10 awesome things to do

in Malaga for free!

Why spend a lot of money on things to do in Malaga when you can enjoy so many activities that are totally free!

We give you here a bunch of them: Parks, museums, cultural activities, dancing classes, walks.

So enjoy all these awesome activities and have fun in Malaga for free! 😊

Dove Park is definitely one of the best things to do in Malaga if you are with kids or you are into relaxed walks in nice parks. The park has a surface of 200.000 m² and is located in Benalmadena.

It is opened every day of the week. There are two playgrounds for kids. There is a beautiful lake with swans. You will also see white rabbits, but don’t run behind them, Alice! 😜

You will also see ducks, roosters, chickens, goats, and many other animals. This makes it definitely a very fun activity for kids. There is also a cactus garden and a wide range of plant varieties. This makes it one of the best things to do in Malaga if you are a nature lover.

There are also restaurants and cafés inside the park. The prices are very affordable. A snack or a breakfast with a coffee, an orange juice and a little sandwich is only 3€!

It is a very nice spot for a family activity or to have a romantic picnic and stroll around. And the best part of all this is that the entry is totally free! This makes it one of the best free activities for families, group of friends, and couples who visit Malaga.

Opening hours:

Summer: 9 am - 10 pm

Winter: 9 am - 11 pm

Address:

Federico García Lorca Avenue, Benalmadena

Map

This is THE thing to do for contemporary art lovers. You will discover there, pictures, paintings, sculptures, videos, all from the 20^th and 21^st centuries. It is a free activity that you can enjoy any day of the week from Tuesday to Sunday. There are always new works exhibited.

Opening hours:

Summer (from June 20 to September 7): 10 am - 2 pm and 5 am - 9 pm

Winter: 10 am - 8 pm

Address:

Calle Alemania, S/N, 29001 Málaga

Map

Always wanted to learn a few steps of salsa or bachata but never had the opportunity? Chiquita Cruz is here for you! This is one of the best things to do in Malaga if you like Latin dances or if you just want to have fun. In this Cuban bar, you’ll get there free classes of salsa and bachata. You just pay for your drinks. The atmosphere is really fun and the staff is nice and friendly.

During the night every now and then, one of the dance professors teaches you a new choreography. Of course, if you are already a good dancer this is also the place to be in the city centre if you want to shine dancing salsa.

There are different levels of dancers but they all have one common goal: having a good time. This is one of the best things to do in Malaga if you want to have a night of fun and meet new people. You can enjoy this free activity every day of the week.

Opening hours:

From 7 pm to 2 am during the week

From 7 pm to 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays

Address:

Plaza de las flores, 7, 29005 Málaga

Map

This is another free activity for art lovers. Malaga has an impressive number of artists exhibiting their work in the little streets of Soho district. Why don’t you spend an afternoon strolling around this area?

You will discover hidden and not so hidden works of art. Many international artists like D*Face, Obey, or Pejac touched this dynamic district with their art.

If you are into Street art or just curious this is a fun thing to do in Malaga for free.

The SOHO is a triangle shaped district between the main avenue, the port, and the river.

It is one of the biggest provincial museums in Andalusia and Spain. The museum has more than 15.000 archaeological treasures. Among them, you’ll discover the famous soldier’s tomb. It also has a wide collection of 2.000 artworks from the 15^th century to contemporary art.

It is called the “Museo de la Aduana” or “Customs Museum” because it is the place where the travellers coming from the port were attended.

It is one of the free activities you need to do if you like museums and art. In fact, the museum is free every opening day for European residents. For other nationalities, the price is very reasonable as it is 1,50€.

Opening hours:

From Tuesday to Saturday: 9 am to 8 pm

Sunday: 9 am to 3 pm

Address:

Plaza de la Aduana, 29015 Málaga

Map

If you don’t want to spend money on expensive restaurants, here is the plan. You buy local products in one of the amazing typical markets in Malaga (like Atarazanas Market): figs, almonds, olives, Manchego cheese, and raisins. And, you visit the “Parque del Oeste” (West Park).

