Let me start this post off by telling you how B E A U T I F U L Malaga is. Situated on the “Costa del Sol” (Coast of the Sun) as it has become known – is one of the most famous stretches of sea and sand in the world. The Playa Malagueta is the closest of them all and is reached by just a 10-minute walk along the promenade at the end of Málaga’s port. Loaded with history and brimming with a youthful vigor, the city proudly boasts its past, the city that gave the world Picasso has transformed into a polished metropolitan city of yellow sand beaches and marble lined streets. With half a dozen new art galleries, a sparkling new port area and a nascent art district called Soho, Malaga is the new hot spot of Spain.
M A L A G A
As mentioned earlier, Malaga is a city deeply rooted in history which spans about 2,800 years back -making it one of the oldest cities in the world. I also consider it to be one of the most underrated cities in the whole country. Travelers who don’t stop here will miss out on the chic cafes, trendy boutiques and excellent wine bars that pop out on every corner of the small cobble-stoned streets. It makes it so alluring to just stroll around and hear the friendly chatter and street music all day. The beach and the city are made for taking it easy & sinking into the atmosphere – experiencing Spain as the Spanish people do. Speaking of the locals, the people here are very warm and welcoming. Hardly anybody actually speaks English, but you can still get by here on the little Spanish you may know. You don’t understand how much I miss this place – the food, the friends, the history, & the siestas!
T H E A L C A Z A B A O F M A L A G A
This fortress palace, whose name in Arabic means citadel, is one of the city’s historical monuments and is much visited because of its history and beauty. Every week I would walk about 15 minutes to the path leading to the fortress, and a hike it was! Climbing my way up a very steep incline and many sets of steps this workout soon became part of my fitness routine. My fondest memories here are packing up some tobacco, wraps, & beer and heading to the top of the hill to catch the day’s sunset. The sunsets were a phenomenal view, watching the light cascade over a golden painted city. From here you can see many of the cathedrals, museums, the bull fighting ring, the marina & the port!
T H E R O MA N T H E A T R E
Málaga’s Roman Theatre is one of the remaining symbols of Roman Hispania in the city. Built in the time of Augustus in the 1st century AD, it was in use until the 3rd century. Much of its construction material such as stones, columns and carved stones were later used for building the Alcazaba. The theatre has also been returned to its original use and different types of shows take place inside.
M U S E O P I C A S S O M A L A G A
Devoted to the most influential artist of the 20th century in his home city. Visting the Museum was one of my first on my bucket list. As an Art Major, Pablo picasso has been a influential artist to myself and many other students I worked with. The muesum has over 285 works donated by family and relatives. My favories of the gallery were the paintings from his Blue Period and Painting the Golden Age.
O L D T O W N
For me, to really understand the soul of the city I would to wander around the beautiful Old Town and admire the stunning architecture. Shop for fruits, cheese, and treats in the Ataranzas Market. I enjoyed lots of Sangria & Mojito’s in the local restaurants here and along the main strip of El Centro, where the night life comes alive around 2am. Our favorite gathering spot quickly became Monkey Bar-a small dive bar featuring over 100 shot combinations. Many nights were spent stumbling our way home through the gardens and beach- just barley making it home in time for 6am breakfast before class. #thestrugglewasreal.
L A M A L A G U E T A
La Malagueta is actually the name for the bullring at Málaga. The bull ring has been a major cultrual asset of Spain since the late 1800’s. It is located in the eastern district of Málaga, alongside the Paseo de Reding right where my home was! I couldn’t muster up the confidence to go to a bull fight – it’s one thing to experience a cultural tradition, but I couldn’t justify seeing the animals get hurt! If you can handle that kind of thing then I suggest you go check it out. Otherwise, the bullring hosts plenty of concerts and events between the fights.
E A T S + D R I N K S
Right next to Central Market – 100 Montaditos is located in the heart of El Centro. Every Wednesday or Sunday we would visit this restaurant for their special of 1 Euro Montaditos ( tapa-sized rolls of bread with your choice of filling) & 1 Euro cerveza (beer) special. It was always packed as it was the locals favorite spot too. The beer & sangria were both delicious and cheap, and if you could snag a table out side you may get the chance to be entertained by local street artists.
El Tapy – “Free tapas with your drink” -El Tapy offers local food at local prices and the best thing here is that you’ll get a free tapa with every drink you order. The menu is not the most ingenious and creative that you’ll find in Malaga, but if you’re feeling hungry and want to eat on a really tight budget, El Tapy will do just the trick. Open for lunch and dinner and located in the centre near the Picasso Museum, you can combine El Tapy with a sightseeing day or a night time excursion to bars and clubs.
Here is more of my gallery of pictures from Malaga!
great blog full of information. I will be in Malaga next week, so look forward to explore places there:)
Thank you so much! Malaga is a beautiful place, you will have an amazing time!