Walk from Malaga's English Cemetery to the Gibralfaro castle

This circular route starts at the Cañada de los Ingleses and passes by sites such as the Alcazaba, La Coracha and the Heritage Museum.

Location: This simple and very popular circular route runs along the foot of the Gibralfaro mountain from the English Cemetery, passing by different viewpoints, monuments, gardens and museums in Malaga city.

Province: Malaga

Municipality: Malaga

Difficulty level: Low. Apart from the initial climb, which is not too demanding, this route is not difficult. On hot days it is advisable to do it early or late in the day, although much of the route is in the shade.

Type of route: Circular

Approximate duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Length: 2.6 kilometres one way

Minimum height: 7 metres

Maximum height: 129 metres

Nearby places of interest: English Cemetery, Gibralfaro Castle, Alcazaba, Puerta Oscura and Pedro Luis Alonso Gardens, Municipal Heritage Museum, La Malagueta bullring, Roman Theatre, Malaga Park and Malaga Museum, among others.

The starting point for this route is at the English Cemetery , located on Avenida de Príes, near La Malagueta. Start by walking up Calle Ibarra next to the entrance to the cemetery. If you go to the start point by car you can park in the surrounding area (Blue Zone or municipal car parks) or you can use the bus (EMT lines 3, 11, 32, 34 and 35 stop there).

1This route joins several itineraries and paths such as the Cañada de los Ingleses and the Gibralfaro trails to make an easy circular route. The most difficult part is probably the first few metres on Calle Ibarra as you leave the English Cemetery on the right. Here you have to walk up the path on the right for about 50 metres until you reach a gate which is usually open. You will then go up some steps between houses. About two hundred metres from the start you will come to a signposted path that turns left and then right shortly afterwards. Here you will see a sign explaining the origin of the Cañada de los Ingleses.

2The Cañada de los Ingleses path connects with the Gibralfaro forest park. From here, take a path heading east, which then starts to zigzag to link up with one of the itineraries that form part of the Gibralfaro paths. It follows La Malagueta route, which goes uphill, giving different views of Malaga, with the port and Paseo del Parque below.

3After almost eight hundred metres the path connects with Calle Camino de Gibralfaro, which is the road by which the castle and the Parador can be reached by car. Once you have reached this road, you will have to go up around ninety metres to one of the landmarks on the route, the Gibralfaro viewpoint. After enjoying the views from there, continue climbing slightly up to the castle. The castle can be visited during opening hours. You will then have to go round the castle and take another path to the left that starts to descend.

4As you start to descend, you will get to La Coracha viewpoint, from where you will have a panoramic view of the city. Then, parallel to the city walls, the path continues downhill until it reaches the entrance to the Puerta Oscura garden. Turn right at this point to continue descending along the La Coracha path. After zigzagging down the path you will reach Paseo de Reding, just a few metres from the Municipal Heritage Museum (MUPAM), which you can visit if you get to it during opening hours.

5On the last stretch from the MUPAM head eastwards along the same path (approximately 450 metres) until you reach the English Cemetery, which is well worth visiting at any time of the year during opening hours.

The Gibralfaro mountain forest is home to Aleppo pine and white eucalyptus as well as carob and olive trees. Fauna includes more than fifty different birds and small mammals such as shrews, field mice and you may even spot a red squirrel, which can occasionally be seen in the branches of the pine trees.

Other animal species on the route include chameleons and the harlequin butterfly.