Málaga has reinvented itself in remarkable fashion. Previously, most holidays here entailed a direct transfer from Málaga airport to one of the surrounding resorts on the Costa del Sol – but not anymore.
Today, you can’t turn a corner without finding a museum or art gallery. Among the best are the Museo Picasso Málaga, which houses over 200 works by Spain’s most famous modern creator, and the Centre Pompidou Málaga, a contemporary art museum crowned by a giant, multi-coloured cube.
You can find the Pompidou and other modern attractions at Muelle Uno, an open-air shopping centre and collection of restaurants, next to the Port of Málaga. Do like the Malagueños do and treat yourself to a plate heaped with ‘boquerones’ (fried anchovies), or head to a back-street tapas bar in the centre and fill up on cheese, chorizo and Iberian ham. Then, walk it off with a stroll through the gardens of the Alcazaba – a crumbling Moorish fortress that has stood since the 11th century.
Málaga’s position between the mountains and the sea offers a pleasant microclimate which keeps beaches busy until well after the summer months. Malagueta Beach is the most popular, boasting top facilities and plenty of beachside restaurants.