Cathedral of the Incarnation

Málaga Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Incarnation, stands on the site of the city’s main mosque, which became the cathedral after the Castilian conquest of 1487. Its north tower rises to 87 metres, while the south tower was never finished, which is why the cathedral is known as La Manquita (the one-armed lady). Inside, the nave and both aisles rise to the same height, 41.79 metres. This is its free audio guide, in English.

What the audio guide covers

It is free, it plays on this page in your phone’s browser, with no app and no sign-up, and it lasts about 7 minutes. After a short welcome, it tells the history: the conquest of 1487, the main mosque consecrated as Santa María de la Encarnación, building works that dragged on for almost 3 centuries and the tax on ships that paid for them in the 18th century. Then it takes you from the Plaza del Obispo through the façade, the naves, the choir with the figures by Pedro de Mena, the north tower and the side chapels, and it ends with the view from the rooftops, a tour that is suspended for now (more below).

Planning your visit to Málaga Cathedral (2026)

General admission is €10 in 2026, and that ticket already includes an on-site audio guide. From 26 October to 29 March the cathedral opens 10:30–18:30 Monday to Friday, 10:30–18:00 on Saturday and 14:00–18:00 on Sunday, with last entry 45 minutes before closing. There is also a free-entry window first thing every morning — and that half hour is exactly where the free audio guide above earns its place, as you will see below.

Tickets and opening hours at a glance

Opening hours from 26 October to 29 March: Monday to Friday 10:30–18:30, Saturday 10:30–18:00, Sunday 14:00–18:00. From 30 March to 30 May weekdays close at 19:30, and in summer at 20:00; Saturday and Sunday hours are the same in all 3 seasons. Last entry is 45 minutes before closing. There is also a free-access window from 8:30 to 9:00 every day — worth knowing, because the cathedral gives its own audio guide with the paid individual ticket, and its free tickets do not include it. That is the one moment when a free audio guide on your own phone is not a nice extra: it is the only guide you will have.

The included audio guide and this one — which do you need?

The €10 ticket already comes with an audio guide at the cathedral, in 10 languages, with a children’s version too. Ours is useful for 2 reasons. You can listen to the whole visit right now, for free, before you decide to buy a ticket — useful if you are weighing the cathedral against the Alcazaba and the Roman theatre next door. And the included guide comes with the paid ticket, not with the free 8:30 window, so ours is the one you can count on then. If you are doing the full paid visit at midday, the cathedral’s own guide is good and you have already paid for it — use that one, and keep ours for planning.

When is the best time to visit?

The earliest way in is the free half hour from 08:30 to 09:00, every day, before the paid visit opens at 10:30. On Sundays the paid visit only starts at 14:00, so a weekday gives you the longest stretch inside. Keep the last entry in mind, 45 minutes before closing: visitors are asked to leave 10 minutes before the doors close, and the cathedral can change its hours for extraordinary reasons.

The rooftop tour (Las Cubiertas), suspended for roof works

When it runs, the rooftop tour is a guided climb to the vaults of the cathedral, with views all the way round it. The route goes up the 18th-century staircase of the north tower, across the terraces above the chapels and up the staircase of one of the 16th-century corner turrets, to almost 50 metres and about 200 steps. It is always guided, it is not suitable for anyone who cannot climb stairs easily, backpacks, tripods, baby carriers and food are not allowed, and it can be called off in bad weather.

Practical tips for a smoother visit

• Buy online to skip the queue. The official ticket costs the same online as at the door.
• Bring earphones so you can follow the audio guide in the nave without disturbing anyone around you.
• Do the three together. The cathedral, the Roman theatre and the Alcazaba are a few minutes apart on foot — a comfortable morning, and we have a free audio guide for all three.
• Dress modestly. It is an active place of worship, and the cathedral asks visitors to dress with decorum inside.
• If the rooftop tour reopens, you will need to manage about 200 steps on a narrow spiral staircase and leave your backpack behind.

Free audio guideThe Alcazaba of Málaga
Free audio guideRoman Theatre of Málaga
Free audio guideGibralfaro Castle

Keep exploring with the rest of our free Málaga audio guides.