Malaga or Seville: Which is Better to Visit in 2024?
The southern Spanish cities of Malaga and Seville are two of Spain’s most famous cities and they’re both extremely popular with tourists, national and international alike. If you only have limited time, which should you visit, Malaga or Seville?
In order to help you make this decision and plan your perfect vacation in Andalucía, in this article I’ll share my Andaucía experiences and expertise garnered over many trips around the region I’m lucky enough to call home.
✅ Both cities offer visitors fabulous tourist attractions, history, culture, gastronomy and nature. Both Malaga and Sevilla (the Spanish spelling of Seville) are a great starting point for a vacation in Andalucía.
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Malaga or Seville?
Let’s take a quick look at the highlights of both Malaga and Seville before diving into the details.
Highlights of Malaga
⭐️ Tourist Attractions – Visiting a city on the Mediterranean Sea, beaches, Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Castle
⭐️ History – Malaga’s name has remained more or less unchanged since the Phoenicians named it Malacca
⭐️ Culture – the birth place of Picasso. Many museums and art galleries to visit
⭐️ Gastronomy – 3 Michelin star restaurants and many other incredible dining options. Don’t miss eating espadín (sardines) on the beach
⭐️ Nature – Costa del Sol beaches, Parque Nacional Sierra de las Nieves and Parque Natural de las Sierras de Tejeda, Cordilleras Beaticas, Caminito del Rey, Torcal de Antequera
Highlights of Seville
⭐️ Tourist Attractions – Visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Royal Alcazar and the Seville Cathedral
⭐️ History – Originally Iberian, Seville was a capital of Roman Baetica, of the Vandal and Visigoth rules, of the Muslims and was finally taken by the Reyes Catolicos. Seville was the centre of exploration (and exploitation) of the Americas during the period of the Conquistadors.
⭐️ Culture – Many museums and art galleries to visit. Take in a flamenco show.
⭐️ Gastronomy – The “Serranito” is a typical Sevillano snack – pork loin topped with green pepper and tomato in a baguette. There are, of course, hundreds of excellent tapas restaurants and bars in Seville.
⭐️ Nature – Explore along the Guadalquivir River, enjoy the Parque Oromana, walk in the Sierra Morena, the Cerro de Hierro and along the Ruta Molino del Corcho.
Malaga or Seville: Transport
Both Malaga and Seville are well-served by public transportation.
✈️ Malaga and Seville have their own international airports so if you find cheap flights to either Malaga or Seville, that could be an easy decision made for you.
Seville airport – Aeropuerto de Sevilla (SVQ) is a small airport served by many airlines coming from around Europe. There is a bus between the airport and Seville.
Malaga airport – Aeropuerto de Malaga – Costa del Sol (AGP). This is a bigger airport than that of Seville and receives flights from around Europe, the USA and even the Middle East. There is a bus between the airport and Malaga.
🚂 Both Seville and Malaga have main train stations with direct AVE and Avant trains to other cities in Spain including Madrid, Córdoba, and more.
➡️ Check train tickets and timetables here
🚌 There are bus stations in both Malaga and Seville offering bus transport around the country and into Portugal.
➡️ Check bus tickets and timetables here
🚗 By road it’s only a 2.5 hr drive between the two cities so if you’re renting a car, it’s actually possible to see both in one trip. In fact, I have even created a couple of road trip ideas between Malaga and Seville.
➡️ Check rental car options here
🚉 Public Transportation in the City – both Malaga and Seville have good public transport systems including a small, reliable and cheap metro system in both cities. Both cities, however, are nicely compact and fairly easy to explore on foot.
Malaga or Sevilla: Climate
Málaga, the capital of Malaga Province and the Costa del Sol is a coastal city, while Seville (capital of Seville Province) sits inland. Note that the temperatures given below are in Celsius.
Malaga tends to be warm and sunny all year. While summer months see temperatures of 30℃ or more, winter can hit the low teen temperatures during the day. The annual average temperature is a delicious low to mid twenties. You’ll see people on the beach even in winter (although very few are in the water as it is cooooolllld).
Seville offers extremely hot summers, so hot in fact that the city all but shuts down for much of the day. Sevillanos take the siesta very seriously (take note if visiting in the summer). Summer temperatures can easily reach over 40℃. Winters, surprisingly, can be chilly, with temperatures dropping to as low as 5℃ at night but remaining generally pleasant for exploring during the day.
🧣 Both cities make excellent winter destinations thanks to their mild winter climate.
🔆 Both have their downsides as summer destinations: Malaga will be extremely crowded and Seville, thanks to the extreme heat, will be nigh on deserted!
🌷 🍂 Both are fabulous spring and autumn destinations.
Malaga or Seville – Activities and Attractions
Ok, we’ve talked about weather and getting around, let’s take a look at the cities themselves now. As I said above, both Malaga and Seville are beautiful cities with much to recommend them.
Malaga
Malaga is not only the capital of the Costa del Sol and an incredibly popular beach vacation destination for millions of people every year. It’s also an ancient and beautiful city with a surprising amount of culture and history to share with visitors.
