Published on : 14 July 20213 min reading time
Visiting Taberna Antigua Casa de Guardia in Malaga is like traveling back in time. The bar was opened in the late 1840’s and according to the staff, only themselves have been replaced, while the wine, the decor and the atmosphere is exactly the same. As waiter admits “igual, igual.”
The specialty of La Taberna Antigua Casa de Guardia is their sweet wines (Spanish: vino dulce). The wine comes straight from their own bodega in Olias in the Mountains of Malaga (Montes de Malaga) located 15 km from the city centre. Moscatel and Pedro Ximen, known as dessert wines, are the two main products. The restaurant is famous for its wine and the large variety of tapas so sit back enjoy the atmosphere and try a selection of traditional Spanish tapas.
After entering the bar your first thought might be – this place definitely needs some touch of modernization – needs to be painted, refurniturized and on top of everything they need to fix the holes in the wall! But after a glass of the sweet wine, La Taberna Casa Antigua de Guardia is oozing with the charm and you nearly feel like being back in time – you hear an old style horse and tapascarriage approaching and expect an appearance of Malaga’ s higher society representatives.
The wine is served directly from the large oak barrels which gives the bar a friendly and pleasant impression. The walls filled with pictures from the old days tours you down the memory lane. Here you can see how Malaga city has changed over the years.
Casa de Guardia is a popular place for a local people who usually pass by after work to enjoy a glass of wine or two. The waiters, dressed in slightly dirty white coats, serve quickly and to keep a tight control of your drinks, they write it down with a chalk directly on the primitive bar in front of you. In the old days there was a separate place where you paid the bill and it is still there, but it has been replaced with a modern cash register.
La Taberna Antigua Casa de Guardia is one of the places you cannot miss during your city break in Malaga. Whether you like wine or not, at least it is recommended for inhaling the unique atmosphere of Andalusia traditional spirit. It’s amazing that the place has managed not to be affected by the changes over past 172 years. That makes Casa de Guardia unique.