Coming to Málaga soon and want to explore the city by bike? We've lived in Málaga for a good while now, and as Lola Bikes we're obviously passionate about cycling in this beautiful city and its surroundings. Below are our tips for renting a bike in Málaga, based on what we hear from our customers every day.
The old town of Málaga and the roads along the beaches are fairly flat. Just want to explore that? A regular city bike is enough. Kids can easily manage this too, on a kids' bike.
Want to explore the wider area around Málaga, or is your accommodation somewhere a bit higher up? Then an electric bike or cargo bike (bakfiets) is a good idea. If you simply like a bit more comfort, an electric bike is nicer either way. With younger children, a bakfiets is the best choice: fast, safe, and kids love it.
Málaga has a fair number of bike lanes, but certainly not everywhere — sometimes you'll be riding on the road. On many streets, part of the road is reserved for cyclists. If your child is a bit older and has cycling experience, that works fine. If your child is younger or not very experienced, we'd advise against letting them cycle on their own. If your accommodation is higher up the hill, or you want to cover a fair few kilometres, it's also a bit optimistic to expect a child to manage that alone.
We have electric cargo bikes that are much safer for children, and with these you can also easily cover longer distances and tackle the hills.
Málaga is a bike-friendly city, but it helps to pick the right roads. You can cycle really well along the sea; a bike path runs along the coast in most places. It's a beautiful ride, with views of the Mediterranean. Cycling along the coast is also a handy way to get around, since Málaga stretches from east to west along the shore.
There are also plenty of bike lanes in the city itself. Where they're missing, part of the road is often reserved for cyclists. In some spots you simply ride on the road, which is completely normal in Spain. Spaniards always give cyclists plenty of room.
Along the sea, in the old town, and in the west of the city, it's very flat. Head further north or east and it starts climbing. This is all manageable by bike, though an electric bike or cargo bike can make it more pleasant. Some neighbourhoods are quite hilly, like Cerrado de Calderón or San Antón; these also lie further north.
If you look at the wider area around Málaga, almost everything is hilly. Along the coast it's nearly always flat; head inland and you'll find hills and mountains. That said, you can get almost anywhere without much trouble, especially with an electric bike.
If you want a regular city bike, there are plenty of providers, and you can often still find one last-minute. Want an electric bike or a kids' bike? There are far fewer providers, so it's worth booking ahead. As far as we know, we're the only ones renting an electric cargo bike in Málaga. We only have a limited number of bakfietsen available, so we'd recommend booking as soon as you know your dates, especially in high season.
It's always really handy to have a bike in Málaga. It's often the fastest way to get around, and parking for cars can be hard to find in a lot of places, especially in high season. On top of that, many car parks charge, so it also saves you on parking costs. You can park a bike anywhere for free — just pick a spot that doesn't cause a nuisance, since Spaniards like everything to be tidy and by the rules.
The old town is also closed to cars. So we'd recommend renting a bike for your whole stay, rather than just for a single outing.
Children are required to wear a helmet, and adults outside built-up areas. Always check the current local rules, since these can vary and Spanish cycling safety legislation is evolving. In Málaga itself you'll see plenty of people cycling without a helmet; for experienced cyclists that's generally fine, but it's always safest to wear one. For children, always make sure they have a helmet. If you're cycling more actively — mountain biking in the hills around Málaga, or exploring Andalusia on a road bike — always wear a helmet.
Most rental companies in Málaga, us included, ask for valid ID (passport or ID card) when you pick up the bike. For our regular city bike, you don't need to pay a deposit. For the electric bike and the electric cargo bike, we do work with a deposit — you'll always hear about this when booking. Got questions about it? Just send us a WhatsApp message and we'll explain.
With us, a bike rental always includes a good, sturdy lock. You can add a child seat to the city bike, and the bakfiets is of course set up as standard to safely carry children. Got other requests, like an extra basket or a specific pannier bag? Just let us know — we're happy to think along with you.
During the day, it's fine to lock your bike up neatly somewhere on the street, as long as you're not causing a nuisance. At night we'd recommend bringing the bike somewhere secure, like a courtyard, a garage, or inside your accommodation, rather than leaving it on the street. Not sure about a good spot near your place? Just ask us or your accommodation — there's usually a solution.
Luckily this doesn't happen often, since our bikes are well maintained, but it can always happen once in a while. In that case, get in touch with us via WhatsApp — we'll think it through with you right away and sort it out as fast as possible, whether that's a repair or, if needed, a swap.
Yes, we're happy to deliver the bike to your accommodation in and around Málaga (up to 8 km outside the centre, for a flat delivery fee). That way you don't have to come to our location yourself, and can get going right away.
The area around Málaga offers endless options for regular cycling, mountain biking, and road cycling. There are plenty of routes through the mountains, nature, and past pretty old villages. Think of the coastal boulevard towards Pedregalejo and El Palo for an easy ride with sea views, the Montes de Málaga for tougher climbs and nature, or a day trip inland towards, for example, the Caminito del Rey for the real enthusiasts.
From Málaga you're in nature and the mountains in no time, and you can make it as challenging as you like: from small forest tracks and mountain bike trails to kilometres of climbing. But if you'd rather take it easy, there are plenty of nice routes too. You'll find loads of them on Komoot, Wikiloc, or Strava. We at Lola Bikes love cycling ourselves too, whether on the bakfiets, the road bike, or the mountain bike, so feel free to reach out if you're after a good route.
That depends on the type of bike and how long you rent it for: the longer the rental period, the better the daily rate usually gets. With us, a city bike already starts at a relatively low price per day, an electric bike is a bit above that, and the electric cargo bike starts at around €50 to €75 per day depending on the rental period. You'll find our current rates on the website, or send us a message for a quote tailored to you.
You can book via our website (use the booking form), or send us a WhatsApp message or email. For bike rentals in Spain we currently only operate in Málaga. You can rent a cargo bike from us, but an electric bike, kids' bike, or regular city bike is also possible. We always reply quickly and send your confirmation as soon as we can. Hope to welcome you soon!