La Tranca
No trip to Malaga would be complete without a stop-off at La Tranca. That’s if you can get in…
As you approach it on Calle Carretería, it will quickly become apparent which bar it is – the one that’s packed full, with a waiting queue outside.
Wait your turn and you’ll be given a stool to perch on next to a barrel in the small bar area, adorned with album covers from some of the most famous Spanish singers of the 70s and 80s such as Raphael, Camilo Sesto, Rocío Jurado, Julio Iglesias etc.
It is this sound that blares out on the speakers, with the waiters often enthusiastically joining in.
Enjoy a selection of traditional tapas and snacks, have a quick draught beer or vermouth and settle the bill the old-fashioned way: in chalk, written on your table.
This is a great place for a quick one before heading out, or even a nightcap in the early hours.
Insider tip: Colmado 93, an even smaller bar on the other side of the street, which was the previous location of La Tranca, offers pretty much the same vibe.
Daryl is the co-founder of Malaga Guru. He is a copywriter, editor and translator who moved to Malaga a decade ago having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found this site in 2016.