Alicante or Malaga: which is better for a Spanish city break?
Spain* has no shortage of historic and exciting cities to explore, but none are perhaps so overlooked by most visitors as Alicante and Malaga.
Holidaymakers tend to fly into these coastal hubs and immediately hotfoot it to nearby beaches rather than take time to get to know the cities themselves. But with plenty of flight options to both, a dedicated city break is a real option, as is tagging an extra night or two onto your beach break to squeeze a little more from your holiday.
Here, we look at what these two cultural and culinary heavyweights have to offer, from history to family-friendly activities, to help you decide which one you should visit first.
Getting there: find affordable city breaks to Alicante* and Malaga*, as well as holidays to the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol with TUI*.
History & culture
Alicante has been inhabited for more than 7,000 years, and each of the residents, be it Romans, Moors or Castilians, has made their mark on the city.
Wander the old town of 'El Barrio', or Santa Cruz to give it its proper name, and you'll come across brightly coloured streets and alleyways with plenty of churches and spots.
Up on the hill is the imposing Castillo de Santa Bárbara, where you'll get the best views out over the city.
While Alicante has history by the bucketload, Malaga* might just win out in this battle. The Andalucian city has more than 40 museums and galleries, ranging from big hitters such as the Pompidou and Picasso museums to the quirky, like the Automobile and Fashion Museum.
It also has the impressive Alcazaba Islamic palace and the Gibralfaro fortress that dominates the city's main hill. The area of Soho is also booming with arts and entertainment venues such as Antonio Banderas's Teatro de Soho.
Food & drink
Now this is quite the fight, as both cities make strong claims to being on the list of Spain's food capitals. Malaga is crammed full of bars, cafés and restaurants, particularly in the historic alleyways of the old part of town.
Try renowned El Pimpí, where the ensalada Malagueña with its juicy oranges and salt cod should be on your order. Mercado Central de Atarazanas is also a must for food lovers, it's where you can buy and sample local produce, such as cheese and the famous Malaga sweet wine and raisins.
In Alicante*, rice is somewhat of a religion, and here, the locally grown grains of bomba rice are made into an art form with nearly every restaurant offering their own take, from soupy versions to seafood-loaded plates.
The deep smoky base of most rices here is made using salmorreta, a blend of fried garlic, tomatoes and sweet spicy ñora peppers. Try the arroz a banda at Restaurante Dàrsena near the portside.
There's also the Mercat Central d'Alacant to stock up on plenty of culinary souvenirs. This might be a win for Alicante.
Access to the Costas
If you're using either of the cities as a jumping off point to head to the nearby sandy coastal resorts, then you're in luck, as connections are incredibly convenient and inexpensive.
Trains run from the centre of Malaga right along the stretch of the Costa del Sol* that includes the popular resorts of Torremolinos*, Benalmadena* and Fuengirola*, in under 40 minutes. Malaga also has its own beach, Malagueta, that's popular with locals.
Alicante is most known as the airport to fly into for Benidorm* (a pleasant 45-minute train journey) and the other resorts of the Costa Blanca*.
Alicante itself has the 900-metre-long sandy Postiguet Beach that's backed by a pretty promenade, perfect for evening strolls and stopping off for a vino or two. This one's a tie as both Costas are sun-drenched, sandy and easy to get to.
Family holidays
Kids won't be bored on a trip to Malaga, and as the city is mostly flat (the Gibralfaro aside, although children will love the views and stories of the fortress), it's easy to get around.
Take them to the Museo Interactivo de la Música where they can make as much noise on the musical instruments as they like; in fact, it's encouraged.
Also check out the city's soaring cathedral, where kids' audio guides will tell them the fun bits and give them stuff to look out for while parents can gen-up on the history.
Alicante is also family-friendly with plenty on offer to keep little ones entertained. Consider taking a boat trip along the coast or to the nearby island of Tabarca for a fun day out where you can spot marine life and more as you bob along on the beautiful briny Mediterranean Sea.
Or take the 30-minute journey to nearby Villajoyosa, where you can visit a real-life chocolate factory. Valor has been making chocolate since 1881 and is famous all over Spain.
You can book on tours and chocolate tastings that sound scrumdiddlyumptious. This could be another draw in the battle of the cities, although I'm not sure Malaga can compete with a chocolate factory!
Compare weather
Use the graphs below to compare the weather in both destinations. Find out more about the climate in Alicante and the climate in Malaga as well as conditions across the country in our complete guide to the climate in Spain.
Alicante vs Malaga
- Maximum daytime temperature
- Hours of sunshine
- Days with some rainfall
- Monthly rainfall
- Sea temperature
Maximum daytime temperature (°C)
Hours of sunshine per day
Days with some rainfall
Monthly rainfall (mm)
Sea temperature (°C)
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