As the capital of the Costa del Sol, Malaga has a lot to offer tourists, being the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and boasting beautiful landscapes, remarkable architecture, fantastic nightlife and great restaurants. Blessed with sunshine, Malaga is a city of wide boulevards, swaying palm trees, good museums and excellent seafood restaurants.

Getting there
Malaga Airport is located about 8 km southwest of city and 5km north of Torremolinos. It is the third biggest international airport in Spain and has connections to over 60 countries worldwide. Flights are available from most major airports throughout the UK including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and all London airports. Flight times from the UK are approximately 2 ½ hours long.

Climate
Being located on the southern tip of the European mainland, Malaga is blessed with a typical Mediterranean climate. Malaga enjoys an average of 330 days of sun each year with an average temperature of 22°C. The sea temperature, at an average of 18°C rising to 24°C in August, allows visitors to enjoy watersports throughout the year.

Culture
Flamenco personifies the fiery passion, artistry and culture of Andalusia. The roots of flamenco are not completely pinpointed, but it is believed that flamenco is the result of the blending of Moorish, Andalusian and Gypsy cultures. In Malaga, flamenco comes in different forms. There are folk dances that belong to specific towns in the Malaga region: rondeñas, verdiales, jaberas and malagueñas. These are all variations of the fandango until they evolved into what is now known as different kinds of flamenco.

Malaga goes all out in its celebrations and festivals. In February, Malaga comes alive with the Carnival, which is Spain’s answer to the Mardi Gras. During the Semana Santa or Holy Week, Malaga dons a more contemplative and prayerful atmosphere, yet the scene is still full of colour and music. Semana Santa has no fixed date, but may be celebrated either in March or April. The biggest festival in Malaga is held in August, when the city celebrates the Feria de Malaga.

Eating out
As a costal town, one of Malaga’s specialties is fish in all varieties. Fish here tastes so good because it’s always freshly caught. Your visit to Malaga will not be complete if you do not try the all-famous gazpacho, a traditional dish of the Andalusian region. This typical cold vegetable soup is prepared in countless different ways. Also renowned for its tapas bars, Malaga offers visitors some of the tastiest tapas in Spain, with some of the best tapas bars hidden away in the back streets of the city – these are well worth seeking out.

Sightseeing
The Old Town, which contains the vast majority of Malaga’s sights, is bordered to the west by the Río Guadalmedina, south by the port and east by the Castillo de Gibralfaro and Plaza de Toros. To the north the border is regarded as Calle Carreteria, though beyond the Plaza de la Merced there is little of interest with the exception of the Santuario de la Victoria church.

The main east-west axis is along the attractive boulevard of Alameda Principal/Paseo del Parque. The Paseo del Parque is lined with tall palms and botanical gardens.

Attractions

Malaga’s Cathedral

Built in between 1528 and 1782, Malaga’s Cathedral is a popular tourist destination. Influenced by the Baroque styles and the Renaissance, the interior is richly decorated with the 17th century choir stalls of mahogany and cedar wood. Admission cost is €2.50.

The Picasso Home Museum
This was built in 1861 and in 1997 it went through a series of renovations. Classic pieces of Picasso are on display, as well as ceramics and sketches. Admission is free of charge.

Gibralfaro Castle
The Gibralfaro Castle is a Moorish Castle connected to the Alcazaba by a curtain wall. The attraction is mostly known as being the place of the famous siege between the citizens of Malaga and the Catholic Monarchs. The Castle is on the top of a hill, and boasts great scenery of the city and the port. Admission is free of charge.

Casa Natal Museum
The birth place of Picasso is situated in the Plaza de la Merced and is surrounded by the rest of Malaga’s historic attractions. The house was re-opened officially in 1998 to represent the work of Picasso. There is an extensive selection of Picasso’s work and information about his life and family. Furthermore the historic house acts as a Research Centre, in the attempt to gather as many artefacts about the artist as possible. The entrance fee is €1.30.

Golf
Commonly known as Costa del golf, Malaga offers an array of fantastic golf courses, over 40 situated along the Costa del Sol, four of those are ranked in the top ten in Europe.

Excursions
There are many different excursions to choose from including day trips to Gibraltar, and Morocco as well as closer excursions around the Costa del Sol.

Torremolinos
Torremolinos is 12km from Malaga. In the centre of town, Carihuela, formerly a fishermen’s district, you’ll find modern hotels, boutiques, pubs and clubs for every taste.

Benalmadena
The small town of Benalmadena is 29km from Malaga and is an example of one of the region’s romantic fishing villages. The large nearby amusement park is a nice place to visit with the family.

Marbella
Marbella and the nearby Puerto Banús are important beach resorts of the Costa del Sol. The town is famous for being a playground for the rich and famous but is worth visiting fot the
beaches and the nightlife.