Malaga See and Do

There is so much to see and do in Malaga © Michelle Chaplow
There is so much to see and do in Malaga

Malaga - Things to See

Main sights in Malaga city centre include the cathedral and several churches, each with its own distinctive style. Malaga is  now a city of over 30  museums headlined by the Picasso Museum and  the Carmen Thyssen Museum. These are all located within a small walkable area.  Monuments, include the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro with their fantastic views of the town and bay as well as the Roman Theatre.

 

Spain's celebrated painter, Pablo Picasso was born in 1881 in the corner house of an elegant yellow-toned block on Plaza de la Merced. His birthplace was declared a historic-artistic monument in 1983 and in 1991 it became the headquarters of the Picasso Foundation, not to be confused with the nearby Picasso Museum. The centre has been created to foster cultural activities including the promotion of contemporary art with a special emphasis on Picasso himself. Read the plaques on the buildings as you walk down Calle Granada.

A short walk up from the Plaza de Aduana are the solid fortified walls of La Alcazaba, a major landmark of the city. This fortress dates back to the 700s, although much of the structure belongs to the mid 11th century. The entrance is through the gateway known as the Puerta del Cristo (Christ's Door), where the first mass was celebrated following the Christian victory over the town. This pathway leads up through attractive landscaped gardens punctuated with bubbling fountains, carrying on through the gateways of Puerta de las Columnas, Arco del Cristo and Arcos de Granada. Several terraces offer magnificent views of the town and harbour. A small palace within the inner perimeter is now the home to a Archaeological Museum. 

There is a road and steep path from Plaza de Aduana that leads to Gibralfaro castle which crowns the Gibralfaro Hill. The Alcazaba and Gibralfaro are not connected internally. 

Just by the entrance to the Alcazaba are the ruins of a second century  Roman Theatre. Entrance is free through the Centro de Interpretacion.

Almost opposite the bullring, on the Avenida de Pries, is the entrance to the English Cemetery. A Protestant burial ground since 1830, the terraced hillside contains the graves of more than 1000 people and is a fascinating place to visit, especially for lovers of social history.

Málaga's colorful market, the Mercado de Atarazanas, is one of the most appealing in all Andalucía. The stalls sell fresh fish, meat, spices, deli items, fruits and vegetables; the latter according to what is in season. The typical 19th-century iron structure also incorporates the original Puerta de Atarazanas, the exquisitely crafted 14th-century Moorish gate than once connected the city with the port. Walking into the market through this arch you will be equally impressed by the magnificent stained glass windows.

The Palacio Episcopal (Bishop's Palace), which faces the cathedral's main entrance, has one of the most stunning facades in the city and makes an evocative setting for temporary art and sculpture exhibits. The gardens nearby are a photographers delight.

Malaga - Things To Do

 
 
 

Malaga Exhibitions

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