Málaga...
is the capital city of the Costa del Sol, founded by the Phoenicians as a colony some 3000 years ago and conquered, at varying intervals, by the Romans, the Carthaginians and the Moors. A city of some 600,000 inhabitants, it is a busy port, an industrial centre for the South of Spain and the gateway to one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world.

It is a bustling little city; a labyrinth of narrow streets, shops, coffee bars and historic buildings and due to the Spanish lack of street maps it can be a bit of an adventure negotiating your way through.

The old and the new meet on Calle Larios, Plaza de la Constitución and Calle Granada, which form the backbone of the shopping area and the thriving nightlife. The narrow side streets form a confusing maze of alleys crammed with tapas bars and bodegas - old fashioned wine shops brimming with casks including the local sweet wine which is similar to Port. At weekends the area is full of young people going out to enjoy the thriving nightlife in one of the cities many bars, bar de copas (wine bars), or nightclubs. Locals often do not go out until midnight and will continue until morning light, catching some breakfast on their way home.

The best way to see Málaga is definitely on foot, and a good place to start would be the Paseo del Parque. The route from the Fuente de las Tres Gracias brings us down to the Casona del Parque, the present home of the Town Hall, and the Palacio de la Aduana -from there head up to the Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro Castle.

The Paseo del Parque is a large avenue that runs between the port and the old quarter of the city; its sides lined with gardens it provides ample shade from the heat of the day. It is popular with locals for just sitting in the afternoon and watching the world go by whilst breathing in the perfume of the jasmine which arches over the paths around the gardens.

Behind the Paseo del Parque lies Málaga's famous Cathedral, locally named La Manquita - which means "the little one armed lady". Its styles incorporate Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-classical because of the length of time it took to build. The Cathedral has only one tower; building was halted on the second tower due to lack of money. Inside there are fine carvings of saints in the choir area, a gothic altar and a statue of the Virgin Mary, which was presented to the city by Ferdinand and Isabella (the King and Queen) after the city was re-captured from the Moors.

Some five minutes walk from the Cathedral is Alcazaba, a 15th Century Moorish fort. The fort rambles across a hill which used to form part of the shore line, before the land that now forms the port was recaptured from the sea. Next to the fort is a 1st Century Roman Theatre which is currently under restoration, the job being made all the more difficult because much of the theatre's masonry was used by the Moors in the construction of Alcazaba.

At the Plaza de la Merced find the house in which Málaga's greatest son, Pablo Picasso, was born. Palacio de Buenavista is nearby and has been converted into the beautiful Picasso Museum.

The Gibralfaro is a Moorish castle crowning the top of a hill that overlooks the city. The name comes from the Moorish ‘Jebel' meaning hill and ‘Faro' meaning lighthouse. The road that leads to the top is long and winding; if you feel like walking it will certainly help keep you fit, otherwise there are buses that run from the town centre or you can take one of Málaga's abundance of taxis. Once at the summit you will have a superb vista of the City including the Bullring, the Port and the beaches surrounding the city. The castle is today converted into a beautiful Parador and the gardens are a perfect place to sit and take in the fantastic panoramic views.

At Easter the city comes alive for Semana Santa (Holy Week). The celebrations are some of the largest in Spain and draw visitors from all over Spain and abroad, often to the extent that the city's population swells to nearly double in size.

The Summer Fair (Málaga Feria) is the city's other major annual event. Held every August it is claimed to be the second largest fair in Europe. For one week city folk and visitors celebrate in traditional Andalusian style with processions, music and dancing. There is plenty to eat and drink and the streets are full of people enjoying the celebrations.

Málaga has no shortage of places to eat and drink, and, though it's hardly a gourmet paradise, the city has a justified reputation for its seafood; its greatest claim to fame being undoubtedly its fried fish ,acknowledged as the best in Spain. You'll find many fish restaurants grouped around the Alameda, although for some of the very best you need to head out to the suburbs of Pedregalejo and El Palo.

The city's position, well east of the airport, and inside the ring road that carries traffic around it, means that most visitors to the Costa del Sol rarely visit the heart of Málaga itself. All this may be about to change as the city has embarked on a costly face-lift, with plans to create hotel-lined promenades along the beaches to the east and west of the centre. Away from the seafront glitz, however, it's to be hoped that the city's unique and vibrant character will survive the development unscathed.

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