beach and marina. Malaga has a completely intuitive layout, and after just an hour or two here, you will naturally be able to find your way around (even though it's a pretty big city). So history, natural beauty, modern cuisine and a great beach all come together in a way that makes sense!

Benches next to colourful art...

Very close to the Paseo del parque mentioned above, the little park/play area next to the wildly colourful Pompidou Centre was another scenic highlight in this completely surprising city. This location is a combination of art gallery entrance, modern sculptural location and relaxed family environment. There are very few cities that have created public spaces as relaxed, sensible and beautiful as those in Malaga. In a lot of cities, amenities, shops and commercial opportunities are prioritised over design and aesthetics. In Malaga, it seems that they have found the ideal mix of these two important functions of a city.

Sitting on the benches in this little area, you can see the historical part of the city in the background, the marina with boats coming and going, as well as the walkway with shops and cafes that makes up the marina dockside. Although many people would not expect such a busy and tourist focussed city to be incredibly peaceful and beautiful that is exactly how I found it, and hope that it can stay like that for a long time.