With almost year-round sun, an eight-mile beach, more than 3,000 bars and restaurants, designer-label shopping, a fascinating historic quarter, a 16th century cathedral, a Roman theatre, a Moorish fortress, horse-drawn carriages clip-clopping through tropical parkland and a new Picasso Museum, Malaga has enough to keep anyone busy for a full fortnight.
Throughout Malaga’s history, its privileged geographic situation has attracted travellers, merchants, settlers and warriors who have left their mark on what is now a cosmopolitan, universal, open, relaxed and hospitable city.
It is also a great place to spend a short break as there is so much to see and do.!
BRIEF FACTS - INTERESTING PLACES
Founded by the Phoenicians in the 12th century BC Málaga has, at various times, been a Carthaginian, Roman, and Moorish colony. Under the Romans, and especially under the Moors, it developed into a strong military station. It was captured in 1487 by Spanish Christians after a heroic resistance.
-The Alcazaba (Moslem Fortress). The most important monumental complex of the Muslim rule is the Alcazaba and the Castle of Gibralfaro. The Alcazaba was built in the 11th century, when Malaga belonged to the kingdom of Granada, with two functions: as a military fortress, located in a strategic position overlooking the city and the coast, and also as a residential palace for the city’s governor.
PABLO RUIZ PICASSO FOUNDATION.
-Picasso Museum is located in the palace of the Count of Buenavista, it shows paintings by Picasso and other magnificent collections of pictures, painted by Zurbaran, Murillo, Morales, Herrera el Viejo, etc. The Pablo Picasso Museum and Pablo Ruiz Picasso Foundation, belong to the recent history, showing the power of the malaguenian culture and its situation, at European level.
-Cervantes Theatre is another important sign of the malaguenian culture revival. The theatre stands on the site once occupied by the Prince Alfonso Theatre, built in 1862 and completely destroyed six years later by a major fire. The new theatre was built in the style of the leading European theatres of the 18th century, and was opened in late 1870 under the name Miguel de Cervantes. In 1984 it became the property of the City Council.
-La Malagueta Bullring. It has stood on its present site since 1876 and is home to the Antonio Ordonez bullfighting museum, which exhibits to the public articles pertaining to the city’s bullfighting tradition to which this bullring has been an exceptional witness, including matadors’ costumes, posters, trophies, cloaks, rapiers, sharpened matadors’ sticks and other objects related to the art.
WHAT TO DO
In Málaga everyone can enjoy a very rich cultural tourism visiting numerous monuments and singular buildings or just simply walk around the historic and shopping area and sit on a terrace to enjoy the friendly atmosphere, day and night and any time of the year and the almost permanently benign climate.
The surroundings are very interesting too. In the east is the suburb of El Palo, with its typical fishermen’s houses, promenades, coves, etc. The Malaga Mountains, a Natural Park of extreme beauty and the ideal place from which to enjoy its charms. The city’s main promenade, the Paseo Maritimo, with its beaches.
At lunch time don’t miss the oportunity to taste the 'pescaÃto' (small fried fish) in some of the restaurants and chiringuitos on the beach.
In short, a most complete city to which we must add a whole host of tourist facilities, hotels, a wonderful Parador, splendid golf courses such as Real Club de Campo de Málaga and Guadalhorce, water sports and so many other attractions that are difficult to put a value on, such as its sunlight, its climate, its cuisine and the wit of its people.
-The Castle of Gibralfaro occupies a large part of the peak of the Gibralfaro mountain and it is said that a Phoenician lighthouse was there according to the Muslim chronicles, who called it 'Yabal-Faruk', meaning 'lighthouse mountain', from where the name Gibralfaro comes. Built in the 8th century by the Muslim king Yusuf as a defensive bastion, was conquered in 1487 by the Catholic Kings. Used as a fortress until the beginning of the 19th century, it was occupied by Napoleonic troops. It is currently being renovated.
-The Encarnacion Cathedral, in the historical centre, stands on a site occupied by the city’s Main Mosque during the eight centuries of Moslem occupation. Construction began in the first half of the 16th century and continued throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Here there is a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Isabeline Gothic, Neo-classic, etc. the result of the 254 years it took to build. Worthy of note inside is the choir by Pedro de Mena, and the two organs, rare 18th-century specimens which are still in good working order.
-Count of Buenavista's Palace. Built in Renaissance style in the 16th century, with a certain Mudejar influence which is particularly evident in the magnificent panelling which decorates some of its rooms. It was a Fine Arts Museum before being renovated to house the Picasso Museum.
-Picasso's Birthplace. On the north side of the Plaza de la Merced square is number 15, where, on the second floor, Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born on 19 October 1881. His father, Jose Ruiz Blasco, also a painter and a teacher at the San Telmo School of Fine Arts, moved to the flat in 1880.
FESTIVITIES
No matter when you decide to visit Málaga there will be some type of festivity taking in place in one of the local villages:-
Holy Week (Semana Santa), March or April, dates vary, declared to be of national touristic interest.
Feast of St John the Baptist - In the early hours of the 23rd and 24th June, beaches and suburbs no matter how small burn the traditional 'juas' (caricatures), It is San Juan Night and for good luck, the people dip their feet in the sea just after midnight as well as jump the bonfires.
In mid July is the Virgen del Carmen with it's traditional marine procession and the dipping of the Virgin. (Fiestas de la Virgen del Carmen), 16th July.
From around the 11th to 20th August Málaga celebrates it's City's annual Fair. From noon to 19.00 the City centre is packed with thousands of people who fill the streets and bars to dance and enjoy themselves 'La Feria de Dia'. There are also daily bullfights in the Malagueta Bullring at 19.00 and a Romeria. (Procession) - then at night everything transfers to the Feria grounds where the party goes on until dawn!
Someuseful Spanish phrases during the Feria are:-
Otra copa, por favor ("Another drink, please"), Quiere bailar? ("Do you want to dance?") and Estoy cansado ("I'm tired"). Estoy cansado, may be the most useful phrase of the lot and, just in case you need it, the Spanish word for hangover is "resaca".
TYPICAL DISHES
The capital of the province, from a gastronomic point of view, is the summary of the best and most popular cooking in the province of Malaga. Nevertheless, it also has its peculiarities. So, all year round, there are the pickled dishes, herrings, rice with seafish, fresh anchovies in vinager, prawn cocktail, Malaga salad or salad of cod with olives and orange, soup with mayonnaise, prawns 'pil pil', porridge, fish soup, sardine kebabs, and fried fish from the bay.
In the winter, the common dishes are cabbage, noodle soup, asparagus, stew, garlic soup, fresh anchovy soup and Malaga soup. In the summer are the traditional cold soups such as 'ajoblanco' with grapes and 'gazpacho'.
Málaga has something to offer everyone - so contact us now for special offers on hotel accommodation and guided tours in Málaga capital and this could be your breakfast view!
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