A true landmark of Malaga, the Alcazaba stands majestically on the city’s heights, bearing witness to themilitary ingenuity of Muslim Spain.
If you can’t remain indifferent in front of this 14,200 m² complex, you’ll undoubtedly get lost through its maze of elaborate doors, passageways and ramparts.
Fortunately, in this article we’ll take you on a tour of Malaga’s Alcazaba,
from its imposing fortifications to the elegant remains of its palaces.
And we’d like to take a look at some of its incredible architecture and historical details!
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We made our own choices, visited the area anonymously, and paid our bills in full.
Why visit the Alcazaba?
Is the Alcazaba worth it? Our opinion:
Yes, you can’t leave Málaga without visiting this must-see part of the city!
It’s one of the symbols of Andalusian heritage that must be visited to understand Malaga’s eventful history, marked by successive conquests.
In addition to its historical appeal, you’ll love strolling through its ramparts and lush vegetation, offering a true haven of peace in the heart of the city.
Why is the Alcazaba famous?
Malaga’s Alcazaba is famous for both its historical heritage and its architectural mix. Considered one of the best-defended fortresses in the world, Malaga’s Alcazaba bears witness to the architectural ingenuity of the Muslim era. Nicknamed the “miniature Alhambra”, it shares with its counterpart in Granada an imposing beauty characterized by a fusion of influences (Roman, Spanish, Moorish) and different eras. Last but not least, the site is known for its breathtaking views over the city of Malaga.
Our favorite moments
In this article, we reveal the secrets of the Alcazaba, but we can’t resist giving you our top 3 highlights of our visit:
- Get lost in the maze of courtyards and doorways, enjoying the abundant vegetation,
- Discover the remains of the Nasrid Palace, in particular the Patio of Orange Trees,
- Return in the evening to admire the splendour of the illuminated Alcazaba.
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Our favorites: neighborhoods and hotels
In the historical center
Hotel Palacio Solecio – see photos and availability
Near the sea, Playa de la Magualeta
Gran Hotel Miramar – see photos and availability
In the Soho district
Hotel Only You Malaga – view photos and availability
History in brief
Malaga’s Alcazaba has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis over the centuries, reflecting the region’s political and cultural changes.
– 600 BC: Phoenicians settle on the site
– 1st century: Romans build the Roman theater
– 755: First mentions of the Alcazaba as a fortress under Abd-al-Rahman I
– 8th century: Construction of a mosque within the enclosure
– 11th century: Construction of the palace and reinforcement of the fortifications by Badis, king of the Ziri taifa of Granada
– Around 1340: Construction of Gibralfaro Castle to protect the Alcazaba by Yusuf I
– 1487: Conquest by the Catholic Monarchs
– 18th century: Alcazaba becomes a marginal district of the city
– 20th century: Archaeological excavations reveal the organization of the internal military quarters and restoration work begins, led by Juan Temboury Álvarez and Fernando Guerrero-Strachan.
Note that some areas of the fortress are still closed to the public, as archaeological studies are still underway.
Access: Alcazaba, Malaga
Where is the Alcazaba?
- In Malaga city center
- Plaza de la Aduana
- Below Castillo de Gibralfaro
Here is a map to help you find your way:
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How to get there?
The easiest way is on foot! Malaga’s city center is easy to navigate, and the Alcazaba can be reached from the Plaza de la Aduana, just above the tourist information booth.
If you’re coming by public transport, the nearest bus routes stop at Paseo del Parque. From there, it’s a 12-minute walk. Although there is no metro station directly at the Alcazaba, La Malagueta station is about 15 minutes’ walk away.
If you come by car, please note that it will be impossible to drive through the entrance to the Alcazaba, as the street is pedestrianized.
Access by car from Malaga airport takes around 20 minutes.
Parking
There’s no on-site parking, but if you’re coming by car, you can leave your car at the public, fee-paying Alcazaba parking lot, a 12-minute walk away. A few places are also available along Paseo Don Juan Temboury, but space is scarce.
