Málaga guides
Málaga city beaches: a guide to choosing yours
Málaga is one of the few big cities where you can walk out of a museum and be on the sand within a quarter of an hour. Here's which beaches there are, how to reach them from the centre on foot or by bus, what facilities they have and which suit families best.
Málaga's beaches at a glance
According to the city council, Málaga has 15 beaches along 13.5 km of coast. The ones most useful to visitors sit either side of the port: to the east, La Malagueta, La Caleta, Baños del Carmen, Pedregalejo, El Palo and El Dedo; to the west, San Andrés and La Misericordia.
All the beaches in this guide are medium-grain sand, and the council describes the water as gentle. Almost all have a seafront promenade, showers, toilets, sunbed and parasol hire, and beach bars or restaurants.
- 15beaches within the city limits
- 13.5 kmof beaches in the city
- 7with a Blue Flag in 2026
Walking times in this guide are approximate: a straight line between two points, adjusted for the street layout.
La Malagueta: the city-centre beach
This is the urban beach closest to the Old Town: about 1,200 m long and 45 m wide, with a promenade and a Blue Flag. Along the seafront you'll find restaurants and options for water sports and other activities.
You can walk there from our apartments: about 15 minutes from Victoria Duplex, 18 from Museums Loft, 19 from Torre San Juan and about 25 from Trinidad or Cuarteles (approx.). If you're carrying a parasol, a cool box and children, the bus also drops you nearby (see below).
Heading east: La Caleta, Baños del Carmen, Pedregalejo and El Palo
La Caleta begins where La Malagueta ends: 1,000 m of beach in the neighbourhood of the same name, where wealthy families built their villas in the late 19th century. It's about a 12-minute stroll (approx.) from La Malagueta.
Baños del Carmen is a short 550 m stretch beside the bathing resort that opened in 1918. The council calls it a symbol for local people, thanks to its history and its views across the bay, and a restoration plan is under way.
Pedregalejo is one of the city's oldest fishing quarters. Its promenade, the oldest in Málaga, is known for its fish and seafood restaurants, and the beach has been rebuilt with breakwaters. Carry on east and you reach El Palo, where fishing boats still sit on the sand, and El Dedo, which the council describes as a family beach.
A beach day to the east, by bus
Catch the bus in the centre
EMT lines 3, 11 and 34 stop on the Alameda Principal and the Paseo del Parque (stops ‘Parque - Pl. Marina’ and ‘Parque - Ayuntamiento’).
If you're staying at Cuarteles, the 3 towards El Palo stops a few steps away, at ‘Av. Aurora - Correos’.
Get off at your beach
‘Paseo de Sancha - La Caleta’ for La Caleta; ‘Bolivia - Baños del Carmen’ for Baños del Carmen; the stops on Avenida Juan Sebastián Elcano for Pedregalejo.
Carry on to El Palo
The 3 and 11 continue to El Palo; the 34 turns inland after Pedregalejo.
Lunch by the sea, then head back
Pedregalejo's promenade is the classic place for a fish lunch. To get back, take the same bus in the opposite direction, towards the Alameda.
Check routes, timetables and fares on the EMT website or app, as they change.
Heading west: San Andrés and La Misericordia
On the other side of the port, past the mouth of the Guadalmedina, are the roomiest beaches. San Andrés is about 650 m long and 50 m wide, with a broad promenade. La Misericordia, next along, is about 2 km long and 30 m wide, and its promenade still has chimneys from Málaga's 19th-century industrial past.
From Cuarteles you can walk to San Andrés in about 26 minutes (approx.). EMT line 40 (Paseo de la Farola - Sacaba Beach) also heads west from the centre along Paseo Antonio Machado and Calle Pacífico, just behind these beaches: check with EMT whether it's running on your dates.
| Beach | Size (approx.) | Getting there from the centre | Playground | Blue Flag 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malagueta | 1,200 × 45 m | On foot | Yes | Yes |
| La Caleta | 1,000 × 25 m | On foot or bus 3, 11, 34 | Yes | Yes |
| Baños del Carmen | 550 × 15 m | Bus 3, 11, 34 | — | No |
| Pedregalejo | 1,200 × 20 m | Bus 3, 11, 34 | Yes | Yes |
| El Palo | 1,200 × 25 m | Bus 3, 11 | Yes | Yes |
| El Dedo | 550 × 25 m | Bus to El Palo, then walk | Yes | Yes |
| San Andrés | 650 × 50 m | On foot from Cuarteles or bus 40 | Yes | Yes |
| Misericordia | 2,000 × 30 m | Bus 40 | Yes | Yes |
Sizes and facilities: Málaga City Council beach pages and press release (2026). Bus routes can change, so check with EMT.
The best beaches for children
If you're travelling as a family, La Malagueta is the easiest choice: it's close, has a playground and, according to the council, its toilets include a baby-changing area. For a full day with more room on the sand, San Andrés and La Misericordia are the widest, and both have playgrounds too.
To the east, El Palo and El Dedo combine playgrounds, a neighbourhood feel and beach bars. Of our family-sized apartments, Victoria Duplex (sleeps 5) is about a 15-minute walk from La Malagueta, and Cuarteles (sleeps 6) about 26 minutes from San Andrés (approx.).
Malagueta and La Caleta
- Walkable from the centre
- City feel, right by the port
- Playgrounds on both
Pedregalejo and El Palo
- Bus from the Alameda or Paseo del Parque
- Fishing quarters with seafood restaurants
- Perfect for lunch by the sea
San Andrés and Misericordia
- The widest and longest
- On foot from Cuarteles or bus 40
- Plenty of room for families
Facilities, lifeguards and accessibility
In 2026, lifeguards were on duty every day from 10:00 to 20:00 between 15 June and 15 September; before that, they worked at weekends. Out of season, check whether the beach is supervised before you swim.
The council's free app, ‘Málaga Funciona’, shows which flag is flying on each beach every day. The council's beach website (playas.malaga.eu) also lists activities and lets you book the ‘Disfruta la playa’ assisted-bathing programme, which in 2026 ran at La Misericordia, La Malagueta and El Dedo.
Frequently asked questions
Which beach is closest to central Málaga?
La Malagueta, next to the port. From our city-centre apartments it's about a 15–26-minute walk (approx.), depending on the apartment.
Which bus goes to Pedregalejo and El Palo?
EMT lines 3, 11 and 34 leave from the Alameda and the Paseo del Parque and run past La Caleta and Pedregalejo; the 3 and 11 carry on to El Palo. Check timetables and fares on the EMT website.
Which Málaga beach is best for children?
La Malagueta, for how close it is, its playground and the baby-changing area in its toilets. If you want more space, San Andrés and La Misericordia are the widest and have playgrounds too.
Which Málaga beaches have a Blue Flag?
In 2026: Malagueta, La Caleta, Pedregalejo, El Palo, El Dedo, San Andrés and Misericordia, according to the city council.
Are there lifeguards on Málaga's beaches?
In 2026 they were on duty daily from 10:00 to 20:00 between 15 June and 15 September, and at weekends before that. Out of season, check whether the beach is supervised and always look at the flag.
