Things to Do in Málaga 2026: Moonlight Málaga & the 101 Music Festival
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Málaga was Pablo Picasso's birthplace and has leaned into that legacy with one of Spain's best modern museum scenes, while its hilltop Alcazaba fortress and Roman theatre give the old town genuine ancient roots. It is also the best-connected base for the wider Costa del Sol.
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Quick answer
Summer brings Moonlight Málaga, an open-air concert series at the Málaga Forum with an eclectic international lineup, running alongside the 101 Music Festival at the historic Plaza de Toros de La Malagueta bullring.
Below are the upcoming 2026 events we track for Málaga, sorted by date. Confirm times and ticketing on the official organiser page before you travel.
Top Málaga events in 2026
- Rodrigo Cuevas — Moonlight Málaga 2026 (31 Jul) — at the Málaga Forum.
- Mónica Naranjo — 101 Music Festival 2026 (31 Jul) — at the Plaza de Toros de La Malagueta.
- Tom Jones — Moonlight Málaga 2026 (1 Aug) — at the Málaga Forum.
- Una Cita con Chéjov — Málaga 2026 (17 Aug) — theatre at the Plaza de Armas del Castillo de Gibralfaro.
What to see in Málaga — top sights
- Alcazaba of Málaga — a well-preserved 11th-century Moorish fortress overlooking the port, with a Roman theatre at its foot.
- Gibralfaro Castle — the hilltop castle above the Alcazaba, with sweeping views over the city and the Mediterranean.
- Museo Picasso Málaga — a major collection of the artist's work in his home city.
- Fundación Picasso — Casa Natal — Picasso's actual birthplace, on the Plaza de la Merced.
- Málaga Cathedral — an unfinished Renaissance cathedral nicknamed "La Manquita" (the one-armed lady) for its single completed tower.
- Muelle Uno and the Centre Pompidou Málaga — the redeveloped harbourfront, with a colourful glass-cube outpost of the Paris museum.
Why visit Málaga
Málaga has transformed from a Costa del Sol stopover into a destination in its own right, anchored by its Picasso museums and a genuinely walkable historic centre stacked with Moorish, Roman and Renaissance layers within a few streets of each other. The open-air Moonlight Málaga series each summer adds a run of big-name concerts against the Alcazaba's floodlit walls.
FAQ
- What is there to do in Málaga in 2026?
- Moonlight Málaga and the 101 Music Festival run through late July and August 2026. Year-round: the Alcazaba, Gibralfaro Castle, the Picasso Museum and Málaga Cathedral.
- Is Málaga a good base for the Costa del Sol?
- Yes — Málaga has its own international airport with wide European connections and is well connected by train and bus to Marbella, Nerja and the rest of the Costa del Sol, making it a practical base as well as a destination.
- Why is Málaga associated with Picasso?
- Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga in 1881. The city has since opened the Museo Picasso Málaga and preserved his birth house (Casa Natal) as a dedicated foundation and museum.
