Malaga · Spain

Population - 525,955
Distance from Malaga airport: 3 Miles (5KM)

The climate in Malaga is mild and equable, the mean annual temperature being about 66° Fahrenheit. For its broad sky and broad expanse of bay the city has been compared to Naples.

The inner city of Malaga is just behind the harbour. The quarters of El Perchel, La Trinidad and Lagunillas surround this centre. The city has much revenue from the agricultural sector and from tourism.

Malaga city has a very appealing layout which makes it ideal for exploring, the narrow streets, historic buildings and quaint old-fashioned shops which have remained largely unchanged despite the passage of time. This means that Malaga literally has something for everyone; a unique appeal which for one person may derive from the vitality and hospitality of the people, another from the architecture and, still another from the overall ambience and graciousness of the city.

In Malaga, as all over Andalucia, life takes place on the street. The year round mild climate encourages the delightful custom of "promenading" which, again reflects the social, agreeable nature of the people. Winter and summer here are, in reality, autumn and spring elsewhere in the world. Such seasons make the town an easy place to live, eat and enjoy as well as adding to its dynamism and appeal. On a more serious note, the city is also an important centre of administration in the business and financial world.

The custom of accompanying a drink with a small snack is yet another indicative factor of the Malaguenos hospitality and habit of socialising in the bars and pubs where they spend long hours sipping wine and chatting. Tapa (meaning cover) which comes from the word for a small plate which was often requested by customers to cover their wine protecting it from flies and to stop evaporation in the heat. A few enticing tit bits were placed on these covers (tapas) which in time became so popular that they are now a standard request and is tradition to eat Tapas for lunch.

During the night Malaga is as brightly lit as any city. However, this town has the obvious advantage of a coastline. This is when the view of the bay is at its best and there are a number of excellent restaurants beachside, or the more informal may prefer a picnic with such appropriate dining fare as grilled sardines and a frothy glass of veritable cerveza!

Where to eat & drink in Malaga

Malaga has a justified reputation for its splendid signature seafood platter, fitúara malagueña (fried mixed fish). You'll find many fish restaurants grouped around the Alameda, near the bullring and on La Malagueta seafront, although for some of the very best you need to head out to the suburbs of Pedregalejo and El Palo, served by the bus from the Paseo del Parque. On the seafront Paseo at Pedregalejo, almost all of the cafés and restaurants serve terrific fish. Most of Malaga's non-seafood restaurants are hardly in the same league but we have listed them in any case.

• Antonio Fernando Lesseps 7
• Cañadu
• El Vegetariano de la Alcazabilla
• La Barraka
• La Casa del Angel
• Marisquería Alaska
• Mesón Gibralfaro
• Restaurante Tormes
• Work Out
• Al-Yamal
• Bar El Puerto
• Bar Los Pueblos
• Casa Vicente
• Cyber@lameda
• El Legado Celestial
• Restaurante Arcos
• Adolfo
• Antonio Martín
• Café de Paris
Refectorium
• Sal Gorda
• Bar-Restaurante Palacios
Er Cómpa
• El Tintero
• Parador de Málaga-Gibralfaro
• Bar Central
• Bar la Nueva Cubana
• Café Lepanto
• Casa Aranda
• Casa Mira
• El Jardin
• El Viajero
• Nuestra Señora de la Victoria Hospital Cafeteria
• Tetería Alcazaba
• Tetería Barraka

Malaga Nightlife

You'll find most of Malaga's nightlife northeast of the cathedral around calles Granada and Beatas, and Plaza de la Merced and Plaza Uncibay. In the summer months there's also a scene in Malagueta, south of the bullring. At weekends and holidays dozens of youth-orientated disco bars fill the crowded streets in these areas, and over the summer - though it's dead out of season the scene spreads out along the seafront to the suburbs. Here the streets just behind the the beach host most of the action, and dozens of discos and smaller music bars lie along and off the main street.

• Anden
• Asúcar
• Bolivia
• Calle de Bruselas
• Cervecería Brow Beer
• Cosa Nostra
• El Cantor de Jazz
• El Liceo
• El Pimpi
• Flor de Lis
• Green Village
• La Botellita
• La Chancia
• Luna Rubia
• Morrissey's Irish Bar
• Onda Pasadena
• Psicodelia
• Puerto Oscura
• Ragtime
• Siempre Asi
• Tortuga
• White
• ZZ Bar

Where to stay in Malaga

Malaga boasts dozens of fondas and hostales, so budget rooms are rarely hard to come by, except during Semana Santa and the August feria. Málaga's high season is July and August and outside this period there are some real bargains to be had. Numerous possibilities are to be found in the grid of streets just north and south of the Alameda, which is probably the best place to start looking. The cheapest option is the youth hostel (albergue juvenil), though this isn't particularly convenient for the centre, as it lies out in the western suburbs. The town's hotels are generally poorer value than the hostales, but for those who want a little luxury, we have listed a handful of options below:

• Hotel Alameda Malaga - www.hotelalamedamalaga.com
• Hotel Lis Malaga - ww.costadelsol.spa.es
• Hostal Avenida Malaga
• Hotel Sur Malaga - www.hotelsur.com
• Hotel Málaga Palacio - www.ac-hotels.com
• Hotel Don Curro Malaga - www.hoteldoncurro.com
• Hotel Ataranzas Malaga - www.balboahoteles.com
• Hotel Kris Tribuna Malaga - www.krishoteles.com
• Hotel Larios Malaga / www.hotel-larios.com
• Hotel NH Malaga / www.nh-hoteles.com
• Hotel California Malaga
• Hotel Los Naranjos Malaga - www.hotel-losnaranjos.com
• Hotel Montevictoria Malaga - www.hotelmontevictoria.com
• Parador de Malaga-Gibralfaro - www.parador.es