Tarifa Day 4 – A Day Trip to Malaga

If you like A Day Trip to Malaga you should catch up on: Tarifa Day 1, Kitesurfing in Tarifa Day 2, Kiteboarding in Tarifa Day 3

Waking up this morning we had two choices.  With a very late night flight to catch from Malaga this evening, we could either spend the day in Tarifa or get the drive out-of-the-way and do a Day Trip to Malaga.  We could spend the day there, closer to the airport and explore the city a little.  We settled on the second option so that Dan could relax without thinking about having to do the drive later on.  FYI – I’m always the passenger – this girl is a serious hazard on foreign roads – driving on the other side is just way too confusing!

It seemed like we’d made the right choice when we checked out of the hotel to find the windiest day yet!  We decided to have a quick breakfast in Tarifa as we’d been up early for Kiteboarding on the other days so had missed out on that.   After a quick breakfast, pan con tomate for Dan, and fruit and yoghurt for me, we jumped in the car and headed off.  The road back to Malaga tracks the coast all the way there.  It was nice to be able to do this during the daytime instead of the dark (as we did on the way there) as the scenery was absolutely stunning.  It was all green rolling hills and mountains on one side and crystal clear waters on the other.

Arriving for our Day Trip to Malaga we handed back our hire car and decided to use the train to get around.  This way we could relax as we didn’t have to worry about taking the car back later.  We caught a train into the centre and walked through Malaga until we reached the port.

It was still windy, but much less so and as it was 3 pm we decided to head out for lunch.  There were plenty of restaurants and bars lining the port but I wanted a beach bar with a view!  We headed around the corner and wandered along the beach for a short while.

We came across Chirunguitos Tropicale on the front which seemed popular.  So much so that we waited 30 mins for an outdoor table!

It was worth the wait.  We decided to share starters of tuna carpaccio with goat’s cheese mousse and the Gambas Al Pil Pil.  We were shocked at the amount of tuna for the price.  In England, you’d get a couple of slices but here the plate was piled high! The goat’s cheese mouse was acidic enough to cut through the fattiness of the tuna perfectly.  The Gambas were pretty good too!  We should be experts by now, the amount that we’ve had during our trip.  Another bottle of Albarino to toast the trip with matched the food really well.

But the star of the show was the main course.  Fresh Bream for him and Sardines for me cooked on an outdoor charcoal grill that we could see from our seats!

They had the perfect amount of salt to cut through the fat and make the skin deliciously crispy.  They were fresh and juicy and we added a roasted pepper salad to complete the meal.  

We finished the meal with Vermut.  It’s a drink I discovered last time I was in Madrid, which doesn’t seem to be popular anywhere other than in Spain.  It’s a red Vermouth with spices and orange zest.  Kind of like a cold mulled wine but slightly stickier and sweeter.  It tastes nicer than it sounds, I promise!

After lunch, we headed to the beach for a doze in the sunshine before deciding to take a look around the Old Town.  Malaga has a bit of a bad reputation as being a down-market holiday resort for Brits.  The Old Town however is a world away from the Irish Bars and Full English Fry-Ups!  The architecture is incredible, some of the buildings are just stunning and I love the cobbled streets joining wide open Plazas.  There is the Old Fort (The Alcazaba) to see as well as beautiful Cathedrals and the Amphitheatre.  So much history and you can book guided tours if you want more information.

Suddenly it was almost time to leave. One last Tapas stop for dinner was on the cards.  We found a really cute, authentic Tapas Bar, off the main tourist streets and ordered a few dishes.  Habas con Jamon, Jamon Iberico and Baccalau Al Ajillo.  It was one of the yummiest meals I had on the trip.  The beans with Bacon were simple yet surprisingly tasty and the Jamon was definitely up to standard.  The cod was cooked beautifully in a tasty garlic butter and we washed it all down with a Rioja Reserva.  The perfect end to a fabulous Day Trip to Malaga and a Weekend in Tarifa!

Sad to leave we made our way back to the airport, as the sun set and flew home.

Also, see…Tarifa Day 1, Tarifa Day 2, Tarifa Day 3

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