Meet your guide at the entrance to the Alcazaba at your preferred time (tours are available every hour on the hour after 10 am). Skip the line with your ticket and head inside the royal complex, which forms a portion of Malaga’s city walls. Enter through the Puerta de la Bóveda (Gate of the Vault), a defensive portal typical of Moorish palaces, and continue through the Puerta de la Columnas (Gate of the Columns), featuring the marble columns and horseshoe-shaped arches.
While exploring the Alcazaba’s lower quarters, see the Torre del Cristo (Christ's Tower), where the first mass was held after Catholics reclaimed the city, and rest your feet on the fountains at gardens of the Plaza de Armas. Follow cobblestone paths to an armory tower featuring a carved wooden ceiling from the 16th century, and take in panoramic views from the Torre de Maldonaldo (Maldonado Tower).
Admire fine examples of Moorish architecture and design inside courtyards like the Patio de los Naranjos (Courtyard of the Orange Trees), and learn about the palace’s fascinating history and former inhabitants from your guide. Feel free to ask all the questions you like as you enjoy the personalized nature of a private tour. The 1-hour visit concludes outside the palace, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the rest of your day in Malaga.
