Where to Find Free Parking in Malaga – Tips & Personal Experience
Sharing tips on finding free parking in Malaga based on my own experience of staying in the city for three months and having a rental car for most of the time.
Malaga is not a tiny city by any means, and at the same time, it is quite popular for tourists. Besides a beautiful old town, long stretches of wide beaches and some awesome hidden gems, it is also a good base hub to explore Andalusia by car. And the point is – finding free parking in Malaga can be challenging, but not impossible.
Even though free parking is limited and it seems that the parking machines are everywhere, there are still free options even close to the old town.
The main tip for you – when you need to park for free, you want to look for white lines. All other types of lines like blue, green, red, or yellow mean paid or restricted parking.
Below is a concrete list of free parking spots in Malaga where I parked myself multiple times.
Visiting Malaga for the First Time With a Car?
Here are a few nice options for where to stay and what to do for people who have a car:
Places to Stay in Malaga With a Car:
- Blonski Apartment – beautiful apartment minutes away from Alcazaba with free private parking
- Quiet House – this apartment is not far from the beach & Malaga promenade with free parking as well
- Vincci Seleccion – lovely hotel by Malaga Old Town but across the road from a neighborhood with plenty of parking spaces
- Gran Hotel Miramar – gorgeous 5-star hotel in a historic building with private parking
Must-Do in Malaga With a Car:
- Visit Velez-Malaga – the avocado capital of Andalusia
- Drive to Nerja – most beautiful beaches in Malaga and mysterious caves. Don’t miss a free tour there when available
- Explore Panoramas of Mijas Pueblo – lesser-visited white village with narrow streets
- Don’t Miss Torremolinos – lively coastal town with beaches, nice promenade, and a variety of restaurants
- Include a Trip to Cordoba – with its ancient historic Mezquita and Roman Bridge
- Go on a Road Trip in Malaga – and here are my ideas and suggestions for where to go with a car
Free Options for Car Parking in Malaga
Av. de Jorge Silvela
This is a small boulevard along Av. de Jorge Silvela and the canal that doesn’t even have a name on the map.
Yet there are a lot of cars parked all the time and that was my number one spot for free parking in Malaga. Many times I parked there for days in a row and was able to find a spot almost every time.
It was especially great going there in the evening when finding parking for the night becomes more difficult.
El Ejido District
On a broader scale, this whole area has a lot of free street parking. It is not limited just to this district, but you can also include the streets towards the Guadalmedina River.
The only thing is, this is where the local residents park as well. So even though there are lots of spots available for free, you may need to circle around for a bit to find an available spot.
Parque de Malaga
There are some free street parking spots by the park on Paseo de los Curas.
However, this location is very central and close to the water as well as to the southern part of Malaga Old Town (which is always overcrowded), so your only chance to find a spot is probably if you see somebody leaving and then you are able to park right away.
I’ve been lucky to park there a few times but I had to wait and circle around a bit.
Materno-Infantil Hospital
It is located a little further away, but there is plenty of free street parking near this hospital.
You are about 20 minutes on foot from old town which is not very convenient if you are visiting Malaga for a couple of days only.
But for longer visits, it can be a good spot where to leave a car, especially if your accommodation is in the northern part of the center.
La Rosaleda Football Stadium
Another area where to find free street parking in Malaga is near this stadium.
This is even further away from the center than a previous place on this list, but it means it might be easier to find a spot if you are planning to leave a car for a long while.
Between Parque de Huelin and Málaga MarÃa Zambrano Train Station
You can find a lot of free street parking on the other side of Malaga’s center.
Once you drive away from the waterfront, most streets around Huelin Park are marked with white lines and are free to park. If you don’t feel like walking back to the center, there is a metro nearby.
What About Paid Parking & Low Cost Parking in Malaga
A normal regulated paid street parking is limited by a time of 2 to 3 hours. If you don’t plan to leave your car for more than a few hours, sometimes it may be worth using paid parking instead of spending time on driving around and looking for free spots. The paid parking in Malaga (blue lines) is regulated by these hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m
The street parking rates are set to €1/hour, which you can pay at the parking machine or Elparking App.
You can also choose a garage as a paid option. They are a bit more expensive but are not limited by time and are generally safer.
A couple of good options are ElParking Calle Refino, 22 (costs €1.80/hour) or Garage las Delicias (costs €16/day).
Planning to Stay in Malaga for a Few Days?
Then don’t miss one of these best flamenco shows and get inspired with my Malaga to Valencia road trip suggestions!
Other Posts With Free Parking Tips
