Hi all So I've got a scheduled trip to Malaga coming in a few months and was curious to hear anyone's advice on both places to go, but most importantly is there anything i should be on the lookout for in that area from a self defence perspective, e.g what is a common place for fights to start, are there any notable scams targeting tourists? Etc. Also I've heard I'm more likely to be attacked by other tourists than the locals if I'm out on the town- is this true?
I went last summer. It's a beautiful and friendly place, relaxed and welcoming. I didn't see the slightest hint of trouble beyond a prostitute scamming for drinks (not exactly a major threat if you have the slightest bit of nous about you). I'm sure it is true that the foreign visitors are more dangerous than the locals, but the beautiful thing about it is that the Brits take the bus from the airport to beach resorts and mostly never go into Malaga. The vast majority of tourists there were Spanish families and outside of the hotel it was unusual to hear people speaking anything but Spanish. Because of this, the shops, bars and restaurants outside of the very centre aren't generally set up for English-speakers, so make sure you know some basic Spanish phrases before you go. I was tagging along with someone who was there for work, so I didn't get a chance to travel about, but someone who was with us said that Seville and Granada, as well as the mountains in-between, are well worth visiting. There is a high speed train to Seville, and I think travel times are pretty short. I'm planning to go back at some point so that I can see more of the area. Even the supposedly "bad" areas (generally NE of the river) are less edgy than walking through many places in the UK. So, being a tourist spot obviously theft is the major thing to look out for, so follow the same general guidelines you would anywhere - don't leave anything where it can be snatched, don't rely on straps to keep bags or cameras secure, be aware of misdirections such as people bumping into you or one of your party, keep your wallet in a fastened pocket or stick a rubber band around it so it can't slide out of your pocket etc. etc... I didn't see any fights, but obviously the riskier your behaviour the more likely you are to get into trouble, just like anywhere else. If you're up till dawn every night trying to pick up women and score drugs then you are far more likely to end up in a fight than if you are up at dawn every day to see the historic architecture and gardens! Speaking of which, the history of the place is fascinating, so I would recommend reading up a little on it so that you can narrow down places to visit. Definitely go up the Moorish citadel, even if you do nothing else, because it's the best view in Malaga. I loved it, and it's one of the most relaxed and friendly places I've been to... way more relaxed and friendly than most places in Britain! Hope you have a great time, and I hope you like tapas and rioja!
Treat it the same as you would here in the UK. I was out there last year and had/saw no trouble, even when walking through town late and on my own. We went all over too. I felt safer there than many towns in the UK. Enjoy it, its a lovely place!
