11 surprising facts about Malaga

Updated April 2026

Malaga is over 2,700 years old, has been partially underwater, calls its residents anchovies, and once had its football stadium halted by a civil war. Its main street is one of the most expensive in Spain for commercial rents, its cathedral was built using stone from the same quarry for over 700 years, and its most iconic flower lasts precisely one night.

Most visitors come for the sunshine, the beaches and Picasso. What they don’t always realise is that Malaga has been quietly accumulating a remarkable back story. Here are eleven facts about the city that tend to surprise even people who think they know it well.

Surprising fact 1: Deep factory roots

Malaga’s roots go back to 700BC making it one of the oldest cities in the Western world. The Phoenicians, a sea-faring civilisation from the Middle East, discovered it and called their new home ‘Malaka’, It means ‘factory’ or ‘salt’, continued by later arrivals in Malaga. For example, the Romans – you can see their tuna fish sauce (garum) factories in the Roman theatre.

Malaga took factories to the next level in the 19^th  and 20^th centuries, when the city was one of the most industrialised in the country. Much of the activity took place on the western seafront, but you can see signs of it all over the city in the 15 industrial chimneys still standing today.

🧐 See for yourself

Check out the chimneys in Malaga when you get to the top of the Gibralfaro viewpoint. In the far west, you can see three on the western seafront, just below you is the one behind La Malagueta bullring and there are several in the old quarter.

Did you know about the walls?

As well as industrial traces, you can see signs of past civilisations in the walls about Malaga. For example, the Phoenician walls in the basement at the Picasso Museum and Malaga University Headquarters (on Paseo del Parque). Or the medieval walls on Calle Carretería – this walking tour includes them.

And if you want more Phoenicians, check out the Museum of Malaga. On the top floor, you’ll see a wonderful bronze mask excavated near Plaza de la Merced and belonging to a Greek warrior employed by the Phoenicians.

Surprising fact 2: Sea gains

Like many seaside ports, Malaga has gained a lot of land from the sea. You might be surprised to discover that the Paseo del Parque, Plaza de la Marina and a large chunk of the port area are relatively new additions to Malaga.

In Moorish times, the sea lapped at the foot of Atarazanas Market, once the city dockyards and now the main fresh food market. Next time you’re at the market, step outside the main arch and imagine looking out across the Mediterranean.

🧐 See for yourself

See this surprising fact about Malaga for yourself at the Municipal Museum (MuCAC, on Plaza de Torrijos). Feast your eyes on the engravings and models of Malaga when the Mediterranean was literally outside the Alcazaba walls.

Surprising fact 3:  Blowing hot or cold

Two types of wind blow in Malaga – the levante, the prevailing wind that comes from the east bringing humid breezes in the summer and whipping up the waves in the winter; and the poniente, known as terral in Malaga because it blews into the city via the inland valleys, baking hot in summer and chilly in winter. The terral always blows for an odd number of days and everyone crosses their fingers for none at all in the summer.

Read more about the weather in Malaga

🧐 See for yourself

Or enjoy this hot wind without the heat at the Terral Festival in June at the Cervantes Theatre. Named for the hot summer wind, the week-long festival offers concerts from international artists and showcases music from different parts of the world. Our what’s on in June post has more details.

Did you know?

The old quarter is rarely as hot as the rest of the city during an episode of the hot terral wind, because its narrow streets are designed to move cool air. The huge awnings on Calle Larios add to this manmade ‘fan’ – we think the old quarter is a great place to chill out in summer!

Surprising fact 4:  Being an anchovy

In some cities in Spain, locals are known by the name of an animal. People in Madrid are gatos, cats supposedly because they stay out at night. But Malagueños turn to the sea for their nickname.

If you’re born in the city, you’re a boquerón (anchovy) or boquerona if you’re female. And maybe surprisingly because anchovies are very humble fish, locals wear this badge with pride.

🧐 See for yourself

Unsurprisingly, anchovies are one of the local delicacies, crisply fried or pickled in vinegar, available at most bars and chiringuitos (beach bars) in the city. When you’re there, spot the locals – they eat their boquerones whole.

Did you know?

Boquerones are just one ingredient in Malaga’s star dish, pescaíto frito. These little fried fish include anchovies, whitebait, squid and cuttlefish, all finger-licking good.

Discover more surprising facts about Malaga cuisine

Surprising fact 5: 10-year wonder

Although Picasso was born in Malaga, he only lived in the city for a decade of his near century long life. Not long enough to paint very much, but plenty of time for the city to make the most of its most famous inhabitant.

Picasso would be proud of his museums in Malaga and probably approve of the links to his art in the Pompidou Centre, but what would he think of the souvenir Picasso aprons?

