So many peoples have been attracted by, and left their mark, on this sun-kissed but fertile land. A land that has been romanticised by so many famous writers, such as the novelists Ernest Hemingway and Laurie Lee, and the composer Bizet who set his opera ‘Carmen’ here. Many fell in love with its slightly exotic character and culture where in its inland villages one can still detect its Jewish, Gypsy and Moorish roots.

Somehow the villages east of Málaga have performed the precarious balancing act of retaining their essential Spanishness, while still offering much of the tourist-fare on offer at the more cosmopolitan holiday destinations along the Costa del Sol. There are plenty of good hotels, apartments and villas, a golf course, great outdoor trekking in the nearby national parkland, as well as snorkelling, etc, to be done in the clear waters further along the coast.

So, breakfast by the beach; a visit to a castle or museum in the morning; afternoon picnic looking at stunning scenery; shopping in the early evening; topped off with a restaurant meal with local and international cuisine, and perhaps live entertainment. Sounds like a plan? Eastern Málaga has something for everyone!

The villages

​The villages in the east of Málaga have been inhabited for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Start your tour on the villages page here. 

Places to visit

Start here on our Places to visit page for a detailed map of the villages and where they’re located, as well as showing all the beautiful beaches, stunning countryside, and fascinating sites to be visited.

What’s on

There are hundreds of colourful festivals and fiestas that take place throughout the eastern Málaga region every year, so maybe try to plan your visit to coincide with some of them. Start here on our Find a fiesta page.