Experiencing Málaga’s Natural Beauty

Whether this is your first time in Málaga or you’re a regular visitor, you can’t help but be impressed by this vibrant, constantly changing city. With over 2,800 years of history, this Spanish city has been drawing people to its sunny shores for nearly three millennia. Today Málaga is a top tourist destination famous for its beaches and nightlife – but there is so much more to discover. If you need proof, just ask the driver of any of the taxis from Málaga airport and they’ll be more than happy to tell you about their lesser-known side of their home town.

The Sights and Sounds of Nature

Málaga is renowned for its beaches, for its bars and clubs – but the city is also blessed with many fantastic parks and open areas where you can enjoy the wonders of nature, wander along quiet paths or just sit, admire the views, and "recharge your batteries".

This is a side of Málaga that many visitors don’t know about and it’s worthwhile finding out just a little bit more. One way is to draw on the knowledge of drivers of taxis from Málaga airport, who will gladly tell you about the city’s most beautiful spots and even show you them if they’re on the way to your hotel or rented villa.

To get you started, here are three examples of the many wonderful parks and nature reserves that are just waiting for you to visit and enjoy.

Desembocadura del Guadalhorce

If you’re an avid bird watcher or simply love walking through lush, green wetlands, then this park is for you. Desembocadura del Guadalhorce is, in fact, a series of man-made lakes that sits in the Guadalhorce estuary.

The lakes are the result of massive gravel and sand excavations used to feed the construction boom of the 1970’s. Due to the lay of the land and its proximity to the river, the deep excavation pits were soon filled with water and the surrounding countryside began to flourish and attract many different animals and birds. In fact, of the 350 bird species recorded in the province of Andalucia, more than 250 can be found here.

The lakes provide a unique mixture of river and sea water which attracts waterfowl and sea birds. The flora is also amazingly varied because of the changing salinity of the soil. This natural park has many well-marked paths perfect for a light hike.

Only one bus route, the EMT No. 10, services the park. However, if you’re making use of the taxis from Málaga airport, you’re likely to pass right through the park on your way into the city centre. Why not take a detour and make Desembocadura del Guadalhorce the first thing on your Málaga to-do list? Your taxi driver will be happy to accommodate a little sight-seeing. El Parque de Málaga

One of the things that Málaga has to offer the busy tourist are some really wonderful public parks spread throughout the city. Perhaps one of the best known is the Parque de Málaga that is right in the city centre between Paseo de las Curas and Paseo del Parque.

The park was originally built in 1904 to serve as a botanical garden open to the public. Today it is considered to be one of the most important gardens in Europe thanks to its amazing collection of trees and plants.

But El Parque de Málaga more than "just" a botanical garden. It’s also a place where tourists and locals alike can experience peace and tranquillity in the middle of a bustling metropolis. There are dozens of benches along all the pathways, two children’s play parks, and even a small, open-air theatre.

Málaga’s Port Area

For thousands of years Málaga has been a sea port and a fishing port. It was established by the Phoenicians around 1000 BC and was used by them, the Romans, and the Moors for the export of olive oil, grapes, wine, and other products. From around the year 1700, Málaga began to develop into a major manufacturing centre. Today the port mostly serves container ships, bulk cargoes, and tourist ships. There is also an area set aside for sailing, surfing and other sea sports.

Like many other sea ports, Málaga Port is also making the area more attractive to tourists. This is being achieved by the development of the city-port plan. This sees the city taking over part of the port to develop it as a major recreational area for the city and its visitors.

The first stage of this is the Muelle Uno (Quay One) shopping complex situated in the port. The complex, which opened in 2011, offers its visitors more than just an ordinary shopping mall experience. With restaurants, stores, bars, ice cream parlours, and a fantastic children’s playground, Muelle Uno has something to satisfy everyone.

The complex is just a five-minute walk from Málaga’s main shopping street, Calle Larios. The shops are open Monday – Saturday, and the restaurants and bars open every day of the week including Sunday.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for affordable taxis from Malaga airport, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.