MÁLAGA might not make the best first impression. It’s the second city of the south (after Seville), with a population of half a million, and one of the poorest – around one in four are unemployed. The high-rises on the outskirts don’t help much either. But don’t write it off. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find a city packed with character, grit, and some of the most rewarding things to do in Málaga, from Moorish fortresses to street art and beachside eats.
The elegant central zone is now largely pedestrianized with the focal and marble-paved Calle Marqués de Larios – lined with fashionable stores – its most elegant thoroughfare. This leads into the Plaza de la Constitución, the city’s main square, with a monumental fountain flanked by slender palms, and the terraces of numerous cafés and restaurants.
The centre has several interesting churches and museums, not to mention the birthplace of Picasso and the Museo Picasso Málaga, housing an important collection of works by Málaga’s most famous son. Perched on the hill above the town are the formidable citadels of the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro, magnificent vestiges of the seven centuries that the Moors held sway here. The city authorities hope that a revamped seafront and cleaned-up coastline will make the city attractive as a beach resort and have encouraged new hotels, restaurants and bars along the promenades east and west of the centre, giving a Málaga weekend getaway an easy mix of culture, history and coast.
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Málaga is also renowned for its fish and seafood, which can be sampled at tapas bars and restaurants throughout the city, as well as at the old fishing villages of El Palo and Pedregalejo, now absorbed into the suburbs. Here, a seafront paseo lined with some of the best marisquerías and chiringuitos, or beachside fish restaurants, in the province can add an easy coastal food stop to a Spain trip.
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