Parks Worth a Visit in Málaga, Spain

Founded at the end of the 19th century, the Parque de Málaga is the most central park in the city, as well as one of the most popular. Situated behind the port between the Paseo de los Curas and the Paseo del Parque, this rectangular green space was created specifically for the public to enjoy and contains benches, fountains and a small open-air theatre. For anyone interested in horticulture, this park is a must-visit, as it boasts an enormous amount of tropical and subtropical plants. Palm trees, landscaped gardens and many stunning exotic flowers can be found here, with a number brought from overseas, including South America.

Founded in 2002, Lobo Park is an enormous habitat for Iberian wolves. Functioning as a research-led space, it studies behavioural patterns of wolf packs, to understand more about how these canine creatures act in their natural habitat. The park is now open to the public, and visitors can spend an afternoon learning more about the three separate species of wolves that are housed here, with guided tours available in the day, as well as regular Wolf Howl Nights, which take place during full moons.

Opened in 1981, on the centenary of Picasso’s birth, Jardines Picasso is a must-visit. Throughout the garden, between the ficus trees and tropical plants, there are large sculptures that pay homage to Picasso’s work. This park is small, but the atmosphere is magical and well worth taking the time to visit. Centrally located, it’s just a 15-minute walk along the coast from the port.

This natural area of beautiful flora and fauna runs along the eastern edge of the Guadalmedina River basin. Walk among this park’s hand-planted forests of conifers, which were planted after the phylloxera ended the mass cultivation of vines in 1878, and marvel at the dam. To get to this area of man-made and natural beauty from Málaga, you can either take a 2.5hr walk or 30-minute drive.