It's time to see this Andalucian city as a tourist destination in itself rather than just a transit point, writes DEAGLÁN de BRÉADÚN
MOST IRISH visitors to the Costa del Sol probably see Malaga as little more than a transit point – a Spanish version of Holyhead – on their way to sun spots like Torremolinos, Fuengirola or Marbella. But the Andalucian city is more than an industrial seaport: it offers a range of cultural attractions and you can even go to the beach.
Just as Dublin discovered that James Joyce, due to his greatness as an artist, helps attract tourists to the city, so too with Malaga and Pablo Picasso. Whereas the latter is more often associated with Barcelona and Paris, he was actually born in Malaga in 1881 and the city is busy reclaiming its famous son. His name is everywhere: the city airport and even a driving-school are called after him.
Under the dictatorship of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, Picasso’s works were deemed to be “degenerate art” (Joyce suffered a similar fate in Ireland), but in 2003 the Museo Picasso Malaga opened its doors with a permanent display ranging from his early academic studies to the period before his death in 1973.
The museum is housed in the 16th-century Palacio de Buenavista, amid narrow streets in the historic centre of the city and only minutes away from Picasso’s birthplace, the Casa Natal, another place of pilgrimage for his admirers.
You won't see Guernica(1937) which is in Madrid, but some of the more striking exhibits in the Picasso Museum include Jacqueline Seated(1954), Three Doves(1960), Owl on a Chair(1947) and the miniature Still Life with Guitar on a Circular Table(1922). There are also temporary exhibitions at the museum, such as the summer display of more than 50 Picasso works featuring horses, which is being succeeded by Toys of the Avant-Garde(October to January) featuring puppets, dolls and games created by Picasso and his contemporaries.
After that, it’s only a short walk to the Baroque-style Malaga Cathedral, built during the period 1528-1782 on or near the site of a former mosque. Plans for a second tower fell through due to lack of funds, so the cathedral is known affectionately as La Manquita (“The One-Armed Woman”). There is even a suggestion that the money was diverted to assist colonies gain independence from the British Empire – but not the Spanish one.
Our guide mentioned that some 1,000 dead from the nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 are interred at the cathedral. Malaga was strongly anti-Franco but its defenders were deeply divided in outlook and strategy, and the city was easily taken in an attack launched on February 5th, 1937. There was a mass exodus of more than 100,000 refugees the next day, but this “Caravan of the Dead” was subjected to heavy air attack and naval bombardment, resulting in many casualties.
In the same locality you can also visit the Moorish fortress of Alcazaba (from an Arabic word meaning “citadel”), dating back to 1065. Malaga was a Muslim town from the 8th to the 15th centuries until Christian forces captured the Alcazaba after a 40-day siege in 1487.
The invention of gunpowder made the Alcazaba more vulnerable and necessitated the building of Gibralfaro Castle on a nearby hilltop. In the same area, there is a second-century Roman theatre which is in the process of restoration.
By now you may be ready for something different which is what you will certainly get if you visit the botanical gardens of La Concepcion, 5km to the north of the city. Originally created in 1857 by an artistocratic Anglo-Spanish couple who came up with the idea during a honeymoon tour of Europe that lasted seven months, the gardens were taken over by the city council in 1990 and opened to the public four years later.
The Andalucian landscape is somewhat parched, hence its value as a location for spaghetti westerns such as For a Few Dollars More.The contrast with the four hectares (about 10 acres) of lush vegetation of La Concepcion could not be greater and, in addition to its many exotic flowers, plants and trees, it is the perfect place to get a break from the Spanish sun.
Our guide said a Tarzan movie was made there but whether in the Johnny Weissmuller era or subsequently was unclear. Television commercials for Colombian coffee were also filmed at La Concepcion and there are times when you could be in a rainforest, were it not for the regular signs proclaming Wi-Fi connectivity.
La Concepcion is not the most accessible of places and you may prefer to stay in town and visit the Malaga Wine Museum (Museo del Vino de Malaga) in the 18th-century Palacio de las Biedmas. The wine industry in Malaga goes back 3,000 years and even the Moors circumvented their own law against alcohol by stating that it was “for medicinal purposes”. Now where have we heard that before?
If you want to get in touch with your inner Jeremy Clarkson, there is an automobile museum due to open on September 17th. At an advance preview, the display ranged from 1898 to 1980, including the great brand-names such as Buick, Chrysler, Hispano-Suiza, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Porsche and Bugatti. The Museo del Automóvil is located in the old tobacco factory building of Malaga, the Tabacalera, which is also hosting the new Art Natura museum of precious stones, also due to open its doors shortly.