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- Visit the cathedral
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Best time to visit
The Alcazaba is one of Malaga’s most visited sites. We don’t recommend visiting it at weekends, when the city is at its busiest.
Indeed, the visit can lose all its charm when you have to wait to see a detail of the site, as shown in the photo below.
Visit during the week, and if possible as soon as it opens, to enjoy the peace and quiet and pleasant temperatures.
Nevertheless, coming at the end of the day is perhaps an opportunity to see a magnificent sunset over the whole city, especially as the site is open until late in the evening.
Length of visit and main difficulties
We recommend that you allow 1 hour for a tour of the site, and a little more if you want to stroll along the long covered walkway.
You’ll need good shoes to visit the site, as there’s a steep 10-minute climb to reach the most interesting area. Note also that there are steps up to the towers and uneven ground in places.
The site has an elevator to access the fortress from Calle Guillen Sotelo, but there are no facilities for PRM access.
If you’re visiting in summer, we also advise you to bring some sun protection, as the site has few shaded areas. Bottled water dispensers are also available.
Advice on how to visit
There is no set direction and unfortunately no map is provided at the entrance.
While we were carried away by the maze of squares and passageways that the site has to offer, we still advise you to use the audioguide to find your way around.
The itinerary takes you from the entrance fortifications (with the function of the various towers) to the lower enclosure, where the remains of the ancient palaces can be found, to the upper enclosure.
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Visiting with children
We didn’t find any routes suitable for children, but the youngest visitors should enjoy the maze of Alcazaba and its different panoramas.
Schedules and rates
The Alcazaba is open daily from 9am to 8pm.
Admission is €3.50.
A combined ticket with Gibralfaro Castle can be purchased for €5.50.
See the latest news on the official website here.
Please note that these are automatic ticket-taking machines, and payment is by credit card.
Guided tours
The tour is free, and if you don’t have a map, you can download the audioguide here.
However, we strongly advise you to book a guided tour.
As the site is complex, with several different zones, and the route of the audioguide is not exactly clear, we thought it would be a good idea to opt for a guided tour for history and heritage enthusiasts.
Find out more about guided tours on the official website here.
Catering
L’Alcazaba has a fast-food area with an à la carte menu of hot drinks, smoothies, waffles and snacks. All served on a pleasant terrace.
Look out for our article on the best restaurants in Malaga very soon.
Impressive defensive architecture
Before we reveal the secrets of the fortress, a quick vocabulary check is in order!
The term Alcazaba is derived from the Arabic al-qasbah (القصبة), meaning citadel. It’s a fortress inside a walled city, with all kinds of amenities for the soldiers defending it. Now get ready to imagine the lives of the soldiers who guarded it!
A complex medieval fortress
Before starting your visit, take time to admire the majestic Alcazaba structure from the Plaza de Aduana. We were amazed by the way the fortress blends harmoniously into the topography of the hill, without seeking symmetry or regularity.
If you take a closer look at the outer wall, you may be able to detect the different strata that tell the story of the site. The original rock, irregular masonry walls with stones of various sizes, adobe elements and, finally, layers of more modern masonry reveal the restoration efforts.
The whole is topped with crenellations that add character to this impressive building!
After this initial examination of the ramparts, take a look at the majestic silhouette of the Albarrane Tower standing outside the wall. This tower, jutting out from the wall, offers an unobstructed view of the dead zones, making surveillance of enemy movements more effective. Unique to this fortress, it is linked to the main wall by a parapet walk, acting as a veritable defensive spur.
We found it particularly graphic at sunset!
Did you know? It’s possible to walk around the Alcazaba from its walkway, without interruption! The ramparts, with their breathtaking views over the city, allow visitors to immerse themselves in the site’s military history. Along the wall, with its parapet, soldiers could defend the fortress by throwing arrows, stones or boiling water at enemies. As you walk along these paths, imagine the guards on duty, ever vigilant, ready to defend their fortress against assailants.