🧐 See for yourself

Some of Picasso’s earliest works are on display at the Picasso Museum and in the Casa Natal, where he was born on Plaza de la Merced.

Did you know?

Malaga celebrates Picasso every October with the octubre picassiano. The week-long event takes place around his birthday (25 October) and includes special exhibitions and conferences as well as a colourful display outside his birth place on Plaza de la Merced.

Surprising fact about Malaga 6: A stadium-stopping war

The first foundations for the original football stadium in Malaga were laid on 21st April 1936, but just over two months later, the Spanish Civil War broke out and Malaga football team and fans had to wait four years before work could be restarted.

The first game was played in 1941 against a Madrid team (Ferroviaria Madrid) with Malaga winning 6 nil. (Who knows if Malaga CF will repeat that prowess in the 2026-27 season when it’ll be meeting the giants of the Spanish Liga in the premier division.)

Read more about sporting activities in Malaga

🧐 See for yourself

You can look round the Rosaleda Stadium museum and grounds as part of a tour. Read our guide for more information.

Surprising fact 7: Eye-watering rents

When it was built in 1891, Calle Larios was considered the most elegant street in Spain and nearly 125 years later, it ranks among the most expensive for commercial rents in the country. Rates have become so high that many traditional shops have been forced to close or move to cheaper side streets and Calle Larios is now mostly home to international brands (and a lot of lingerie stores).

In early 2026, premises on Calle Larios cost between €250 and €300 per square metre to rent. Despite the expensive lets, just one store was vacant at the end of 2025.

Did you know?

As well as Malaga’s prime shopping street, Calle Larios also stages some of the city’s biggest events. During the Film Festival (March), the entire street has a red carpet (as in the above image); the carpet turns blue for Malaga Fashion Week (September); and at Christmas, the sound and light display is one of the best in Spain. 

Surprising fact 8: For one-night only

One of Malaga’s symbols is the biznaga, a delicate creation made from jazmine flowers attached to a dried wild thistle. Sold on summer evenings by biznagueros in traditional attire, this scented symbol rarely lasts into the next day but for a more permanent version you can buy biznagas in silver, ceramic and enamel in souvenir shops. The main prize at the Malaga Film Festival is the gold biznaga de oro.

🧐 See for yourself

When you visit Malaga in high summer (July and August) and buy a biznaga from one of the sellers on Calle Larios. Enjoy the scent on your evening out, take the bloom back to your accommodation (maybe keep it on the balcony – the fragrance is intense) and see what it looks like in the morning.

Surprising fact 9: New matches old (and exactly)

The roof on Malaga cathedral has undergone extensive restoration and parts of the stone balustrade repaired. Keen to replicate the original exactly, the restorers brought in stone from the village of Almayate, 30km east of Malaga whose quarry had provided all the stone in the cathedral since the foundations were laid in the year 700. The quarry was specially opened for the restoration work.

🧐 See for yourself

Look for the join on the south-facing roofline on your way to or from the Alcazaba – it’s only visible from street level on Calle Molina Lario. But you’ll have to look hard – we struggled even when we were on the Cathedral roof!

Surprising fact 10: Coffee like Malaga makes it

The Malagueños are big fans of coffee, but they’re also very picky about how they like it – half milk with half coffee, two-thirds coffee with one-third milk, splash of milk, splash of coffee… And all the different combinations have a name – read about Malaga coffee doses.

🧐 See for yourself

This custom of calling coffees a mitad or sombra seems to dying out in cafés in the old quarter. We see more and more signs advertising flat whites and lattes instead of their local name. In fact, we couldn’t find a single coffee shop near Calle Larios with a menu listing the traditional coffee names – mitad, sombra…

Prices seem to go up to match the international names too and we’ve seen a black coffee for €3.50 in the city centre. However, in local neighbourhoods coffee is still as Malaga makes and likes it. And still costs from €1.50!

Surprising fact 11: two patron saints

Most places have one patron saint – Barcelona’s is San Jordi and Madrid’s is San Isidro. But Malaga has two: San Ciriaco and Santa Paula.

Both were members of the Christian community in Malaga during the early years of the 4th century. The governors at the time tried in vain to get them to renounce their faith and worship pagan Roman gods, but despite extensive torture, both refused. They were stoned to death in 303 AD in the area known as Martiricos (martyrs) on the west side of the river.

They had to wait a bit before Malaga recognised them officially because it wasn’t until 1490 that the Catholic Kings declared them patron saints of the city. They form part of the city shield.

🧐 See for yourself

See the saints on the wall of the Iglesia de los Mártires, one of the loveliest churches in the old quarter.

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