Castillo de Gibralfaro — Attraction in Málaga

December 2022: what an amazing place. We only spent about 90 minutes here, but worth every penny and it was only about 4 euros each. It would be fantastic here for a wedding, or even just a picnic. Stunning views right across Malaga.

The magnificent Castillo de Gibralfaro sits on a high hill overlooking Malaga city and port, and dates back to the 10th century. The image of Gibralfaro is well known: you can see it in both Malaga city and province's seal and flag.

The hill where the Gibralfaro is situated forms part of the Montes de Malaga mountain range, located to the east and north of Malaga city - this land is protected by the Montes' natural park status.

The castle was built in 929 AD by Abd-al-Rahman III, Caliph of Cordoba, on a former Phoenician enclosure and lighthouse, from which its name was derived - gebel-faro (Arabic and Greek, meaning rock of the lighthouse). Yusef 1, Sultan of Granada, enlarged it at the beginning of the 14th century, also adding the double wall down to the Alcazaba.

The castle is famous for its three-month siege by the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, which ended only when hunger forced the Malagueños to surrender. Afterwards Ferdinand occupied the site, while his queen took up residence in the town. Interesting historic fact: this was the first conflict in which gunpowder was used by both sides.

The most visible remains of this historic monument are the solid ramparts which rise majestically from dense woods of pine and eucalyptus; inside the fortress itself you will find some buildings and courtyards, reminiscent of those in the Alhambra. The ramparts have been well restored and you can walk all the way round them. At one point, you can get a good view down into the La Malagueta bullring - some visitors linger for a free view of the bullfight. These walls make a fun, interesting and scenic walk, and usually you will have it to yourself, as there aren't many...

Beautiful views but lost a star because of the disrespectful treatment from security gate personnel.

I am a student (in England) so I attempted to purchase the student rate ticket (€2 less). Security guard asked me if I have student ID and I explained that I’m not a Spanish resident but that I had pictures of my student ID and letters from uni. The guard responded to me in an aggressive, argumentative manner, saying that if I don’t have anything to prove my student status, they couldn’t let me buy that ticket. His demeanour towards me was as if I was a petty thief trying to pilfer €2 out of the establishment’s pocket. It was a prime example of someone bigger trying to assert their authority over a smaller individual.

When I showed my student status letter to the guard, he didn’t look at it and instead called over another lady and told me to show it to her (which made me think, why is he fussing over it if he’s not checking my student ID?).

This lady goes to the ticket machine and continues the transaction for the student rate. She didn’t even bat an eye at my phone screen and taps away on the ticketing screen. I said, “you haven’t even looked at my student ID”. She replied, “I’ve finished looking at it”. She did not read anything off my phone nor gesture to take my phone and read it.

I should note that I do speak Spanish as it is my degree. If you do happen to look like a “foreigner” in the south of Spain, you are going to be spoken to as if you lack some mental capability.

On another note, I recommend you hike up there in time for opening at 09.00 AM, to avoid the...

We were so lucky the day we visited — it happened to be a free entrance day for museums and attractions, so we saved €10 per person! 🎉

Surprisingly, it wasn’t crowded at all. The views from the lookout point and the castle are stunning — a full 360° view of Málaga that’s absolutely worth the effort. Inside the castle is beautiful and well preserved.

👉 A few tips if you’re going: The walk up is a good incline, about 10 minutes. Definitely skip high heels — I wore flat sandals and ended up taking them off to walk down!

Wheelchair users: the castle grounds themselves are accessible, but the hike up is not. If you need access, make sure to take a taxi or the hop-on hop-off bus straight to the entrance. The view is worth it!

If you don’t feel like climbing, the hop-on hop-off bus takes you to the top. You can also ride up and then walk down toward town for amazing views without paying entrance.

In summer, try to avoid the hottest days — even with mild weather we were glad it was overcast.

At the top, there are toilets and a small café.

Along the climb, you’ll find guys selling bottled water for €1.50 — handy if you forget yours.

A must-see if you’re in Málaga, whether for the history or just for those...