Budget Travel Intentions

If you’re looking to go on a culture-filled break to Spain, I heartily recommend you visit Malaga. Admittedly, the city is not as large as the likes of Madrid or Barcelona, but that’s no reason not to take a holiday here. If you do, you’ll discover some world-class attractions!

With the Andalusian city over 2,000 years old and having been ruled by numerous civilisations (including the Greeks, Romans and Carthaginians), it has a rich history that is just waiting to be explored. By booking a cheap flight from Birmingham to Malaga Airport, you will have the chance to uncover its amazing cultural heritage yourself. Here are just a few of the places that I think are must-sees.

Malaga Cathedral

As the Baroque-style Malaga Cathedral dominates the city’s skyline, it really is one landmark you cannot afford to miss. Despite work on the structure starting in the 16th century, it remains incomplete – with the main facade and south tower yet to be finished. Indeed, as it only has one tower the cathedral is commonly referred to as La Manquita, which translates as ‘one-armed lady’ in English.

While construction on the building stalled some time ago, it is still a fascinating place to explore. The 17th century choir stalls in the central nave are considered particularly beautiful, while the church’s interior consists of both Baroque and Renaissance designs.

Roman theatre

As mentioned before, Malaga was once ruled by the Romans and you can observe the influence the civilisation left on the city by checking out the theatre. Situated in the western region of Malaga near the Alcazaba, this venue was built in the first century though remained hidden underground for several centuries until it was rediscovered in 1951.

With a radius spanning just over 30 m and containing a number of wonderfully-persevered stands, coming here enables you to get a glimpse into what life in the region was like some 2000 years ago.

Alcazaba

Once you’ve finished exploring the theatre, I recommend you head to the nearby Alcazaba. This hill-top fortress was constructed in the 11th century while Malaga was under Arab rule, with parts of its archways taken directly from the Roman amphitheatre.

Today, it is considered to be one of the key symbols of Malaga and by coming here you can take in magnificent views of the city and the surrounding Andalusian countryside.

Not only is this attraction a fantastic place to gain an understanding of how the Arabs defended the city from attacks, but is also home to the local archaeological museum, where you can take in artefacts that date back to the Phoenician and Roman eras.

Picasso Museum

Malaga has an astounding artistic heritage (in fact, it’s been nominated as a candidate to be the 2016 European Capital of Culture), so I definitely advise you take the time to uncover it. Heading to the Picasso Museum enables you to find out more about one of the city’s most well-known sons – Pablo Picasso.

As you have probably guessed from its name, this museum exhibits a wide collection of the artist’s works – more than 200 in fact – spanning paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Among the pieces in the institution’s permanent collection is 1971 painting Bather and Fruit Bowl, which Picasso produced in 1919 while he lived in Paris. Other artists are also showcased at the museum, so there should be lots for you to take in.

Carmen Thyssen Museum

If you’ve got a passion for modern art, I also recommend a trip to the Carmen Thyssen Museum. Situated in the stunning 16th century Villalon Palace, this terrific institution focuses heavily on Spanish art, with the collection having a particularly emphasis on the works of  Andalusian painters.

Among the artists who you can see here are Genaro Perez Villaamil, Julio Romero de Torres and Ignacio Zuloaga, while an area of the exhibit is dedicated to the costumbrismo movement – a style of art that offers a realistic pictorial interpretation of everyday life in Spain.

I’ve only looked at five of Malaga’s most astounding attractions, but if there are any places that you’d particularly like to see share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

CC JuanDiegoJR