Book a hotel on the Costa Del Sol, Malaga

Shadowed by the Muslim heritage site la Alcazaba, Málaga welcomes you with its recently expanded airport. Málaga is growing quickly and is adapting to modern society with the new infrastructure and modern metro that will open partly at the end of 2011. Málaga portrays sweet red wine, flamenco, Picasso, beaches, tapas and shopping mixed with the southern Spanish relaxed attitude. Local holidays are many and any excuse is good for celebrations. The Malagueños love their annual Málaga Fair, an important event in August in the local calendar. The Easter processions during Semana Santa are another tourist must-see. Find the authentic Spanish city life in the charming culture filled city of Málaga, or contrast it with a taste of the fancy jet-set life in exclusive Marbella.

Tourists have chosen Costa del Sol since Spain opened it market to the international visitors in The Sixties. The beaches and the sunny weather made Torremolinos and Benalmádena the places to spend the holidays. Famous people from all over the world started choosing Marbella for their second residency.

Today, the contrasts are huge between the tourist areas of Marbella, Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Torremolinos and the Spanish city life in Málaga. In the same order as Granada, Málaga is an important university city, which keeps (more...) prices down in the city while they are much higher in the touristic areas. Get into the friendly and relaxed city atmosphere, and don’t be surprised if some of the local people want to have a chat with you on the bus or in the street.

The culture city of Malaga offers a great selection of museums. In the Plaza de la Merced you will find the house where the cubist painter Picasso was borne. The house is actually a museum exposing work from the artist. Picasso is also present in the Museo Picasso within walking distance from the Plaza de la Merced. The Museo del Patrimonio Municipal de Malaga, in La Malagueta holds art from the patrimonial collection and CAC Málaga, in the city center, is the museum of modern contemporary art.

If Granada has its Alhambra, Málaga has its Alcazaba, a remaining fortress from the Muslim invasion. After visiting the fortress, enjoy a coffee or a Moorish tea in la plaza de la Merced, one of the most important city squares. Sit in one of the many terraces and take in some of the sunshine during the day or come here for drinks at night. Visit also the popular Botanical Gardens in the North part of the city. This is one of the most beautiful and important tropical gardens in Spain, known for its magnificent collection of archaeological remains on display in the Loring Museum.

Pescadito frito, gazpacho and porra antequerana are some of the typical Andalucian dishes. Drive up to the Montes de Málaga and have a barbeque in an exciting surrounding where Spanish families get together on Sundays. Also a must is a visit to the white village of Mijas pueblo. Rent a car or experience a thrilling bus ride on the narrow roads up the mountain.

Nueva Andalucía and Puerto Banús is where to find glamorous jet-set life, shining yatches and exclusive restaurants. This is an area chosen by the famous like Sean Connery, Antonio Banderas and David Beckham. Marbella has also had a strong connection with King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who built a huge palace and a mosque along the Golden Mile.

Filled with small cafés and bares, the quality of life is high in Málaga. Experience the summer breeze while having a café in one of the beach restaurants, chiringuitos along the coast. Some are even held open as small discotheques, where the relaxing surf inspired atmosphere allows party interested people go out wearing only flip flops! Order a cold San Miguel at the back of the chiringuitos to mingle in the sand. Beach parties are held in Marbella and Málaga during the whole of the summer, with an endless amusement options.

A curiosity is that in Málaga a coffee with milk is not only a coffee with milk but also a manchado, nube, sombra, mitad or cortado. Jose Prado, the owner of the historical Café Central in la plaza de la Constitución, invented this particular ways of defining a coffee, in way and the function of how much milk got added to it.

A pleasant Mediterranean climate all-year- round, brings the sun to Malaga for the greater part of the year. The combination of the coastline and the mountainous terrain guarantee mild winters and dry, hot summers. Good quality sunshades and high sun cream is a must visiting one of the most authentic Andalucían cities in the southern tip of Spain.

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