Marialu's Experience in Malaga, Spain

What attracts you to living in Malaga? Would you recommend it? What’s it like?

I have lived in Malaga my whole life. The people are really friendly and always trying to help tourists because they practically live with them all year round anyway. The climate is really good. It’s always sunny, only rains a little bit in winter and there are rarely ever storms or snow. Sometimes in summer, there can be warm coastal winds which make it quite stuffy, but there are plenty of beach bars and other places you can go to enjoy the summer despite this. They are also renovating and decorating many areas of the city so the city gets more beautiful by the day.

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What’s the student lifestyle like in Madrid?

It is a city with a really good university and is popular among students coming from the Andalucian regions. Therefore, there are lots of students, especially in the Teatinos neighbourhood and at the weekend there is always a great atmosphere in the centre (especially on Calle Beatas).

Was it difficult for you to find accommodation? Do you have any advice?

There are lots of flats to rent for students in the Teatinos neighbourhood and near to the university campus but not so much in the centre of the city.

What’s the country’s food like? What are your favourite dishes?

B*tch plzz, Spain is famous (among other things) for its food. I encourage anyone to try as many Spanish dishes as they can. It's very varied and there’s a wide range of things on offer and is mainly based on a Mediterranean diet. Malaga is famous for its fried fish (you have to try “espetos”, which are sardine skewers) and lots of salads. Nearly all of our dishes come with vegetables, such as gazpacho (a type of cold soup), salmorejo (a tomato and bread soup), and ajoblanco (a cold almond and bread soup). We also eat a lot of meat, my favourite being Serrano ham (cured ham).

What places do you recommend visiting in Madrid?

All the central locations: Calle Larios (Larios Street), Plaza de la Merced (which transforms during the night-time with lots of different pubs), the Alcazaba, the Roman Theatre, the Picasso Museum, Muelle Uno or El Palmeral, the Botanical Garden of the Conception (this is a bit further out from the centre but there are buses you can take to get there and it is especially recommendable in spring – it also has free entry on Sundays and bank holidays).

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If you have some free time, I also recommend visiting the smaller towns surrounding Malaga, such as those on the coast (you can get to some of them via train), and also those in mountainous regions, like Mijas and Frigiliana. When it gets hot in the summer, I highly recommend going to the Nerja caves, they look like something in the Caribbean! If you have more money and you like animals, I recommend Selwo Marina, Selwo Aventura and the Crocodile Park.

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What about eating out in Malaga? What are your favourite places?

The areas in and around "Plaza de Uncibay" and Teatinos. There is also a market near to the "Plaza de la Merced" that wants to do something similar to the San Miguel Market in Madrid, but there is usually a lot less tapas on offer there.

What places do you recommend for nightlife in Malaga?

There are lots of nightclubs in the centre of the city, there are a few lesser-known ones too, but they are close to the Uncibay beach. In the summer, the Alamos area is really good, but you would have to get there by car because it is between Malaga and Torremolinos. Oh, and the Malaga festival in August is great too!

Do you have any advice for future students in Malaga?

Don't buy pens off people in the bus stop! They say that the money is going to charity but it's a scam... and then the pens don't even work either!

But seriously, Malaga is beautiful and very welcoming and has great little spots all over the city. Don't be scared to explore the city (except La Palmilla and the area next to the motorway because you can find some dodgy people around there).

Oh, and I'd also recommend getting a card so you can use the public bikes for your transport around the city. I think it costs about five euros for the year and is also linked with the EMT (the bus network).