Malaga snapshot

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Travel planning

All too often when people think about Malaga they merely see it as the gateway to the Costa Del Sol with its promise of glorious beaches, lively towns and cities with numerous bars and clubs and of course, resplendent sunshine. This is a popular reason why so many people take cheap flights to Malaga.

However, there is plenty to discover in Malaga too. As holiday all-rounders go this city ticks all the boxes. For culture and history enthusiasts there is a veritable network of museums and ancient buildings to enjoy; led impressively by the Museo Picasso Malaga and the old Moorish fort.

For fun seekers, the nearby beaches at Torremolinos, Marbella and Nerja offer the ideal place to catch some rays or hit the sea for some watersports. Then there is the restaurant culture to indulge in – famed for its seafood offering. All of this is available with cheap flights to Malaga from Jet2.com

City attractions

Hop on to an open-topped bus tour to get an idea of Malaga’s attractions – they leave the bus station every 30 minutes. The Alcazaba can be seen from most points in the city.

To its left is the recently refurbished Roman Theatre, which was only unearthed in 1951. The citadel is also Roman in origin but the main structures were built by the Moors soon after their conquest of the area in the 8th Century.

Above the Alcazaba is the Gibralfaro Castle, a steep 250m climb up through gardens, towers and ramparts – there is a bus (#35) as an alternative. The castle has been restored recently and has an excellent museum.

Elegant mansions

The cathedral is a curious affair. It’s still unfinished, despite work starting 400 years ago – the money intended for the tower on the west front went to support the Americans in their War of Independence.

Just around the corner is the Museo Picasso Malaga housed in the elegant mansion of the Counts of Buenavista. It displays over 200 hundred of the artist’s works and also has temporary displays lent by other museums. Picasso was born only a few hundred metres away from the museum although he wasn't fond of his home city.

Famed for seafood

Malaga is famed for its seafood – the fried fish is said to be the best in Spain - and the sweet Malaga wine made from Muscatel grapes and served from massive barrels. There are many tapas bars while most of the night-life is near to the Cathedral and around the bullring in Malagueta.

The beaches of the Costa del Sol are nearby including Torremolinos, and the more attractive Marbella and Nerja while trips to Ronda across a virtually desert landscape and the magnificent limestone gorge near El Chorro to the north are worth considering. The climate is typically Mediterranean with hot dry summers and warm, wet winters.

• Visit Costa del Sol- Website for Malaga and the Costa del Sol