Hotels near Montes de Malaga Natural Park

The Montes de Malaga Natural Park (Parque Natural Montes de Malaga) is a 5,000-hectare pine forest nature reserve just 10 km north of Malaga city centre - the most accessible hiking from the city itself. The park has 10 marked trails of varying length, from the 2.5 km Sendero de la Fuente del Chaparro (easy, good for beginners) to the 12 km Sendero del Cerro del Aljibe which reaches 1,034 metres and gives views over Malaga, the coast, and on clear days the African Atlas Mountains to the south.

The main visitor centre (Centro de Visitantes Torreon, Carretera de Colmenar km 6.5) has trail maps and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM. The pine forest was planted in the 1930s on deforested hillsides and now provides a genuinely shaded hiking environment where July temperatures run 5-8 degrees Celsius cooler than the city below.

Pro Tip: The Venta El Tunon restaurant (Carretera de Colmenar km 7, 29013) adjacent to the visitor centre is a traditional Malaga ventas (roadside restaurant) serving grilled meats and local wines at very reasonable prices. Combining a 3-4 hour morning hike with lunch here and a return to Malaga city in the afternoon makes for a very efficient half-day from the city centre.