What to visit in Malaga, one of the oldest cities in Europe
Andalusia is an oasis of wonderful places to visit and one of them is Malaga, considered one of the oldest cities in Europe and it was founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC.
Since then, Carthaginians, Romans, Germans, Muslims and finally Christians have passed through this Andalusian city, leaving a cultural and monumental wealth that is difficult to surpass.
Here we are going to talk about the main places of interest to visit in Malaga, a city that will surprise you.
The main places to see in Malaga
1. The Citadel
The Alcazaba of Malaga can be considered the main monument to see in Malaga. It was built in the 11th century and is made up of 2 concentric enclosures.
Together with the Gibralfaro Castle, it is the main legacy that the Muslims left in the city.
It is located on the Gibralfaro mountain and its walls are visible from different points of the city. It is even older than the Alhambra and its oldest remains date back to the 11th century.
If you go to Malaga, you must visit the Alcazaba, its palace and its gardens.
2. Gibralfaro Castle
From the Gibralfaro Castle, located very close to the Alcazaba, you have great views of the city, in fact, the most famous views that you can find almost anywhere that talks about this city.
Gifralfaro Castle, for its part, was built in the 14th century after the extension of a fortress that had been built on Phoenician ruins.
After the conquest of Malaga by the Catholic Monarchs, it became their residence. Do not miss the Interpretation Center that is located there. Another of the essential places to see in Malaga.
3. Malaga Cathedral
As usual in this area of Spain, the Cathedral of Malaga was built on the old Mosque of the city and in it we can highlight its towers, one of them unfinished, its choir stalls and its organ from the 18th century.
Precisely because of the existence of an unfinished tower, it is known among the people of Malaga as La Manquita. Next to the Cathedral of Malaga we find another very important building, the Episcopal Palace, of great architectural beauty.
Its construction was commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs in a Gothic style, although it also has Renaissance and Baroque influences. Inside you should not miss the choir or its chapels, especially that of the Encarnación, which gives its name to the Cathedral.
4. Calle Larios and the Old Town of Malaga
The old town of Malaga is one of those special places in Malaga where you can enjoy its bars and tapas, its shops or simply stroll through them.
The main street in this historic center is Calle Larios, built at the end of the 19th century to connect the Plaza Mayor with the Port of Malaga.
In it we can admire unique buildings in Andalusia and it owes its name to the Marquis of Larios (not to the gin) and it is the main shopping street in the city.
Near Calle Larios we find the two main squares of Malaga, Plaza de la Merced and Plaza de la Constitución (the old Plaza Mayor).
La de la Constitución is the end of Calle Larios and stands out for its beautiful fountain with sirens and the newspaper covers on the ground that reflect the approval of the 1978 Constitution.
La Merced stands out above all for housing the birthplace of Picasso, headquarters of the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Foundation.
We cannot forget Granada and Alcazabilla streets in the historic center, two very typical streets of Malaga. In addition, Calle Alcazabilla allows you to go through the entire history of the city in just a few meters, as it takes you from the oldest monuments to the most modern.
5. The Picasso Museum
The building that houses the excellent Picasso Museum is the Palacio de Buenavista, a brilliant 16th-century construction declared a National Monument.
In this museum we can find more than 200 works of art including sculptures, engravings, ceramics and of course painting, the strong point of Pablo Picasso.
If you are a lover of Picasso’s work, you should not miss out on visiting his museum. It will surely surprise you even if you also know about the Picasso Museum in Barcelona.
6. The Roman Theater of Malaga
Next to the Picasso Museum we find the Roman Theater of Malaga, a monument from the 1st century where important plays were performed in Roman times. These ruins are worth visiting.
It was in use until the third century when it fell into disrepair until it was discovered and recovered in 1951 so that we can now enjoy it.
Its state of conservation is quite good, despite the fact that many of its stones were used by the Arabs for the construction of the Alcazaba, which is located very close. This explains why there are Roman capitals on it.
To learn more about its history you can visit the Interpretation Center next to it and then visit the grandstand and the ins and outs of the theatre.
You can find more information about what to see in Malaga on its official tourism page.
