Alcazár: Leg Day Meets Arabian Vibes

Every time I hear the word Alcazár, the Swedish pop song Crying at the Discotheque starts playing in my head. Of course, in Andalucía, Alcazár has a different meaning — basically Arab palace or castle. With the Christians covered off this morning in my cathedral visit, it was time to turn to the Moorish influence on the city.

On the edge of the old town, the Alcazár climbs the hill overlooking the city — as do I, weaving through the defensive walls and up stone-lined paths throughout the palace. One of the striking differences between places and castles in the Muslim world and those medieval strongholds across Europe is the stylish door openings, or puertas if I’m trying my Spanish. These stone arches have a desert Aladdin vibe that really draws me in — hopefully that’s not culturally offensive.

I need the inspiration, because the uphill climb through the palace takes some energy. Invaders would’ve needed to train on stairs and never miss leg day to raid this place. Throughout the palace, various courtyards with gardens and ponds overlook the outer walls and offer great views of the city below. The similarities between the haves looking down on the have-nots — whether from this Moorish castle or the Christian cathedral earlier — aren’t lost on me. I imagine rulers sipping mint tea, watching across their empire from up here.

A great Alcazár feature are their orangeries. Alas, this one’s is in a bit of a sad state and looks quite basic compared to the ones in Granada, Seville, and Córdoba. Another tell is the pools and drainage channels throughout the entire complex. While this Alcazár has a more utilitarian feel than others in the region, it’s still an interesting visit.

At the top of the open sections of the palace, I look up to see more ruins before another palace much higher up. Below are views across the sea and the city. I can see why they chose this spot to set up shop — location, location, location.

What goes up must come down. As I wander back down, I get lost a few times. Invading this palace would take strong legs and maybe a Hansel and Gretel-style breadcrumb trail to find your way back out.

So far today I’ve visited the big-ticket Christian and Moorish remnants. But it wasn’t just those two groups who left their mark here — the Romans had their turn too. Alas, all that’s left of the Romans (well, that I can see without doing any real research) is the Roman Theatre.

At the foot of the palace, the theatre ruins now overlook a small square — occupied by a man entertaining kids and adults alike blowing bubbles. The ruins aren’t accessible, but they’re small and easy to view from the square. I imagine a string quartet performing here, or maybe a play by William Shakespeare. That’d be over a thousand years after the Romans left, but hey, sometimes you need a little imagination to bring a ruin to life.

I contemplate taking the 20-minute walk uphill to the next Alcazár, Castillo de Gibralfaro. I figure I’m only here once, so I start the walk. Two minutes in, I give up. I may be here only once, but unlike the Moors of the past, I skip leg day and just can’t be bothered spending that kind of energy today. Instead, I wander the streets of Málaga’s old town and settle in for an afternoon beer under an umbrella, flicking through all the photos I’ve taken today.

> Tip: The Alcazár is free to enter after 2pm on Sundays. No tickets, just wander in!Les mer