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Sobre Málaga

Málaga is both a city and a province, and that can sometimes be a little confusing. Málaga city is the provincial capital, while the province itself stretches along a large section of Andalucía’s Mediterranean coast and well inland into the mountains. The Costa del Sol forms its best-known part, but head away from the coast and Málaga can look completely different surprisingly quickly.

It is one of the most mountainous provinces in Spain. Behind the coastal towns, roads climb into hills dotted with white villages, before eventually reaching larger mountain ranges and some very different landscapes further inland. This combination of coast, mountains and generally mild weather is one of the reasons there is so much to do here throughout the year.

MÁLAGA CITY

Málaga city is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. It was founded by the Phoenicians around 2,800 years ago and was later controlled by the Romans and Moors before becoming part of the Kingdom of Castile in 1487.

You don’t have to look very hard to see evidence of that history. The Roman Theatre sits directly below the Alcazaba, while Gibralfaro Castle looks down over both of them from the hill above. Málaga Cathedral is another of the city’s best-known landmarks and is famously missing one of its planned towers, earning it the nickname La Manquita – the one-armed lady.

Málaga is also the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. The Picasso Museum is in the historic centre, not far from the house where he was born in Plaza de la Merced. In recent years the city has developed a much bigger reputation for art and culture, with the Centre Pompidou Málaga, Museo Carmen Thyssen and numerous smaller galleries adding to the mix.

BEYOND THE COSTA DEL SOL

There is much more to Málaga province than its coastal resorts. Head inland and you will find traditional white villages, olive groves, vineyards, forests and mountains.

Ronda is probably the best-known inland destination. The town sits dramatically above the Tajo gorge, crossed by the famous Puente Nuevo. It is one of those places where photographs don’t really prepare you for the scale of it.

Antequera sits closer to the geographical centre of Andalucía and has an extraordinary collection of prehistoric dolmens. Together with the nearby El Torcal limestone landscape, they form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. El Torcal itself is worth visiting even if geology isn’t normally your thing. Millions of years of erosion have left behind some very strange rock formations.

Nerja, at the eastern end of the province, is known for the Balcón de Europa and its coastline, but the nearby Cueva de Nerja is arguably even more impressive. The enormous cave system was discovered in 1959 and contains archaeological evidence stretching back thousands of years.

Frigiliana, just inland from Nerja, is one of Málaga’s best-known white villages. Its steep streets, whitewashed houses and Moorish-influenced old quarter make it very different from the larger resorts along the coast.

MOUNTAINS, VILLAGES AND THE CAMINITO DEL REY

The mountains behind the coast are much closer than they sometimes appear. There are numerous walking routes throughout the province, ranging from relatively gentle countryside walks to some considerably more challenging options.

The best known is probably the Caminito del Rey, a walkway attached to the walls of the Gaitanes Gorge. The original path became infamous for being one of the world’s most dangerous walks, but it was completely rebuilt and reopened in 2015. The modern route is much safer, although if you don’t like heights, looking down through sections of the boardwalk may still get your attention!

The province is also scattered with smaller towns and villages that are easily missed if you spend your entire holiday beside the sea. Places such as Mijas Pueblo, Casares and Gaucín give you a very different view of southern Spain, with narrow streets, traditional houses and some spectacular views back towards the Mediterranean.

A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG THE COAST

The Costa del Sol stretches for roughly 150km, so Benalmádena and Torremolinos are only a small part of it. Fuengirola, Mijas Costa, Marbella and Estepona continue west towards the border with Cádiz province, while Málaga city, Rincón de la Victoria and Nerja lie to the east.

The character changes as you travel along it. There are large resorts and marinas, but also fishing neighbourhoods, quieter beaches, protected natural areas and towns that still have very active local communities away from tourism.

And because the mountains often sit only a few kilometres behind the Mediterranean, you don’t have to travel particularly far to find somewhere that feels completely different.