Málaga, Spain

Cold beach days on Spain’s Costa del Sol — May 2016.

Málaga, Spain – May 2016

I came into Málaga by train from Seville in May 2016, watching olive groves roll by under grey skies. I stayed in an Airbnb right next to the ocean. It rained most of the trip. Even so, the Costa del Sol was cold but beautiful — and just down the coast sits Marbella’s Golden Mile, the stretch that has long drawn aristocrats and Gulf royalty.

Coastal highway view past a metal guardrail to a rocky Mediterranean beach and cloudy mountains ahead.

Coastal road and mountains on the way.
Rows of olive trees on red earth under an overcast sky, photographed from a moving vehicle.

Olive groves along the road.

Cold beach days

Cold day on the beach, cold but beautiful — footprints on wet sand, a pebble stretch under heavy clouds, and a thatched beach bar looking out at the Mediterranean.

Beach in Málaga on the Costa del Sol — footprints across wide sand with a rocky breakwater under a clear sky.

Beach in Málaga on the Costa del Sol.
Pebble beach in Málaga on the Costa del Sol with palms, a yellow building, and a grey sea under heavy clouds.

Pebble beach in Málaga on the Costa del Sol.
Thatched beach bar in Málaga looking out past wooden high-top tables and stools to lounge chairs and the blue Mediterranean.

Beach bar looking out to the Mediterranean — cold, but beautiful.

Where I stayed

The Airbnb sat right next to the ocean. The balcony looked out toward the water, and someone left rolled towels, a little flower, a treat bag, and a handwritten “You WelCAM” note waiting in the room.

Stone balcony with patterned railing looking over a small parking lot, palm tree, and open water under a grey sky.

View from my room.
Rolled peach towel with a small flower corsage beside a patterned towel, peanut-brittle treat bag, and a handwritten “You WELCOM” note.

Welcome towels, a flower, a treat bag, and a “You WelCAM” note.

Food (I didn’t go hungry)

I didn’t go hungry on this trip — grilled whole fish, squid with vegetables, an English-style breakfast plate, omelet and toast, and a narrow tapas bar that looked like the right kind of place to dig in.

White oval plate of grilled whole fish with grill marks, steamed vegetables, boiled potatoes, and a lemon wedge.

Grilled whole fish with vegetables and lemon.
Grilled squid with green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and lemon, plus a small pickle plate and white wine glass.

Grilled squid with vegetables.
Full English-style breakfast plate with eggs, beans, hash brown, toast, sausage, tomato, and bacon on a dark wood table.

England-style food on the Costa del Sol.
Cheese omelet with two slices of toast and a small butter pack on a white plate atop a rustic wood table.

Omelet and toast.
Looking down a narrow Spanish tapas bar with a wooden counter, refrigerated display case, wagon-wheel lights, and staff in a teal shirt.

Looking down a narrow tapas bar.

Rainy walks & travel kit

It rained most of the trip, so there were wet-street walks under an umbrella — and a Travel Blue adapter ready for the next charge.

Rainy walk in Málaga — smiling under a plaid umbrella on a wet city street.

Rainy walk in Málaga.
My travel kit in Málaga — Travel Blue universal adapter with a Samsung charger and USB cable.

My travel kit in Málaga.

Next stop: Seville, Spai