mAlaga

From Nerja to Manilva, this Spanish province on the Mediterranean is distinguished by its wonderful climate and first class facilities, making it an attraction for tourists from all over the world.

Thanks to its gentle climate, with 320 days of sun a year, this stretch of Mediterranean coast in southern Andalusia has for years been an ideal holiday spot. Apart from its broad beaches, there are magnificent tourist facilities, and the hotels and restaurants - as well as sporting installations and entertainment spots - are continually being improved. The capital, Malaga, was first a Phoenician colony and later came under the control of the Greeks, Carthaginians, Visigoths, Arabs and Christians.

Today it is a maritime city rich in culture, some of whose remains are on view at the Archeological Museum. The friendly people and wonderful climate also encourage a stroll through the old walls and the remains of the Muslim palaces of the Alcazaba fortress; through its gardens next to the sea - they are adorned with palm and orange trees and jacaranda - and on to discover the house where Picasso was born, there on the wide, lively Plaza de la Merced. Or take in the view of the city from the top of the Gibralfaro Castle.

Places of Interest in Malaga

Of course the great beaches of nearby Costa del Sol are what have made Malaga one of the most visited regions of Spain. But this town has more to offer than just seaside and sunshine!

Malaga's-old-town is charming, with narrow streets that still have a Moorish air, Baroque facades and little squares, and the hidden corners that preserve a nineteenth century air. There is plenty to see in both the old part of the city and in its more populated neighborhoods, next to the port or the beach at El Palo.

Malaga was founded already by Phoenicians, and was of great importance in the Moorish epoch. Highly interesting historical remains are left as well in the town itself as in all the province. Add to that beautiful landscapes and picturesque villages, and perhaps you will know what for to come here...

The Alcazaba

The kings' palace, Alcazaba, which was built starting in 11th century, is Malaga's most important building of the Moorish epoch. In its interior you may visit the very interesting Archaeological Museum.

Worth visiting are as well the beautiful gardens with several fountains, and the rests of a Roman theater.

Very close to it there is the Castillo de Gibralfaro. Originally it was palace built probably by Phoenicians, but in 14th century Moorish Caliph Yasuf I had built over it the fortress which is conserved until today. Two of its towers are connected by ducts with the Alcazaba.

The Cathedral

After conquering Malaga from the Moors, the Catholic Kings ordered in 1528 to build a cathedral over the original mosque. Construction was not finished until 1728, and the façade is mainly of this later period. Among the highlights are the chapels, Capilla Mayor and Capilla del Sagrado Corazon, and the beautiful choir-stalls.

Picasso Museum

Palacio de Buena Vista, Calle San Agustin. New museum with works from all periods in its permanent collection. This museum is very close to the house were Picasso was born, in Plaza de la Merced. For more information on the museum visit www.museopicassomalaga.org

Museum of Popular Art and Customs

Pasillo de Santa Isabel, 10.

Diocesal Museum

Plaza del Obispo, 1. Important collection of religious arts, including works of Nino de Guevara and Pietro Vannuci.

Santuario de la Virgen de la Victoria

Andalusian baroque-style with Mudejar-style influences. Worth visiting are specially the crypt and the tombs of the Counts of Buena Vista.

La Iglesia del Sagrario

Gothic, with interesting reliefs and sculptures. It was built in 1488 over an Arabian mosque.

Casa del Consulado, Palacio de la Aduana and Casa Palacio del Marques de Valdeflores are interesting examples of the architecture of 18th century.

And if you want to relax, you may have a walk through one of the beautiful Mediterranean parks of Malaga: Puerta Oscura, de Picasso, de Pedro Luis Alonso, Parque de Malaga, de la Consula, El Retiro and la Concepcion.

Torremolinos

More than any other Spanish seaside city, this place represents the tourist boom along Malaga's coast. Its name comes from a series of windmills, several of which are still standing though now they are closed in by new buildings and apartment blocks. From the mouth of the Guadalhorce river until the city line with Benalmadena, there are more than eight kilometers of beaches with fine sand, facing southeast and protected from the north winds - which blow cold in winter and hot in summer - by the Sierra de Mijas. This means that the water is some 22 C in summer and doesn't go below 16 C in summer and doesn't go below 16 C even in the middle of winter.

The beaches of Bajondillo and El Lido are wide, with areas for windsurfing and water skiing and filled with beach bars and restaurants. La Carihuela beach is considered the most typical in the Torremolinos area. A narrow path runs along it, linking a string of beach bars, each with its own restaurants and showers. Old fishing boats have been dragged up on the sand alongside these restaurants, and contain the fresh seafood that can be eaten on the spot in comfortable terraces facing the sea. From Torremolinos to Estepona, some 70 kilometres, the road runs parallel to the sea. It's Europe's longest avenue. All along the coast and on the land moving up the hills toward the mountains there are luxury villas and shopping centers.

Nevertheless, there are still many remains of that past which fascinated travelers of the Romantic period: just cross the Paseo Maritimo and the first line of apartment blocks in Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Marbella or Estepona and you're in an old Andalusian village complete with winding streets, whitewashed houses, barred windows and balconies overflowing with geraniums. Benalmadena Costa rivals Torremolinos in beaches, tourist facilities and places for relaxation and entertainment, besides having one of the best yacht basins on the coast and a wide Paseo Maritimo. A few kilometres inland, the old town of white streets conserves its original Arab layout. Read more about Torremolinos, Estepona and Benalmadena by clicking on the links.

Mijas

Hanging like a balcony from the mountain range of the same names, Mijas is one of the best examples of this tourist development. Just a few years ago it was a farming village, but today it is one of Spain's richest towns, with nearly 75,000 residents. It's old town has become a showcase, one of the most popular visiting spots with tourists along this part of the Costa del Sol. Mijas knows how to be picturesque - and also how to conserve and increase that charm. When burros were no longer needed to bring marble and lime from the quarries down to the coast, they were not put out to pasture but converted into "taxis" for the tourist. When, a few years ago, a bullring was built, it was much more original than any circular one: it was square. Also located in Mijas is Byblos Andaluz, hotel-spa notable for its architecture and decor and a welcome resting place where one can enjoy the bounties of therapeutic sea bathing and some excellent sporting facilities, including an 18 hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones.

Fuengirola

On the road to Marbella, has an abundance of beaches along more than six kilometres. It also has its yacht basin and a host of bars and restaurants. But it has a quieter, family air. Read more about Fuengirola.

Marbella

Lovely Marbella has been - and continues to be - the most prestigious spot on the Costa del Sol ever since, half a century ago, Max Hohenlohe, married to woman from a wealthy Malaga family, invited his European friends to his seaside house, which was later transformed by his son Alfonso into the select Marbella Club. Marbella boasts luxury estates, yacht basins, stately residences and villas like palaces. Read more about Marbella by clicking on the link.

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Other provinces in Andalucia