Malaga's Best Chill Out Spots Part 3

The first part of this series looked at the best beach in Malaga as well as the fantastic square next to the Roman theatre in Malaga. The second part looked at the wonderful tree-lined Paseo del Parque avenue and the small park next to the Pompidiou Centre in Malaga. This third and final part will show you the relaxed fun and shopping parts of the marina, as well as a stunning botanical garden at the other side of the city.

Shopping, ships and silliness...

The marina walkway, called Paseo del Muelle Uno, was one of the most beautiful, local and relaxed parts in the whole of Malaga. Often these areas in tourist heavy, beach cities can be tacky and heavily overdone. There are normally expensive shops selling cheaply made tourist trinkets and I have never liked these places much. However, the tourist-heavy marina in Malaga is nothing like this at all. The people here seem like locals, the atmosphere is relaxed but buzzing with energy, and a lot of space has been left for people to relax and enjoy, instead of packing it with stuff to sell to people.

In this pedestrianised marina walkway, the tall palm trees also make their presence known, but in a less powerful way than in the Pa[seo del Parque](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/bars-in-the-sun-malaga-s-best-chill-out-spots-part-2-fk3i) I mentioned in the previous article (part 2). As you walk up the marina you can see the boats and yachts moored on the side, and the other side of the walkway holds fun and quirky shops, cafes and restaurants. Above the shops there are some crazy adventure activities, like a giant bouncy inflatable assault course.

I also loved the entertainment/food that is the small stalls on the right side of the walkway, next to the boats. There was a natural smoothie stall when I was there in March, and the owner was crunching and juicing his own sugar cane to replace manufactured sugar. The love and care that he was putting into every drink was so evident, it was fantastic to watch. There was absolutely an element of performance art in this kind of snack creation, and it went way beyond simply making people refreshing drinks!

Botanical Garden - La Conception

The botanical garden in in the northern part of the city, about a 15 minute bus ride or 10 minute drive from the marina and seafront area. Even though it's a bit further away, I think it's definitely worth visiting. Especially in the Summer, the South of Spain can be a dry and seemingly water-less area. The Botanical Garden is the perfect place to find some moisture, amazing colour and impressive plants. There are more than 2000 species of plants here, with some over 100 years old. I loved the little water features that are spread throughout the garden, as well as the not overly curated feel of the place, where plants grow above and into the path, creating a very organic and natural feeling garden.