Malaga, port, Picasso’s birthplace and Andalusia’s second largest city. It isn’t the most obvious place to visit, in part because it’s a busy commercial hub, and also because it sits next to the Costa del Sol, Spain’s original bucket, spade, beer and chips (fries) destination. Spain was one of the first countries to embrace mass air travel tourism from the 1960s onwards, resulting in a mass seaside development down the coast that is best avoided. Malaga has a great airport and plenty of road and rail, and people often pass it by on their way to Granada, Cordoba or Morocco. They shouldn’t. Picasso left at 10 years of age when his family moved to A Coruna, taking a lot of southern Spanish themes that figure in his work, like the bulls he saw at the Malaga bullring as a child.
Malaga Bullring
Malaga is a good start or finish point for a visit to Andalucia or Morocco, and it is easy to miss the beachside developments on the highway or rail out.
If you haven’t seen enough ruins yet, the Roman theater and the Moorish fortresses – the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Castle at the top – are fairly intact. Make sure that you hike up to the Mirador de Gibralfaro to check out the view across the harbor – well worth an evening walk.
The incomplete baroque cathedral constructed in the 16th-18th centuries provides the usual grand interior and a break from the sunlight.
Malaga hosts a major Spanish film festival each Spring…
It’s Spain so eating well is expected. Churros and coffee start the day.
The central market (Mercado Central de Atarazanas) is a good place to pick up supplies or get a snack.
Logistics
Malaga works. The Maria Zambrono railway station is less than 2 km southwest of the city center, with the bus station just north of it. The airport is served by metro line and about 30 minutes to the city. The port ferry terminal handles service to Morocco (Melilla and Tanger Med,) but note that these are 5-7 hour journeys. Melilla is a useful access point for eastern Morocco, although remember that the Tarifa ferries can drop you in Tangier city in an hour. If you are off to Tangiers read this https://wp.me/p7Jh3P-sH.
I stayed at the Casual Malaga hotel just west of the city center, which worked out well for a night. If you want to pull out the wallet, the Parador next to Gibralfaro Castle is an impressive location with sea views across the harbor.
Foodwise it’s hard to go wrong with the many tapas bars around the city, and the usual rule of thumb of going where it’s busy and Spanish-frequented applies. The areas north of the cathedral through to Calle Alamos are busy. Cortijo de Pepe (Plaza de la Merced 2) worked out well.
If you are seeking a Spanish craft brew then La Madriguera (Calle Carretería 73) and La Botica de la Cerveza (Calle Victoria, 13) are worth a visit.
