The Making of Modern Málaga: Two Centuries of Tragedy and Triumph

Málaga has seen firsthand the dramatic upheaval that’s shaped Spain over the past 200 years. Once an industrial port, the city has blossomed into a modern cultural destination. On this walking tour, you’ll hear how three powerful industrialist families built their fortunes during the 1800s, only to see their empires crumble amid social and economic turmoil.

Starting on Paseo del Muelle Uno at the revamped cruise port, you’ll trace the rise and fall of the three dynasties who turned Málaga into Spain’s second-most important industrial centre. You’ll stroll along the elegant streets they financed and learn how riots, revolution, civil war and dictatorship transformed this Andalusian city. You’ll hear how ordinary Malagueños coped with economic collapse, brutal warfare, and Franco’s repression.

The tour ends at Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica de la Encarnación de Málaga. You’ll learn how the impressive cathedral took 250 years to build, but only has one tower. Along the way, you’ll hear how tourism has replaced industry and why Málaga grapples with the challenges of balancing local needs with international appeal.

On this two-hour Málaga tour, you’ll have a chance to:

• Learn about Manuel Agustín de Heredia’s ironworks that once employed 2,000 people
• Discover why various members of the Larios dynasty had a double ”Larios y Larios” surname
• Visit Plaza de las Flores, a reminder of the worker riots in 1868 that forced the Larios family into exile
• Explore former monasteries that became shopping arcades, markets, and cultural centres after liberal governments seized church property
• Walk through Plaza de la Merced, where Picasso sketched as a child, and see the earthquake-damaged monument to liberal martyrs
• Find out what happened to the 100,000 refugees who fled ”Red Málaga” during the Spanish Civil War
• Understand how Franco’s alliance with NATO in 1953 opened Spain to international tourism, transforming the Costa del Sol
• See where Antonio Banderas grew up and learned his craft before becoming Málaga’s most famous international ambassador

On this tour, you’ll discover how the Mediterranean port has always looked beyond Spain’s borders, and how dramatic events over the last two centuries have created today’s vibrant Málaga.