As in Ireland, the year 2016 has a special significance for Malaga. For us, it is the year we shall mark the centenary of the Easter Rising. The Spanish city, on the other hand, has been campaigning hard to win the title of European Capital of Culture in 2016.
This European Union scheme was initiated back in 1985 by Greek minister of culture and former film star Melina Mercouri with – guess what? – Athens as the first city to be chosen. The title is held for one calendar year: Dublin had it in 1991 and Cork in 2005.
Two cities will share the honour in 2016, one from Spain, the other in Poland. There are 14 other candidates for the Spanish title, including Pamplona, Santander and Zaragoza, and the announcement of the short-list is imminent at time of writing, with the final selection being made next year. The race is on and Malaga has been going all out to win.
Where to stay, where to go, where to eat
Five places to stay
Husa Guadalmedina. Pasillo del Matadero 16, 00-34-95-236-5146, husa.es. Compact, bright and modern four-star hotel a short walk from city centre. Doubles from €76.
Hotel Don Curro. Calle Sancha de Lara 7, 00-34-95-222-7200, hoteldoncurro.com. Generous breakfast on offer in this three-star hotel. Doubles start at €85.
Hotel Sur. Trinidad Grund 13, 00-34-95-222-4803, hotel-sur.com. Basic but comfortable two-star hotel in the city centre, ideal for the budget traveller. Convenient for airport bus from nearby Alameda Principal. Doubles from €55.
Tryp Alameda. Avenida de la Aurora 25, 00-34-95-236-8020. Close to shopping, bus and rail stations. Doubles start at €80.
NH Malaga. Avenida Rio Guadalmedina, 00-34-95-2071323, nh-hotels.com. Free sauna and gym. Standard double room from €75.
Five places to eat
Club Náutico El Candado. Carretera de Almería, El Palo, 00-34-95-220-6346, candadobeach.es. The Malaga jet-set like to adjourn to the stylish Candado beach club after a bullfight. Executive lunch/dinner menu for €35.
Restaurante Bilmore. Calle Cervantes 13, 00-34-952-601709 restaurantebilmore.com. Near La Malagueta beach but popular with locals, always a good sign. Weekday lunch menu €14.50.
Strachan Bar-Restaurant. Strachan 5, 00-34-95-222-7573, strachan.es. Pick a table on the street or in the traditional-style interior. Fish dishes from €9.90, meat from €4.40. Four tapas selections for €7.90.
Bodegas El Pimpi. Calle Granada 62, 00-34-95-222-8990. Atmospheric location with wine barrels signed by local heroes, including film star Antonio Banderas. Beside Picasso Museum and good for light lunch of salad (€3.70-€5.60) and meat/cheese platter (€5.50-€15). Try the ligeritos, small savoury bread-rolls, at €2.20.
Parador Gibralfaro. Castillo de Gibralfaro, 00-34-95-222-1902, paradoresofspain.com. Lunch on the terrace at this hilltop location comes with spectacular views. Try the “Picasso sampling menu” at €40.40 which includes a free ticket to the Picasso Museum.
Five places to go
Picasso Museum. Palacio de Buenavista, Calle San Agustín 8, 00-34-95-212-7600, museo picassomalaga.org. Located in the historic centre of the city, this is a must-see, featuring works from all phases of the master’s lengthy career.
The Alcazaba (below). Calle Alcazabilla, 00-34-95-221-7646. Moorish fortress from the 11th century reflecting Malaga’s Muslim past. Gibralfaro Castle and 2nd-century Roman theatre are nearby.
La Concepcion. Camino del Jardin Botanico 3, 00-34-952-252-148, laconcepcion.malaga.eu. Spectacular botanical gardens 5km north of the city. Not that easy to get to (best take a taxi), but worth the trouble. Closed Mondays.
Wine Museum. Palacio de Biedmas, Plaza de los Viñeros 1, 00-34-95-222-8493, museovinomalaga.com.
Tour costs €5 and includes two wine-tastings, one dry wine and one sweet. Open Monday to Saturday.
Malaga Cathedral. Calle Molina Lario 9, 00-34-952-215-917. Sumptuous in the best traditions of Spanish religious flamboyance, the Catedral de la Encarnacion houses two 18th-century church organs which have more than 4,000 pipes and are still in working condition.
Hot spot
Plaza del Obispo. Liveliest spot for Saturday night fun is the square in front of Malaga Cathedral (only in a Latin country?), with three bars including the local version of Cheers.
Shop spot
Retail therapy can be indulged to the full on Calle Marqués de Larios in the city centre, with the likes of Massimo Dutti, CA, Pull Bear, Aurelio Marcos jewellery and Pinsapo Shoes, and so on all open for business here.
Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) flies to Malaga from Dublin, Cork and Belfast. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Dublin, Cork and Shannon.