Note also that the walls feature loopholes (narrow windows that allowed arrows to be fired so that the archer was protected behind them).
Unique defensive innovations
Now enter the monument. The entrance fortifications provide access to the citadel. They were intended to make it difficult for enemy troops to get through to the upper part of the fortress, where the king lived. This is where most of the defensive elements were concentrated.
Have you noticed the winding path that this area of the site offers? It’s the chicane doors that give the impression of being out of control. Designed in a zigzag pattern, they open onto steeply curving corridors, allowing the enemy to be taken by surprise. In fact, the attackers had to change the position of their shields to protect themselves from attacks from the ramparts.
Among the many defensive features, you can see the various towers that keep watch! You’ll notice that they’re located close to each other, to allow troops to take refuge quickly in the event of an attack.
For our part, we’re particularly interested in the Porte des Colonnes , as it has an astonishing feature. It is made from materials taken from Malaga’s Roman theater. The entrance arch, with its pilasters surmounted by Corinthian capitals, bears witness to this. What a contrast to the Moorish brick horseshoe arches!
The governor of the citadel built his residence at the top of the gate in the early 18th century.
Once you’ve passed the Christ Gate and its coat of arms bearing the crest of King Philip IV, who stayed in the citadel, you’ll be in the lower enclosure of the Alcazaba. Here you’ll find several notable features, such as the Pozo Airón, a large 30-meter-deep well that supplied water to the fortress, or the Torre del Tiro, a massive earthen structure, as well as underground dungeons and silos, used to store grain during sieges.
Fascinating palatial architecture
Having admired the Alcazaba’s defensive structure, we now turn our attention to its domestic dimension.
The superposition of 3 architectural styles
You are now in the upper enclosure! The oldest part of the fortress, it was home to the sovereigns, the administrative center and the seat of government.
Here, you can take a look at the differences between the 3 palaces that have been superimposed over time. Nothing remains of the Palacio de Los Cuartos de Granada, the first palace built by Badis (11th century), but thePatio de la Mazmorra stands on the site it once occupied.
These terraced gardens at different levels around a silo were designed by architect Fernando Guerrero Strachan. It’s called Mazmorra (dungeon) because the silo was used as a prison in Christian times. We thought it was ingenious to turn this area, which had no archaeological information, into a garden.
Leaving the patio behind, climb a few steps to discover the Taifa Palace. This is the area with the greatest wealth of archaeological finds. In this area, we particularly liked the Pórtico de los Arcos Festoneadosa porch formed by three arches. Two of them are scalloped and rest on two columns, and if you look closely, you’ll see that one of them is original! Behind this porch is another characteristic feature of the palace: the triple horseshoe arch. Its purpose was to imitate Caliphate art, as the Taifa kings were trying to emulate the grandeur of the Cordovan Caliphate.
Finally, the last architectural “layer” of this upper enclosure is found in the Nasrid Palace. It should first be pointed out that this palace was rebuilt in the 20th century on the basis of the archaeological remains found, as the site had been completely damaged during the 19th century, when houses were built on the site.
Even rebuilt, it still holds its charm, and we felt it was a kind of miniature Alhambra, Granada’s must-see site.
Only the two patios with their azulejos (ceramic tiles) are original.
The legacy of Hispano-Moorish art
The mix of styles in the 2 palaces can also be seen in the decor! In the 11th-century Taïfa Palace, for example, you’ll notice the use of plaster and mortar. Indeed, the economic decline of the time led to the abandonment of noble materials. The backgrounds, on the other hand, are ultra-worked, with all kinds of arches (lobed, mixtilinear, broken, criss-crossed…). Take the time to look at all the details of this palace, they are very poetic! We also loved the panoramic view of Malaga from the Torre de Maldonado.
When you get to the Nasrid Palace, look up!