The only downside to Malaga, in my opinion is that it’s nearly always crowded with visitors but then, they’re there because it’s truly an excellent destination!
The attractions of Malaga include:
📍 The Alcazaba – this is a fortified palace from the Muslim period. It is apparently one of the best preserved Alcazabas in Spain.
📍 Castillo de Gibralfaro – this Muslum castle sits atop a hill outside the Alcazaba and offers some incredible views over the city of Málaga.
📍 Roman Theatre – just in front of the Alcazaba is a surprisingly well-maintained Roman theatre.
📍 Malaga Cathedral – construction began in 1528 on this enormous Renaissance Cathedral located in the centre of Malaga. Don’t forget to book the tour of the cathedral roof, it’s a great way to see over the whole of the port city of Málaga.
📍Picasso Museum and other art galleries including the Pompidou Centre – don’t miss either.
📍Malaga City Museum – while this museum isn’t huge, it has some wonderful exhibits and offers great stories of the history of the city and region.
📍 Muelle Uno and the Alameda – both great places to stroll and enjoy an evening walk. Muelle Uno is the port area of Malaga and here you’ll find shops, restaurants and bars.
📍 Beaches – the most famous beach in Malaga city is Malagueta Beach.
📍Botanical Gardens and other lovely parks scattered throughout this surprisingly green city.
📍If you’re considering a December trip, know that the Malaga Christmas lights and markets are world famous (but the crowds coming to see them are intense).
➡️ Read more: 3 days in Malaga
Seville
Seville is the capital of the Province of Seville and the capital of the whole Andalusia region but it’s still delightfully small and easy to explore. Like Malaga, its history stretches back thousands of years and much of it is easy to see as you wander around the city. Seville is famously one of the most beautiful cities in Spain.
The Attractions of Seville include:
📍 Real Alcázar and gardens (the Royal Palace) – part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, this ancient Moorish castle is a must for everyone visiting Seville.
📍 Seville Cathedral – also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Seville, this cathedral is said to hold the remains of Columbus. People love to visit the cathedral roof and La Giralda, the bell tower, for views of the old city of Seville.
📍 Plaza de España – this stunning plaza will take everyone’s breath away as they marvel at the size, the decoration and the sound of flamenco echoing around the square.
➕ People often also try to figure out whether they should visit Valencia or Seville.
📍 Las Setas (Metropol Parasol) – this site is always a favourite with the kids visiting Seville as they can run and play here under the large wooden structure. Visit at night to climb to the top for views over the city and to see the structure lit up so beautifully. Don’t forget to stop off at the archaeological museum underneath to learn about the Roman history of the city
📍 Parque María Luisa – not only for the kids, strolling around this park (located between the Guadaquivir and the Plaza de España) is a delight for everyone
📍 Stately homes – places such as Casa de Pilatos and Palacio de las Dueñas will take your breath away as you explore the homes and gardens
📍 Strolling through the winding streets of the Jewish quarter and the old town of Seville
➡️ Read more: 1 day in Seville, 3 days in Seville, 5 days in Seville (+ 1 quirky day) and Seville with kids
🍾 Both cities have a thriving restaurant scene and nightlife. If you’re more into partying, Malaga is probably more for you and if you prefer your nightlife to involve sitting in bars and restaurants all night, Seville is more your scene.
Malaga or Seville: Day Trips
When anyone visits a city on vacation they often want to be able to take day trips and to see something of the surrounding area, culture and nature.
Both Seville and Malaga make excellent bases to see the surrounding area and honestly, because there’s only a short distance between the two cities, many of the day trip opportunities are similar from each of them. While Seville isn’t on the coast, it’s easy enough to take a day trip to visit some of the most beautiful beaches you can imagine from this Spanish city.
🚗 Although there is good public transportation in Spain in general, of course the best way to visit smaller towns or historical monuments outside of towns is to rent a car rather than to rely on trains and buses, which can be infrequent.
Day Trips from Seville
Don’t Miss in Seville Province
📍Alcalá de Guadaíra – a gorgeous small town just twenty minutes from Seville. Locals love to visit here to enjoy the enormous Parque Oromana and walk along the river between the ancient flour mills
📍 Carmona – considered to be one of the oldest settlements in Spain, this small town is a delight to explore. Don’t miss the Alcazar and the Puerta de Sevilla (pictured above). Be sure to enjoy lunch on the plaza here.
📍Osuna – a must for any Game of Thrones fan but also a delight to wander through the narrow streets of this small town.
📍 Walking in the Sierra Morena and the Cerro de Hierro – while much of the land around Seville is flat, up in the Sierra Morena and the Cerro de Hierro there are some hills to enjoy.
➡️ Read more: Day Trips from Seville
Don’t Miss in Huelva Province
📍 Beaches of Huelva along the Costa de la Luz – Huelva’s beaches are, in my opinion, some of the very best in Spain. They’re wild, largely empty of people and just gorgeous.
