Travel News Sept/Oct 2022


72 HOURS IN MALAGA 67


AN ARTIST AND A MASKED VIGILANTE


BY KIRSTY JOHNSTON kirsty@nitravelnews.com


AFTER an early morning flight to Malaga City Airport we arrived bright-eyed and bushy tailed in the bustling city of Malaga. Now everyone knows Malaga… or at least they think


they do – I thought I did, oh but I was so wrong. It’s not all sunburned tourists and cheap sangria, Malaga has class, Malaga has style, Malaga has… Antonio Banderas. Yes that’s right, Mister Zorro himself hails from this picturesque coastal city, but I’m getting side tracked, the main man in Malaga is the grandfather of cubism, Picasso, or to give him his full name, Senor Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (isn’t that a mouthful!) – let’s just stick with Picasso. From the museum housing a collection of his greatest


works, to the house where he was born, the neighbourhood he grew up in and the very church where he was baptised, Picasso certainly left his mark on Malaga. After a quick check in at the four-star


Tryp Hotel we headed off to explore the 19th century La Concepcion Gardens. One of Malaga’s best kept secrets, this exotic botanical gardens consists of 25,000 sq. km of beautifully landscaped gardens with over 3,000 species of plant set among fountains, streams and shady walkways – spend a few hours immersed in the beauty of the exotic flora and you’ll feel like you’ve found the key to the secret garden. Lunch was at the Gibralfaro Casle, a Parador situated on Malaga’s main top hill in the old quarter of the city, which boasts some fantastic views across the city – although half way through lunch the mist rolled down from the hills and within minutes we couldn’t see the city anymore, it was as if we were having lunch on a cloud – beautiful! After lunch we headed back to the hotel for some rest and relaxation, but after learning that the hotel was actually on top of a shopping mall, I skipped the r & r in favour of some retail therapy! Shopping sure works up the appetite so it was off to El


Pimpi, a traditional Andalusian Bodgea, for some delicious traditional Spanish tapas - ladies, this is where the lovely Antonio Banderas comes in. Now unfortunately Antonio himself couldn’t make it, but he sure left his mark on the place – as well as the obligatory photograph, the restaurant gets all its famous visitors to sign one of the massive wine casks the line the walls! The next day was devoted to tracing the life of ground- breaking artist and infamous womaniser Pablo Picasso. The first stop on the Picassian walking route was Malaga’s Picasso Museum, which houses over 200 works of his art,


between paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics and etchings – from his academic beginnings to his final paintings in the 1970’s. Next we popped into Santiago’s Church, where Picasso was baptised. The church itself is built on a former mosque – it is Malaga’s oldest church, having been founded on July 25, 1490. Picasso’s birthplace was next on our list of stops. The


house itself is now a small museum housing original works by both Picasso and his father. Picasso was born and lived in the house for the first years of his life, in fact the pigeons, which feature in his early drawings, were most likely painted while sitting in the neat square opposite the house. We rounded off the afternoon with a visit to the Malaga


Wine Museum to toast the great man himself with some typical Malaga wine, before a quick lunch at the Restaurante Espartero. After lunch we headed off for a guided visit to the Cathedral, which was erected on the site where the city’s main mosque had stood during the eight centuries of Muslim authority in the country. One of the Cathedral’s most outstanding features are the choir stalls - with 42 sculptures and over 4,000 pipes, the two magnificent organs stand as testament of the rare quality and beauty of 18th century craftsmanship. Just enough time (and energy) left for


a visit to the Roman Theatre and the Arabian fortresses La Alcazaba. The Roman theatre is situated at the foot of the Alcazaba – built in the times of Augustus, the theatre was used until the third century. Built mostly in the 11th century, the impressive Alcazaba was the palace-fortress of the city’s governing Muslims. It was built on the summit of a hill and adapted to the relief.


After a good nights sleep and a


hearty breakfast of churros – long, deep-fried donuts with hot chocolate of coffee to dip – at Sabora we headed


off to the Interactive Music Museum. Housing one of the most comprehensive private collections in Europe, with over 300 instruments from different periods, countries and civilisations, the MIMMA is an extremely interactive museum – kids of all ages (including the young at heart) will enjoy getting to grips with some truly fascinating and unique instruments in the interactive displays! There was just enough time left for a visit to the Contemporary Art Centre – situated in the heart of the city, in a former Wholesalers Market, the centre was designed to encourage reflection on modern art – before a sumptuous lunch of tapas and paella at a traditional Chiringuito. With a few hours to spare before the flight back to Belfast,


I hopped on the City Sightseeing Bus – run by the same company who tour the big red bus around Belfast – and enjoyed the city tour not once… but twice – yes, it really was


The Capital of the Costa Del Sol is Reinventing Itself


BEYOND its 16 sunny beaches, the city of Malaga, is reinventing itself. Nestled on the shores of the Mediterranean, the capital of the Costa del Sol has a fascinating cultural side - and the birthplace of Pablo Picasso has reinvented itself in recent years, introducing museums for all tastes. If you take the combination of sea and


culture and add a lively atmosphere, plenty of tapas served in its bars, fashionable neighbourhoods like Soho, areas such as the port that have been transformed to offer a more modern image, and monuments with centuries of history, the result is an exciting city everyone would want to discover. Because if everyone says that Malaga is prettier than ever then it must be true.


A journey in time Malaga is a city full of historical spots such


as the Alcazaba, one of the largest Moorish fortresses in Andalusia, or Gibralfaro Castle, which offers the best views over the city. At the foot of the castle there is a Roman theatre and an old town to stroll around. Its streets offer attractions such as the Atarazanas Market to have a vermouth, and monuments like the Cathedral, known as ‘La Manquita’ (one- armed), due to its unfinished right tower. You can’t miss visiting its roof; a unique experience. Here in the city of Picasso, you can visit the excellent Picasso Museum in the centre, and the home where he was born. But Malaga doesn’t only live on its


past. In recent years it has inaugurated the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the only Pompidou Centre outside France -its coloured cubes have become an icon- or the Saint Petersburg Russian Museum Collection. But anyone looking for a more underground culture simply must visit the Centre for Contemporary Art, the urban art on the city’s buildings or the alternative establishments in Soho.


Essence of Malaga Several things make Malaga a unique


place. To start, beyond its monuments, a sunny day spent on the legendary La Malagueta urban beach is a must. Anyone who wants to delve into traditional flavours should visit the seaside neighbourhood of Pedregalejo and try the typical grilled sardines on skewers. Back to La Malagueta, nearby you can


find Muelle 1, a port promenade full of shops and restaurants that is perfect for a sunset stroll to La Farola, a lighthouse that is a symbol of the city. Another emblem of Malaga? Without


a doubt its pedestrian street Marqués de Larios, a busy thoroughfare decorated with flowers and which you must visit at least once on a trip to Malaga. At night, this area and its nearby streets become the perfect spot for tapas at establishments that have become an institution, such as Bodega El Pimpi; and for trying the ajoblanco chilled garlic soup. Malaga is also known for its Film Festival, its Holy Week, its innovative restaurants... But above all, Malaga is joy. And it’s catching.


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