It is a smaller version of the “Parque de la Paloma”, as it has a surface area of 74.000 m². It doesn’t have many animals but it is closer to Malaga City Centre. It is a very nice thing to do if you have kids and want to enjoy a sunny day on the lawn. It is also a nice activity if you want to spend a pleasant afternoon around a picnic with your lover or your group of friends.

The entry is free and it is opened every day of the week. One of the activities you need to try in Malaga to be like a local is the “siesta” or nap. It is the “national sport” here. 😜 And what’s better than a nap on a sunny afternoon after a good lunch with the sound of the birds? Fantastic!

Opening hours:

7.45 am to 10 pm

Address:

Calle Realenga de San Luis, 11, 29004 Málaga

Map

Now that you’ve had an amazing lunch and a delicious siesta, why don’t you practice a real sport for free? In Malaga close to the beach you can easily find spots with machines to practice a sport without paying a cent. Isn’t it more pleasant to practice outside with a view of the sea than in a gym?

One of these sites is in the “Parque Calistenia”.

At any time of the day and any day of the week, you can go there to practice a sport for free. Isn’t that an awesome thing to do? With that, you can allow yourself to have delicious ice cream! 😊

Address:

Avenida Del Pintor Joaquín Sorolla, 29017 Málaga

Map

Not ready to practice sport yet? Maybe a nice walk can be a better option to digest your lunch before a more vigorous physical activity. The Conception Botanical Garden is a great thing to do in Malaga on a Sunday afternoon.

This fabulous park has more than a hundred years of history. In the very beginning it was just a little farm. Now, it has more than 50.000 plants with 2.000 different species: palm trees, bamboos, cacti, aquatic plants, and a historical garden.

Entry normally costs 5,20€. What many people don’t know is that the garden is free on Sundays (the whole day in winter and starting from 4.30 pm in summer).

This is another amazing free activity for a couple (super romantic walks) or with kids.

Opening hours:

Summer (1/04 to 30/09): 9.30 am - 7.30 pm

Winter (1/10 to 1/04): 9.30 am - 4.30 pm

Address:

Camino del Jardín Botánico, nº 3 - 29014 Málaga

Map

Even if you are not into religions, this can be an interesting thing to do if you are into architecture and art. In almost every street in Malaga, you will find a church, a basilica, or a chapel.

Some have always been churches. Others were mosques before being converted into churches. What is sure is that every one of them has a story to tell. Here are a few spots that you can visit in the city centre of Malaga:

• Santos Mártires Church, map
• Santiago Church, map
• Victoria Basílica, map
• Sagrado Corazon Church, map
• Santo Cristo de la Salud Church. map

If you like architecture, this is a must-do activity in Malaga. Strachan is an architect from Malaga who studied in Madrid. He has worked on more than 62 buildings.

We have selected for you the 5 most impressive buildings to see in Malaga (designed by Strachan):

• The Malaga City Hall, (“Ayuntamiento de Malaga”) in the Central Avenue called “Alameda principal”
• The Sacred Heart Church (“Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón”) in San Ignacio de Loyola square
• The Miramar building that is now a 5 stars hotel in the Paseo de Reding street, 22
• The Félix Sáenz’ houses (“Casas de Félix Sáenz) in the Paseo de Reding street, 37-39 and 41-43
• The Onieva Villa (“Villa Onieva”) in Pintor Joaquín Sorolla Avenue, 6. It can be seen while walking along the beach

Last but not least, if you are into cultural activities, many museums are free on certain days of the week. Check our post: Free cultural activities in Malaga.

We hope you will enjoy these things to do in Malaga for free. And don’t hesitate to tell us about your favourite activities.

With all the money you’ve saved with these free activities, now you can reward yourself with a cultural immersion with a local. You’ll get more info about amazing free activities.

But you will also get good tips about the best restaurants in Malaga, and great places to visit. Apart from discovering the Malaga and Andalusian culture, you’ll also get great practical info that only locals know.

This way, you live Malaga like a local and make the most of your stay! 😊

Mona for Cooltoural