➡️ Read more: How to visit the beach from Seville
📍 Aracena – this small town hidden away in the Sierra de Aracena is home to one of Europe’s biggest caves, a gorgeous ruined castle and some excellent wild mushrooming opportunities.
📍 Huelva City – relatively unvisited, this city is home to some interesting museums including La Rabida and the three replica ships of Columbus’ first voyage across the Atlantic.
📍Parque Nacional de Doñana – a vast nature reserve and wetland
Don’t Miss in Cádiz Province
📍 Cádiz City – this beautiful old city is a delight to explore: check out the city beach, wander the sea front and head into the old town.
📍 Gibraltar – not strictly in Cádiz, of course, this oddity of a British outpost lies just at the edge of Spain. Worth visiting for its history as well as the incredible views from the top of the Rock of Gibraltar.
📍 Jerez de la Frontera – home of sherry and flamenco, this is an easy day trip from Seville or Malaga.
📍 Tarifa and a day trip to Tangier in Morocco – the windy beach city of Tarifa offers some of the best kite and wind surfing in Spain as well as being the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Take a quick trip to Morocco from here.
📍 Visit the Pueblos Blancos – the pueblos blancos of Cádiz, such as Arcos de la Frontera and Zahara de la Sierra, sit perched high up on peñas, glistening in the Andaluz sun.
📍 Beaches along the Costa de la Luz and Strait of Gibraltar – Cádiz, like Huelva, is home to some phenomenal beaches, all of which are easily visited from Malaga or Seville.
📍 Roman Ruins at Baelo Claudia – these beachside ruins will knock the socks off every visitor. Do not miss the chance to visit them and the nearby beach of Bolonia, home to an enormous and protected sand dune (pictured above).
Don’t Miss in Málaga Province
📍 Ronda – famous for the Tajo Gorge that splits the old city in two, Ronda is a gorgeous place to spend a day. Kids will love Ronda too.
📍 Antequera – one of my personal favourite places in all of Spain, this small town is home to three dolmens (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the Paraje Natural El Torcal de Antequera, a region of karst landscape that will absolutely blow the minds of anyone who takes the time to explore around here (above).
📍 Caminito del Rey – many people coming to Malaga decide to walk the Caminito del Rey. While I personally think there are more interesting (and cheaper) places to walk, it’s definitely a fun, beautiful and not very challenging walk. Kids from 8 can do it. I took mine when they were 8 and 10 and they judged it a 1/10 on our entirely made up scale of difficulty!
Don’t Miss in Córdoba Province
📍 Córdoba City – Córdoba, of course, is famously the home of the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Mezquita (pictured above) as well as numerous excellent museums and other sites.
📍 Zuheros – once votes Spain’s most beautiful village, Zuheros is undeniably gorgeous, with its castle atop a hill and small winding streets. It’s also a great spot for getting into the hills and hiking.
Day Trips from Malaga
Don’t Miss in Malaga Province
📍Pueblos Blancos – Malaga, like Cádiz is home to beautiful pueblos blancos such as Mijas Pueblo (pictured above) and Frigilana. These inland villages are beautiful to explore and are great excursions from Malaga.
📍 Costa del Sol beaches and gorgeous coastal towns – of course, the whole of Malaga’s coastline is just crying out to be visited, from Marbella and Estepona to Nerja, the beaches and towns are there for you.
📍 Caves at Nerja – one of the most impressive caves in all of Andalucía lies just outside the Malaga beach town of Nerja.
Don’t Miss in Granada Province
📍 Granada City – Granada, of course, is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Alhambra, the incredible medieval Muslim palace complex.
📍 Sierra Nevada – Europe’s most southern ski lodge makes for a beautiful visit summer or winter. I’ve been in summer and had a lovely time frolicking around in the mountains and I have a quick snow trip booked for early in the year.
➡️ Read more about the awesome day trip options from Malaga
Malaga or Seville: Where to Stay
Both of these major Spanish cities offer hotels, hostels and apartments at fairly reasonable prices. Neither stands out to me as being better than the other.
➡️ Check Malaga hotel and apartment options here
➡️ Check Seville hotel and apartment options here
⭐️ Don’t forget that of course everywhere is suitable for kids in Andalucía, including Malaga and Seville (I just haven’t written Malaga’s kid article yet).
So, Malaga or Seville, What’s it to be?
Both Seville and Malaga are excellent places to visit and at the end of the day, personal preferences have to come into play. I was actually surprised at how much I loved Málaga when we visited recently. I expected to find a popular destination overcrowded with tourists and while this did happen, I was overjoyed by the sheer amount of Spanish culture and history I could access there. The museums are wonderful and the city center is just gorgeous. Málaga is a great destination.
Seville, the largest city to my home town of Alcalá de Guadaíra, is also a perfect choice for many visitors to Spain. It offers visitors plenty of things to do in including a true insight into Spanish culture and history. I love living near Seville and think it’s a magnificent city to explore.
Which city do you prefer, Malaga or Seville?
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