We particularly liked the variation of motifs on the base, sometimes geometric, sometimes plant-like (palm leaf, vine), sometimes epigraphic. Kufic script, with its angular shafts, and the looser nesji script are the most widely used types.
Finally, take the time to discover the Nasrid Palace’s exhibition of pottery from the Muslim era. It contains objects restored from remains found in the Alcazaba and other remains discovered during excavations in the city.
A haven of peace overlooking Malaga
As you stroll along, you’ll be amazed to discover that behind its sturdy walls, the Alcazaba reveals a veritable haven of peace, in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of Málaga.
A sensory stroll through the estate
While Malaga’s Alcazaba offers a unique architectural spectacle, we especially appreciated the various green spaces that invite you to take an extended stroll. Let yourself be carried away by the maze of walls, patios and secret nooks, and you’ll discover peaceful corners where abundant and varied vegetation creates a soothing atmosphere. Perhaps the enchantment comes from the spontaneous vegetation that creeps here and there into the interstices of the old walls, bringing the site back to life!
In addition to its harmony with nature, we were particularly taken by the Alcazaba’s commanding position. The panoramic views of the city and bay accentuate this feeling of serenity, giving the sensation of being on a balcony overlooking the vibrant city of Malaga.
The beauty of Andalucia’s gardens
However, if you’re drawn to nature, it’s worth noting that most of the gardens were not present when the fortress had military functions.
The first garden you’ll come across is the Hispano-Arabic Patio de Armas garden, which serves as the palace’s antechamber. Designed by architect Fernando Guerrero-Strachan Rosado, who drew his inspiration from 16th-century Malaga engravings, the square is characterized by the ornamental richness of simple materials such as stone and brick, arranged in a geometric pattern. Below, a central garden is adorned with rectangular plantings and small canals that carry water to a central fountain, surrounded by low hedges. The central fountain, dating from the 19th century, comes from the gardens of a former convent used by the French during the occupation of Malaga and adds another layer to this historical mille-feuille.
The second garden you’ll be strolling through is the Patio de los Surtidores, where the Taïfa Palace meets the Nasrid Palace. It takes its name from the water jets that were central to its layout, guiding water through pipes to surface canals to bring coolness. Water, a symbol of purity and power, plays a fundamental role in al-Andalus architecture, fulfilling practical, religious and aesthetic functions: it irrigates gardens, is essential for ritual ablutions, and distills a soothing murmur. It’s time to stop and contemplate this special art!
The last green spaces you’ll be able to explore are in the Nasrid Palace, where you’ll find two patios: the Courtyard of the Orange Trees and the Courtyard of the Myrthes.
These two open-air spaces perfectly illustrate the al-Andalucia style, skilfully combining plant elements, water and natural light to create a space for contemplation at the heart of the fortress. Before returning to the hustle and bustle of Málaga, take the time to enjoy a little peace and quiet in these enchanting surroundings.
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Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between an Alcazaba, an Alcazar and a Castillo?
An alcazaba is an urban fortress with interior buildings and amenities, an alcazar is a fortified palace used as an aristocratic residence, while a castle is a generally isolated defensive structure, located high up, with few interior amenities and primarily intended for territorial surveillance.
What happened to the Alcazaba after Moorish domination?
Originally erected as a defensive fortress in the 8th century under the Umayyad dynasty, the Alcazaba served to protect the city against internal threats from the Arab world. Over time, its role was transformed to cope with the advance of Christian forces during the Reconquista. After that, it continued to play a strategic role, particularly during resistance to Napoleonic troops in the early 19th century. With the decline of its military importance, the Alcazaba was abandoned, offering refuge to the city’s poorest inhabitants. This new district has added a unique human dimension to the history of this monument. No trace of it remains today, having been destroyed.
Is it possible to reach the Castillo de Gibralfaro from the Alcazaba?
In the past, Castillo de Gibralfaro could be reached via a safe path known as the coracha, a defensive wall added in the 14th century to ensure communication between the two sites. Today, unfortunately, the connection is no longer possible.
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