New Roman Villa opens beneath the Carmen Thyssen Museum Malaga

Visitors to the Carmen Thyssen Museum Malaga come for Spanish paintings, a lively café and one of the best museum shops in the city. But now there’s another reason to visit. After two decades of excavation and restoration, a remarkably well-preserved Roman villa in Malaga has opened to the public in the museum’s basement — offering a rare glimpse into life in ancient Malaca nearly 2,000 years ago.

Dating from the 1st century AD, when Malaga was a thriving Mediterranean port under Roman rule, the newly opened archaeological site reveals an industrial and residential complex linked to the production of garum, the prized fermented fish sauce exported across the Roman Empire.

Vast salting vats, a nymphaeum fountain decorated with fish motifs, shopfronts and domestic spaces show how commerce and daily life once coexisted on what was then the edge of the Roman city, close to the sea.

Discovered during redevelopment work before the museum opened in 2011, the ruins remained hidden for years due to complex conservation challenges. These included persistent groundwater from the nearby Guadalmedina River and several wells.

Now, fully restored and accessible, the Roman remains beneath the Museo Carmen Thyssen Malaga rank among the most significant Roman ruins in Malaga, adding a new dimension to the city’s already rich archaeological landscape.

Step downstairs, and you go back two millennia — from modern Malaga to Roman Malaca.

Visiting the Roman Villa at the Carmen Thyssen Museum

The newly opened Roman villa beneath the Museo Carmen Thyssen Malaga is included in the standard museum ticket and can only be visited in small guided groups.

Opening times

Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–8pm (same hours as the museum)

Visit format

• Entry in hourly slots
• Maximum 20 people per group
• Guided visit in Spanish or audio guide in English and Spanish
• VR reconstruction experience on Wednesdays
• Allow 45–60 minutes

Tickets

• €15 general admission (museum + Roman ruins)
• €10 for residents in Malaga province
• Free Sundays after 4pm

Advance online booking is strongly recommended at weekends and during peak tourist season, as places are limited.

Accessibility

Like the museum, the site is totally accessible. There’s lift access to the basement and the tour is via platforms and gentle ramps.

The discovery of the Roman Villa in Malaga

The Roman remains were discovered during redevelopment work prior to the museum’s opening in 2011. While the art gallery opened that year, the archaeological site remained closed due to complex restoration challenges.

Groundwater from the nearby Guadalmedina river repeatedly flooded the site — not coincidentally, a nearby street is called Pozos Dulces (“freshwater wells”). Conservation required specialised drainage systems and careful structural stabilisation. Even today, visitors hear the subtle sound of running water, and small channels can be seen across parts of the floor — a reminder of the natural forces that shaped both ancient and modern Malaga.

After nearly 20 years of excavation, conservation and interpretation work, the Roman villa complex has finally opened to the public.

Did you know?
The Carmen Thyssen Museum was once just a short walk from the sea – the docks were on the site of the nearby Atarazanas Market.

Roman Malaga: Life in Ancient Malaca

The complex dates from the 1st century AD, when Malaga — then known as Malaca — was a flourishing Roman port city. Located on what was once the city’s outskirts and close to the shoreline, the site combined industrial production with domestic living.

Roman Malaga played an important role in Mediterranean trade, particularly through the export of garum, a fermented fish sauce considered a luxury condiment across the Roman world. Amphorae of garum were shipped as far as Gaul and the eastern Mediterranean, a fact supported by coins found on site from places such as Marseille and Syria.

The remains show that this was not just a factory but a mixed residential and commercial centre — a working hub within the Roman city.

Did you know?
Coins found at these ruins come from around the Mediterranean, including Marseille and Syria, illustrating the wide reach of Malaga Port in the 1st century AD.

Highlights of the Roman Ruins beneath the Museum

Although you’ll need a guide or audio commentary to fully interpret the structures, several features at these Roman ruins in Malaga stand out:

The Nymphaeum of the Fish
A decorative fountain space with clearly visible fish motifs — a fitting tribute to the industry that sustained the complex.

Garum production vats
Large salting tanks with carefully engineered brick bases, designed to withstand constant exposure to salt and liquid.

The Roman kitchen
Complete with its original grinding stone, offering insight into daily domestic life.

Walled shop entrance
Evidence of economic decline in the 3rd century AD, when trade in Roman Malaga began to contract.

Virtual Reality reconstruction
A VR experience allows visitors to see how the villa once looked as a bustling residential and commercial centre.

How it compares to other Roman ruins in Malaga

Malaga is rich in Roman heritage. Other important sites include:

• The Roman Theatre, at the foot of the Alcazaba
• Roman remains beneath the Picasso Museum
• Roman walls inside the University of Malaga headquarters

However, the Carmen Thyssen villa is unique in Malaga’s historic centre for its combination of industrial garum production facilities and domestic space, all preserved in situ beneath a modern museum.

Read our guide to Roman Malaga

In the wider province, notable Roman villas include:

• Villa Antíopa in Rincón de la Victoria
• Villa Romana de Río Verde in Marbella

Both have impressive mosaics and are well worth a visit on a day trip from Malaga.

Is the Roman Villa worth visiting?

If you’re interested in Roman history, archaeology or seeing a different layer of Malaga beyond its beaches and museums, the Roman villa adds significant depth to a visit.

It works particularly well for:

• History enthusiasts
• Repeat visitors to Malaga
• Families with older children
• Anyone already planning to visit the museum

Combined with the nearby Roman Theatre and other archaeological remains, it helps bring ancient Malaca vividly back to life — right beneath your feet.