Walking the Costa Del Sol
One of our favorite things to do while on vacation is walking which is how we started our first day at the coastal city of Malaga. With this trip in particular, we really got our steps in walking the Costa Del Sol. Before we started our long walk we needed energy to start the day and we wanted to try something local.
Churros and Chocolate to Start the Day
We opted for a little cafe across the street from our hotel. Churrería Amaro is a small local diner where they specialize in authentic Churros and Chocolate along with great foods and low prices. The server only spoke spanish, so my husband and daughter fumbled through their spanish vocabulary to read the menu and order. When we got our order I welcomed my two hot Churros served with warm chocolate for dipping. My husband and daughter, on the other hand, each enjoyed a sandwich with steaming hot coffee.
Costa Del Sol walk
After our delicous breakfast we only had to walk a block to get to the Costa Del Sol. The Costa Del Sol (meaning Sun Coast) is a long stretch of beach in southern Spain that runs along the Mediterranean Sea. We started our Costa Del Sol walk at the promanade in front of the Gran Miramar Hotel, on the east side of the city. City hotels and hill-top apartments were on one side of the tree lined promanade, while on the other side, sandy beaches and the endless blue Mediterranean Sea. Occasionally on the beach side, there were small beachside restaurants that were just beginning to open for the day. At other points there were lookout areas with benches and areas of grass.
As we continued forward, the city view gave way to more residential areas with small restaurants and outdoor dining areas on the promanade. At one point, we crossed a walking bridge and came upon a local farmers market. The market was bustling with tourists and locals looking for a good deals on fresh grown fruit and vegetables, homemade jewelry, and beachware.
We walked further on ahead and came to another residential area where local restaurants were grilling skewered fish at little boat grills on the beach. Most of the grilling was sardines, but we saw squid and other varieties, as well. We continued on until we ran out of sidewalk, just over two miles, and turned around and started our journey back.
Seafood Paella for lunch
It was lunchtime as we came back and the outdoor dining areas seemed to be quite busy. Rather quickly we realized we needed reservations. We presisted anyway, stopping at several restaurants before we were able to get a seat. Though service was slow, the three of us savored the freshly cooked from the grill Seafood Paella with mussels.
Our Return Costa Del Sol Walk
After our tasty lunch we were ready to head the rest of the way back. The day was much warmer than our first part of the walk, so our jackets quickly came off and we soaked up the sun. This time, on our walk, we got to see the Malaga city skyline with the cathedral and the surrounding historic buildings. Further in the distance, as the city backdrop, we could see the Montes de Málaga mountain range.
A short Afternoon Siesta
After a four and half hour walk, our feet were sore and we were tired. My daughter went to our suite to study for upcoming tests while my husband and I went to the pool. Although it was warm enough to wear bathing suits, the water was just too cold. Instead we took an afternoon siesta on the lounge chairs in the sun and sipped on cocktails for a couple hours.
Dinner in Old Town Malaga
After our relaxing afternoon we made our way to Old Town Malaga for our dinner reservations at El Refectorium Catedral. The El Refectorium Catedral came highly recommended by my husband’s colleague for it’s menu and cosmopolitan atmosphere. It is located next the Cathedral of Malaga in the historic district. We had made advanced phone reservations a couple weeks prior. They don’t offer online booking.
We arrived at the restaurant a little early, so we wandered around the cathedral taking pictures of the historic church and other buildings. The restaurant opened at 8:30pm and we were promptly seated. The staff spoke mostly spanish, so we had a hard time communicating with our server. Evently, they were able to take our order. After serving us our entrees we savored the Tenderloin and other dishes along with our wine and juice.
An end to our Day
When our delightful dinner concluded, we walked back to our hotel. The sun had set, so while we walked we came upon the colorfully lit up municipal buildings. It was truely an enchanting way to end our second day in Malaga.
Read about our first day in Malaga Arriving in Malaga Spain. Be sure to read more about my Malaga trip to be posted in the next few days.
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