End of a Mediterranean summer

Málaga, Spain – September 2021

After travelling around the Iberian Peninsula by bus, I really wanted to tackle another popular mode of transport in Spain. BlaBla Car. I first heard about the car-sharing app through my friend Melanie. When she was volunteering at a summer camp in Sevilla, she used the service to travel around Andalucía. So I download the app, look up available rides from Granada to Málaga and find Joaquín. He has a 5-star rating, drives a blue Kia and leaves for the coast at 9.00am.

Arriving at the petrol station from where we’re supposed to depart, I already spot one of the other riders: blonde Nadja. A few minutes later Granada based teacher Irena arrives and finally, the blue Kia pulls up the driveway. The 1-hour drive just flies by and once we make it to the eastern suburbs of Málaga, Nadja kindly shows me the way to a bus station from where I can reach the city centre.

I will only spend one night in the coastal town I know mostly for its nightlife. To make the most of my stay, I decided to stay close to the various restaurants in the historical centre. As the beach is within walking distance too, I take the chance to brush up my already fading tan and enjoy some fresh clams at “Chiringuito Tropicana”. On the way back to the hostel for a brief siesta, I pass by the gardens of Pedro Luis Alonso and the Ancient Roman Theater.

After a quick nap and re-packing my backpack, I head back out to the southeast of the historic centre. This time my path leads me up to the Alcazaba which promises a beautiful view of the town and the Mediterranean Sea. Of course, I can’t walk through Old Town without stopping at the impressive “Catedral de la Encarnacion”. Its 2 towers can be seen from almost any part of the city. I end up walking all the way up to the “Mirador de Gibralfaro”, which seems to be a popular place for evening jogs. However, after snapping the desired sunset pics, my belly tells me that it’s dinner time.

And so I head back down the hill and past “Plaza de la Merced”. On my stroll earlier that day I spotted a family-owned restaurant called “Los Marangos” which promised to be good. Luckily I manage to secure the last table on the cobblestone alley and soon dig into Gambas al PilPil, Croquetas, Tortilla de Patatas, Berenjenas Fritas and of course: a glas of Sangría. I really wanted to have a Paella to finish off my travels in Spain, but once again I didn’t succeed as they only prepare the national dish for 2 people.

With a satisfied stomach, I go on my last evening stroll on the Mediterranean coast. I pass full Tapas bars, lively souvenir shops and families hanging out at the Paseo del Muelle. Already feeling a little sentimental, I think back on my travels of the past weeks and feel incredibly grateful to have been able to almost circumnavigate the Iberian Peninsula during a global pandemic. Of course, I would have loved to make it to Alicante and Valencia too, but these cities will have to wait another year.

The next morning I pack my backpack one last time and head to the airport. To my surprise, it is busy with lots of tourists heading home to northern Europe. However, the 2-hour flight to Frankfurt passes quickly. And as soon as I arrive at the gate to my connecting flight to Basel, we can already begin to board the small Embraer.