About Málaga

Málaga is the largest city on Southern Spain’s Costa del Sol. It is distinguished by its high-rise hotels and yellow-sand beaches. The Mediterranean port city is also the birthplace of famous Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso. Two massive hilltop citadels, the Alcazaba and the ruins of Gibralfaro, sit as remnants of Moorish rule. The city’s soaring Renaissance cathedral nicknamed La Manquita ("one-armed lady") was curiously built without a second tower. The city offers beaches, hiking, architectural sites, art museums, shopping opportunities and rich cuisine.

Málaga is one of the oldest cities in the world, founded in the 8th century by the Phoenicians. Today, art is everywhere. You can experience exhibits dedicated to glass and crystal, classic cars, contemporary installations, and, of course, the many works of Picasso.

Attractions

Alcazaba de Málaga

Stronghold of the Moorish kings, this ancient Moorish castle was built in the ninth century (and rebuilt in the 11th century) on the ruins of a Roman bastion. Visitors can see some of the remaining towers and the beautiful gardens in the castle's courtyards.

Málaga Cathedral

From the Plaza de la Marina, the Calle Molina Larios leads into the Old Town, which is dominated by this cathedral. With its twin-towered face, this grandiose 16th-century building stands on the site of an earlier mosque and stupefies visitors to this day.

Beaches

Málaga has many beaches, all more beautiful than the next.

Castillo de Gibralfaro

Another medieval Moorish fortress. Abd-al-Rahman III, the Caliph of Cordoba, built the castle in the 10th century on the site of a Phoenician lighthouse. The name is derived from the word "gebel-faro" (Arabic and Greek words that mean "rock of the lighthouse").

La Concepcion Jardin Botanico

Botanical Gardens created in 1855 by the Marquis and Marchioness of Loring. These exquisite grounds are filled with vibrant Mediterranean, tropical, and subtropical flora.

Pablo Ruíz Picasso Foundation Birthplace Museum

A must-see attraction for lovers of modern art, this museum in the Old Town occupies the house where Picasso was born and displays 233 pieces by the artist.

Basílica Nuestra Señora de la Victoria

17th-century Baroque church is one of the most important churches in Málaga. A listed historic monument, the Basilica stands on the site where the Catholic Monarchs pitched a siege of Málaga during the Reconquest.