We started the morning with music and set out to the airport for a new journey. This time we boarded a plane from Stuttgart Airport to fly to Spain. We reached the airport quickly. Our first stop was Malaga where we stayed for two days. Then we went to Cordoba and later to Seville. Our flight took three hours which was longer than I expected. After arriving in Malaga we took a bus to the city center in 15 minutes. We settled into the apartment where we would stay and rested. The next morning we went to the city center. The bus ticket cost 1.40 euros. We wanted to explore before it got too hot. There were peanut trees, flowers and parrots along the streets. Spain feels familiar and comfortable to us. Compared to Barcelona, Malaga is a calmer place.
We arrived at Plaza de la Constitución. A little further ahead we could see the cathedral. Málaga Cathedral is huge and very old. Construction began in 1528 and was not completed until 1782. That means it took a very long time to build. The entrance fee was 10 euros.
We did not go inside and instead walked toward the seaside. On the way there is the Pablo Picasso Museum. There was a long queue in front of it.
We passed palm and banana trees along the way. The harbor area is a little less photogenic but still pleasant to walk along the shore. The coastline here is very lively. There was a light breeze. In the city modern and old buildings stand side by side. The parks are like a tropical forest.
It is of course very enjoyable to walk around here. It does not matter whether the weather is hot or not. There are still many parrots. I had never seen parrots walking around like pigeons before. They always used to avoid us. We would hear their sounds and see them hopping in trees but if you came closer than 25 meters they would fly away. Here they walk on the ground like sparrows, eating and picking things up, making tapping sounds with their beaks. The scene is very pleasant.
Looking into the distance you can see that the area is filled with dense palm and banana trees. Banana trees are also considered palms. It feels like an artificial tropical forest. Among them there are trees that resemble ficus but I am not sure what they are. On our first visit we came here by chance in the late afternoon and were surprised by the dense vegetation. There are also plane trees here. Young plane trees are not very appealing to me because they have leaves for only six months of the year. Most trees in Europe keep their leaves for nine to eleven months. Mature plane trees are not bad though.
We finally reached the coast and the pier. There are large car ferries, small boats and yachts here. There are also shaded areas. Living here could be nice. If you wish you can buy a boat, but I do not like the necessity of having a crew on large yachts. On a small boat you can do everything yourself but on a large one you have to live with staff all the time which removes the sense of privacy.
There is a castle on the hill which we visited last time. The view was not bad but this time we did not go. From above you do not see an impressive historic cityscape like in Dubrovnik but rather plain buildings and a sea view. Ferry trips cost around 40 euros and I saw some for 32 euros. They use catamaran type boats which have two hulls so they sway less in waves. In Spain there are currently protests against mass tourism. Honestly it is unpleasant when large tourist groups fill every place and block cafes. Our style is calmer, trying to travel in harmony with the locals and respecting their culture.
While walking along the beach we saw cooling systems that spray fine mist in some places, which feels great in hot weather. Málaga’s famous lighthouse could also be seen from here. The beach was not crowded. The official sea temperature was listed as 25 degrees but it felt more like 22 to me. There were seashells on the sand which were fun to collect.
As we slowly approached the city center the number of people increased. We completed our tour in the first half of the day. In the late afternoon we decided to go out again and walk along the coast. We returned home and rested with the air conditioning on.
After a while I went out alone for a short evening walk. This time I went to a non-touristic beach used mostly by locals. It was calmer and more of a neighborhood spot. The sand was not bad but like the central beach there were also some rocky areas. The beach in Marbella was better but the water there was cold and had seaweed.
When I walked back to the center the temperature was 31 degrees. By late afternoon the crowds had grown. I walked again through streets I had seen before. Some streets are very narrow while others are lined with charming yellow-painted buildings. Since we were in the Andalusia region Spanish flags hung from balconies.
We entered quiet narrow streets where tourists were fewer. Yellow-painted houses and green shutters give a lovely atmosphere. We first saw shutters in Croatia and wondered what they were for. Then we went back toward the cathedral. The next day we took the train to Córdoba. The train from Málaga to Córdoba takes about an hour and the one-way ticket is around 15 euros. The trip from Córdoba to Seville takes 45 minutes to one hour and costs around 15 to 20 euros. It is not very cheap but reasonable for a short distance.
We wandered among antique shops, cafes and pizzerias. As we approached the touristic street the crowds increased. We saw sangria at one place. It is actually like mulled wine but served cold, with lots of fruit and ice. We reached the cathedral again from a different angle. In the evening light it looked much more beautiful. The advantage of visiting the same place several times is seeing it differently with light and shadow.
The air finally started to cool slightly so walking became more comfortable. As we passed by the city hall various food smells filled the air. There were parrots walking around freely and they were not shy at all. In the background the mountain scenery of Málaga could be seen.
So we ended our first day’s tour. The next day we continued our journey to Córdoba from here.