Malaga is the gateway to the beaches on the Costa del Sol. Most just pass it by on their quest for some fun in the sun. Or because Malaga doesn’t have a monumental Moorish palace like Seville or Granada, it again gets skipped. But that’s a real shame because what Malaga has to offer is what most other cities could only dream of.
Where else can you find such a clean old town with so many chic 19th century buildings in immaculate condition in a largely pedestrian-only zone? The streets themselves literally sparkle in the sunlight since they are paved with all different kinds of marble, much of it quarried locally in Spain.
Malaga’s economy boomed when it became the first city in Spain to enter the industrial age. This prosperity helped reshape the old town splendor that we see today. Barcelona may have had Gaudi, but Malaga had the Strachan dynasty of father and son architects. They helped to reform and build some of the city’s most important buildings, including the Calle Larios (Larios Street), one of Spain’s grandest avenues.
Today the old town is alive and packed full of restaurants, bars, shops, museums and churches. But there is more to Malaga than just its old town. There are Moorish fortresses (Alcazaba & Gibralfaro castle), a Roman amphitheater and a newly opened port area. Oh yeah, and there are beaches too!
* Interesting Fact: Malaga has two very famous sons – the actor Antonio Banderas & artist Pablo Picasso. Despite Picasso having only lived his first 10 years in the city, there are two museums dedicated to him.
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