Help with ideas malaga and cartagena

[Divvy]

We are on the Grand Princess in June and stop at Malaga ,Cartagena , Barcelona , Monte Carlo , Rome , Naples , Corsica , Gibralta . I have sorted trips for Rome ,Naples and Corsica but not sure about Malaga and Cartagena . Are these ports easy to do on your own like Mone Carlo is , just walking distance and potter about or do you need to go on an organised excurtion . We are trying to keep the cost down this year and have decided on 2 big expensive excurtions in Rome and Naples , from previous experiance we know we can do Barcelona and Monte Carlo on our own as the ship docks right on top of the town . Any advice would be welcome . Thank you .

[QueScaisJe]

In Malaga, the principal tourist sights are the Picasso museum, Picasso's birth-house, the Cathedral, the Gibralfaro castle and Alcazaba. All of these sites are close together enough to walk amongst them. There is a TI at the Plaza de la Marina, about a 15 minute walk from the docks. There are lots of stores in the pedestrianized street and area up to the Plaza de la Constitution.

 

The last time we were in Malaga, we just walked a bit in the Paseo del Parque, took a bus (€1.15) up to the Gibralfaro for the views, and walked down to the Alcazaba (combination admission of €6). This made for a pleasant morning.

[NYC cruiser lady]

We are on the Grand Princess in June and stop at Malaga ,Cartagena , Barcelona , Monte Carlo , Rome , Naples , Corsica , Gibralta . I have sorted trips for Rome ,Naples and Corsica but not sure about Malaga and Cartagena . Are these ports easy to do on your own like Mone Carlo is , just walking distance and potter about or do you need to go on an organised excurtion . We are trying to keep the cost down this year. Any advice would be welcome . Thank you .

 

I am about to get on a plane, fly to Europe and visit Malaga. I have gathered the following information from various internet sources (including CC). I cannot attest to the accuracy but this is the information I found:

 

You can nearly go everywhere with the bus. City buses stop at "Alameda Principal" in the center of the city. Line 35. will take you to Gibralfaro Line 11. to the Bullring FARES: ordinary ticket - 0.85 euros (single, payment on Bus) To Gibralfaro : take bus 35 directly to the castle passing some pretty houses and climbing the hill offering you vistas of surrounding area. Beware that it goes once every 40-50 mins, so check what time it departs from your local bus stop. You must have exact change on the bus. The bus drivers don't give change. To the bus station: You must walk approx 1 mile from the pier and keep to the left when you get in town to get to the buses

Alcazaba Palace, a historic castle built in the 11th century. It is connected by a step path to the Gibralfaro Castle, an ancient Moorish fortress that offers breathtaking views of the city and its bay. Entrance via the ticket office behind the Roman amphitheatre. There is a lift too which can take you straight to the museum through the hill.

Gibralfaro: The road that leads to the top is long. Take bus 35 from the town to the entrance. Once at the summit you will have a superb vista of the City including the bullring (Malagueta). The Moorish castle at the summit is more impressive than Alcazaba and in better condition. The gardens at the top are a perfect place to sit and take in the fantastic panoramic views. I sugest you to have a drink or tapa at the "Parador de Gibralfaro" in its terrace.

The Cathedral is a National Monument.Malaga's cathedral is a beautiful building in the center of the city. Its call "La Manquita" because one of its two towers is incomplete. Walk around the building. On one side, you will find Horse Coachs, then next facade that looks to the "Plaza del Obispo" (Bishop's square) is the principal one, the next facade looks to the "Hospital " This is one of the largest Cathedrals in the world (longer than Seville, 6 yds shorter than Notre Dame; In keeping with its size is the immense double (pipe) organ.

Just a few minutes walk north of the Cathedral, the Plaza de la Merced is a nice place to relax and have a drink in one of the many bars. Also, check out Picasso's birth home which borders the plaza on the northwest corner.

Also see the Justice Court or City Hall: Ayuntamiento Beautiful gardens and good views of the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castle!!

Bullring PLAZA DE TOROS one of the busiest in Spain You can also see it from the Alcazaba. It is situated in the area of La Malagueta. The Bullring is open between 9.00 and 2pm. It is in classic style and houses a museum dedicated to Antonio Ordonez, a legend in the world of bullfighting. It can be found in the Paseo de Reding. The Bullfighting Museum is open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Directions Turn at the end of Paseo del Parque onto Paseo del Reding. Next to the Bullring you can have wonderful tapas at Refectorium and at Mensula.

[Missus Makkem]

We are on the Grand Princess in June and stop at Malaga ,Cartagena , Barcelona , Monte Carlo , Rome , Naples , Corsica , Gibralta . I have sorted trips for Rome ,Naples and Corsica but not sure about Malaga and Cartagena . Are these ports easy to do on your own like Mone Carlo is , just walking distance and potter about or do you need to go on an organised excurtion . We are trying to keep the cost down this year and have decided on 2 big expensive excurtions in Rome and Naples , from previous experiance we know we can do Barcelona and Monte Carlo on our own as the ship docks right on top of the town . Any advice would be welcome . Thank you .

 

The ship is in town,,walk off towards the castle,either left to the town,which will take you up to The newly exposed Amphitheatre,,keep climbing towards the castle for views all round,Bullring?then take the lift down to street level.

for those who find difficulty in walking,then to the right after leaving the ship,then take the lift up to the castle for those views

[Divvy]

Well , thank you all . That seems to be Malaga sorted , we can just walk off the ship and take a stroll around the town, yes ? . Now , what about Cartagena .

[kruzseeka]

Ship berths right in town - pleasant walk into town - attractive boulevards and clean streets with a lot of interesting scupltures. If you skirt around to the right after coming out of the port then turn left along the road which runs beneath the castle, you can get the lift up to the castle from street level. The views are lovely and the castle is interesting in its own right. There is a small information/(museum?) type display within the castle. From the top you will also see the (small) Roman Amphitheatre where archeologists were still at work when we were there a couple of years ago. At ground level you can look through the fencing to get a closer view of the structure and work in progress (perhaps it may even be open to the public now?) Cartegena has a good shopping area - all level walking (except for the castle) and there is a pleasant waterfrontage too with cafes. We were really surprised by Cartegena - it proved to be a relaxed day (very welcome in the port intensive Med itineraries) and a pleasant port of call. Perhaps not one you would necessarily go back to - but for a first time visit, we thought it had quite a bit to offer.

[Divvy]

Thank you all for your help . You have saved us a lot of money , as we would have gone on the ship tours and then found that we could have done our own thing . Thats what happened last year with Monte Carlo and Gib . Now we can spend our money on the trips that we really need to . XXXXX