The Costa del Sol where Malaga is found, is one the places in Spain where you find so much history in such a small space. And it does not matter in what direction you travel, you are going to come across ruins and all kinds of traces that take you hundreds of years back in time. But the best part is that you are not only going to find culture during the day but also the real up to date culture of the thrilling night life that this Mediterranean city can offer nowadays.
Tourist Stroll around Malaga El Alcazaba is one of the most important monuments to see here. It was the palace of the kings starting in the 11th c. surrounded by beautiful gardens filled with fountains which lead to an old Roman Amphitheatre. Today it is used as the Provincial Archaeological Museum which houses interesting pieces from the Palaeolithic times and other Mediterranean cultures. The Cathedral was founded by the Catholic Kings building it over what used to be a mosque. It took from 1528 to 1782 to build and it still has one of towers waiting to be finished.
There are special details like the elegant facade, the main altar which is only lit up by natural light that filters in through the retrochoir and the whittled wooden seating in the choir area. There are various museums to see and of course, other churches to visit but I would recommend a look at Pablo Picasso's home in the Square called Plaza de la Merced. Hunger for Something New in Malaga Spain is one of those places that when you visit it, one of the main attractions or hobbies is eating.
Men and women alike have always taken a very active part in this and in Andalucia and especially in Malaga, being a coastal, the cuisine is just as important and part of the culture as seeing monuments. The food in Malaga is light, healthy and very Mediterranean. What is most outstanding is its fresh fish and seafood together with home-grown vegetables. The weather in the Costa del Sol is usually quite warm all year round and therefore, one of the star dishes here has become cold tomato soup or 'gazpacho'.
There is another one, a little less known internationally which is called 'ajoblanco' ( creamy cold soup made with lots of garlic, olive oil and almonds). A tasty dish is when you order a plate which combines different kinds of white fish with mussels top with parsley sauce and prawns. Of course, the part of this area that touches the mountainous area has delicious meat and cold cuts. There are all kinds of wines, especially sweet ones or some called 'manzanilla' that are used as appetizers. And Malaga is known for its Christmas sweets like polvorones or alfajores. Try it all! Malaga, as all Andalucian cities, is a very happy and friendly one and you can see that in their everyday life but especially at night or when it is close to some special festive day like the Epiphany when they have an outrageous parade or during Easter with their religious ceremonies in the streets or in summer when they have their Flamenco Fair the third week in August.
But you do not have to wait for these special dates to feel the real Andalucian spirit. In the old fishermen's neighbourhood there is a fantastic boardwalk with an endless list of good restaurants and pubs and just walking along the street you can here the locals singing their typical flamenco songs, all in Malaga. .
By: Clinton Maxwell
