More From Málaga: Cathedrals, Boardwalks, & Beaches

Our tour of sunny Málaga continued with a stop at the city's grand cathedral. I would normally say that this cathedral looked much like any other cathedral you'd see around Europe, but for some reason, the nave and giant wooden doors of this Renaissance church really captured my interest. Upon walking into the vestibule, it looked as if the ceiling was glowing, sending radiant light peeking around the arches and marble columns. The altar was Gothic-inspired, as expected, but the outer portals of the sanctuary were filled with ornate relics and large works of art commanding the walls behind them. I've seen cathedrals of all shapes and sizes all over Europe, but I was quite smitten with the warm glow of Málaga's impressive sanctuary. Absolutely worth a stop…especially if it's a sunny day outside.

Our half-day tour officially stopped after our visit to the cathedral. The tour guide gave us directions on how to get back to the ship and sent us off to explore the rest of Málaga on our own. We all had two things on our minds…food and the beach! We somehow managed to find a great Belgian beer bar down a random alleyway (Hi Manuel!), so we stopped in for a beer (or 2) and a snack. Lucky for us, that alleyway ended up popping us out right by the water…and we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the boardwalk, eating ice cream, snapping silly photos, and sticking our feet in the Mediterranean Sea. I was totally FLOORED about all the palm trees along the waterway! If I could choose to be a tree, I'd be a palm tree. They're my most favorite beachside feature, and Málaga was full of them! After living in the land of castles, clouds, and forests for so long, it was so nice to be surrounded by so much sunshine and tropical vibes. The water at the beach was a bit too cold for any of us to swim in (it was November after all), so we settled for just dipping in our toes. As much as I enjoyed sight-seeing around Málaga, I could have planted myself in the sand all day and been just fine, too. One thing's for sure…our little taste of Andalusia totally left me reeling for more. Fingers crossed we get back to the beautiful Costa del Sol someday!

Málaga, Spain Adventures: Part 1

Day 7 of our Spanish cruise brought us back to Spain and to the beautiful Costa del Sol city of Málaga. Truth be told, we had no intention of staying in Málaga for the day. We were hoping to take a tour to Granada to visit the Alhambra…but somehow the Alhambra tour overbooked and we ended up having to tweak our plans a bit. Turns out, Màlaga was an absolute dream and we hardly missed our original plans! 

We started the day with a birds-eye of Málaga from the commanding Castilla de Gibralfaro (Gilbralfaro Castle). The sun was shining, skies were blue, and the air was incredibly warm for the first day of November! It was such a clear morning that we could see all the way to the Málaga mountains in the distance. After touring around the castle and marveling in its majestic vistas, we made our way down to the Plaza de la Merced, one of Málaga's most popular squares, to see Casa Natal where the famed artist Pablo Picasso was born. Aside from the plethora of history that resided in just that square, there were gobs of al fresco cafés, beautiful palm trees, and some of the most colorful Spanish architecture I'd ever laid eyes on. The quaint alleyways lining the plaza were almost too much cuteness to take! We strolled leisurely while our tour guide told stories of Picasso's early days and how Andalusia became such a thriving part of Spanish history and tourism. We were so thrilled to touring with such wonderful weather…I could have wandered for hours! Before our half-day tour ended, our guide led us by the Alcazaba fortress to the Málaga Cathedral. Photos coming soon! :)