If you want to take a break from the sights, smells, sounds, and crowds of Málaga, walking around…read morethe botanical garden is nearby and inexpensive. To get there, take the No. 2 Bus across the street from Mercado Atarazanas and in front of Carrefour Express. The driver accepts 1.40€ via touchless credit card (but NOT American Express) or cash (the driver gives change for small bills under 10€). By the way, masks are REQUIRED on the bus. Once you arrive at the last stop, there is a 15 minute walk to the entrance of the garden. Download Google Maps prior to leaving. If you happen to visit the garden on a Sunday, you're in luck because there is no entrance fee. Otherwise, regular admission is 5.20€ or 3.10€ for youngsters and seniors. During the walk, you'll find plants/trees that are well marked, plenty of picnic areas, food vendor, and gift store. Taking the forest route offers a more challenging walk while staying in the lowlands offers a more leisurely walk.
Surprisingly, there's a Barbie exhibit that's well done and worth visiting.
While visiting the gardens is not an "epic" experience, I appreciate that the original vision of conservation and green space (next to the freeway) is being supported by organizations who share the same vision. Returning back to your hotel requires backtracking the same way you arrived.