Málaga activates its network of climate shelters to cope with extreme heat

Málaga is facing the summer heat with a network of climate shelters located across different parts of the city. These spaces, officially known as climate comfort areas, are designed so that people can protect themselves from high temperatures, rest, hydrate and find shade or air conditioning during the hottest hours of the day.

The Town Hall has brought these points together in an interactive map, allowing users to locate both outdoor and indoor spaces. In total, the municipal network includes 93 locations, of which 74 are outdoor areas and 19 are indoor facilities.

What climate shelters are

Climate shelters are places that offer more comfortable conditions during heatwaves. They can include tree-lined parks, shaded gardens, libraries, municipal centres, cultural facilities or areas with drinking fountains and places to rest.

In Málaga, the municipal map indicates whether each location has features such as benches, shade, vegetation, fountains or air-conditioned spaces, making it easier to choose the most suitable place depending on the area of the city and each person’s needs.

Shelters across the city’s districts

The listed spaces include well-known central locations such as Monte Victoria, Gibralfaro, San Miguel Cemetery and Park, the Pedro Luis Alonso Gardens, Cánovas del Castillo Library and the Municipal Heritage Museum.

In the eastern district, the network includes libraries such as Emilio Prados and Bernabé Fernández-Canivell, as well as green areas including El Morlaco, Baños del Carmen, Arroyo del Cerrado de Calderón and the Alberto Suárez Pipi Gardens.

Other districts also feature in the network, with places such as the La Concepción Botanical Garden in Ciudad Jardín, Alberto Jiménez Fraud Library in Palma-Palmilla, Huelin Park and Plaza de la Solidaridad in Cruz de Humilladero, as well as Parque del Oeste, Parque del Mediterráneo and La Térmica in Carretera de Cádiz.

A useful resource during heatwaves

These shelters become especially useful during episodes of intense heat, when being outdoors during the middle of the day can pose a health risk, particularly for older people, children, people with chronic illnesses or those who work or move around the city on foot.

Outdoor spaces provide shade, vegetation and rest areas, while indoor shelters allow people to cool down in air-conditioned buildings with access to drinking water. The main recommendation is to check the map before going out and find the nearest point depending on the route or neighbourhood.

The Town Hall aims to expand the network

The City Council has also invited public institutions and private organisations to add their facilities to this network of climate comfort areas, with the aim of increasing the number of available spaces ahead of future heat episodes. Existing areas have already been signposted to make them easier to find.

The measure forms part of urban adaptation strategies in response to an increasingly extreme climate. In a city with long summers and high temperatures, having accessible spaces to take shelter from the heat has become both a public health tool and an urban planning priority.

Useful information

📍 City: Málaga.
🌡️ Resource: network of climate shelters or climate comfort areas.
🗺️ Consultation: municipal interactive map.
🏞️ Outdoor spaces: parks, gardens, tree-lined areas and shaded zones.
🏛️ Indoor spaces: libraries, cultural centres and air-conditioned public facilities.
💧 Features listed: fountains, benches, shade, vegetation and rest areas.
👥 Especially recommended for: older people, children, vulnerable groups and anyone needing shelter during the hottest hours.

The information comes from Málaga Town Hall’s municipal map of climate comfort areas and the article published by Diario SUR.