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Things To See And Do In Malagaadmin

The city of Malaga, situated in the vastly popular Costa del Sol region of Spain, in the heart of theprovince of Andalusia, is a superb holiday destination that attracts a litt le under one million visitors peryear. The wealth of historic culture and tradit ion, mixed with some beautif ul architecture, and the warmMediterranean climate, all serve to make Malaga one of the most sought af ter holiday destinations inEurope.

Whether you simply want to languish in the glorious warm sunshine, enjoying some of the best beachesto be f ound anywhere in Spain; or you pref er to sample the eclectic mixture of the sights and sounds ofwhat is af ter all one of the most beautif ul provinces of Spain, you’ll f ind something to suit all tastes.Here’s a quick snapshot of some of the most f ascinating and beautif ul attractions you should put ofyour list of places to visit.

The Pablo Picasso Museum

Pablo Picasso is one of Malaga’s most f amous sons, and it is only f itt ing that there should be a museumhere in the city of his birth, (Museo Picasso), to celebrate the lif e and art of one of the world’s mostinf luential artists. Situated in the Plaza de la Merced at number 15, Museo Picasso is open f rom Mondayto Saturday between the hours of 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM. It is open all day long, not closing f or siesta likeso many other tourist attractions. With an entrance f ee of just 11 Euro’s per adult, (disabled people,children, and students get in f ree), it represents great value f or money, and gives you a wonderf ulopportunity to examine many of his works created between 1931 and 1971, as well as of f erings f rom200 other artists totalling over 3,500 various works of art.

More inf ormation at http://www.bcn.cat/museupicasso/en/

Andalusia has a great tradit ion f or wonderf ul art, and nowhere will you f ind a better venue to view someof its best examples, than at the Carmen Thyssen Museum. Baroness Carmen Thyssen is acelebrated art collector, and the 200 works of art on permanent display in her museum in the exquisitePalacio de Villalon, (a gorgeous 16th Century palace), are all f rom the Baroness’s personal collection.This museum is open f rom Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM, although on Friday andSaturday nights it closes later, at 9:00 PM.Normal adult admission is 6 Euros per head with a reduced f eeof 3.5 Euros f or the disabled, children under the age of 5, the unemployed and students below the ageof 26. It ’s a wonderf ul opportunity to see some great works of art f rom Spanish artists including Sorolla,Torres, Zuloaga, and Zurbaran.

More inf ormation can be f ound at http://www.carmenthyssenmalaga.org/en

Spain is actually the most mountainous country in Europe, so it will come as no surprise to f ind thatMalaga has its own mountain range, a mere 14 kilometres f rom the city – The Montes de Malaga. Themountains provide a f abulous backdrop to the city, and are covered in the most beautif ul Pine f orests.The area is a natural Park and provides a wonderf ul day out f or the f amily. There are plenty of greathiking treks, all very well signposted, and a host of excellent f acilit ies including camping grounds, somesplendid picnic areas with views to die f or, and some excellent local restaurants. The local wildlif eincludes wild boar, (considered a great gastronomic delicacy here inSpain– especially with their naturaldiet of acorns, which gives their meat a unique f lavour), rabbits, a handsome f ox population, as well asbadgers, and some iconic birdlif e including the booted eagles, and soaring buzzards.

The area around Malaga is indeed rich in natural parks, and the Natural Reserve Park– El Torcal, hassome stunning scenery by way of its unique limestone f ormations. Less than 45 minutes drive f rom thecity, El Torcal is world f amous with Trekkers the world over, especially the treks leading to the LasVentanillas (The Windows), which, at 1,200M, af f ord a never to be f orgotten view of the Malaga Valley.

Check out Spain Holiday’s Montes de Malaga post f or more inf o at http://www.spain-holiday.com/blog/montes-de-malaga-malaga-mountains.php

The Malaga Fair is another of this wonderf ul city’s major tourist attractions. It takes place in Augustevery year and celebrates the retaking of the city by Isabella and Ferdinand back in the 15th Century. Withsome stunning costumes to be seen, a great display of Flamenco music and dancing, and some of thef inest drinking Sherry to be f ound anywhere in the world, The Malaga Fair is a treat f or anyone, young orold. Of course Spain loves its f irework displays, and they need hardly any excuse to set the crackersbanging and the rockets whizzing. Needless to say the Fair opens and ends with a magnif icent display.It ’s a street party to end all street parties, and is a sumptuous f east of Andalusian culture and heritageat its very best. The partying goes on until dawn f or 10 days and nights, and is an experience not to bemissed!

In 2012, the Malaga will take place between 10th – 19th August.

But if you get t ired af ter of all of the revelry, the CAC Malaga of f ers a new experience f or lovers ofcontemporary art. It ’s a great example of allowing excit ing new art trends to get a public airing, andcelebrates the f un and f reedom loving attitude of the cit izens of this unique city. One of its mainpurposes is to encourage local artists to showcase their talent and express themselves. But although itdoes encourage local artists, its main purpose is to be a ref erence point f or the international artcommunity at large. Located close to the middle of Malaga City, between the Avenida del ComandanteBenítez, and the Calle Alemani, the CAC Malaga is the brainchild, and is f unded by the City Council. Ithosts an extremely wide range of events which are constantly changing, so whenever you are planning tocome to Malaga, take some time out to pay it a visit. Opening hours are Tuesday to Friday 10:00 AM to 8PM between June and September, and f or the rest of the year (excepting Christmas and New Year’s day) 10:00 14:00/17:00 to 21:00 – respecting the tradit ion of the national siesta. Admission is f ree!

Further inf ormation can be f ound at http://cacmalaga.org/

For those of you that enjoy sightseeing, Castillo Gibralfaro (The Rock of Light – so named af ter thelighthouse once built on the site by the Pheonicians), is a must. It ’s a 400 f oot climb to reach the castle,but when you get there the view is truly magnif icent! The panorama across the city f rom various vantagepoints along the walls, takes in all of the major tourist sites in the city. For those with challenged mobility,or those simply too tired to take on the climb, a bus service is available. Tickets to enter the f ortress are2 Euros per head, but you can buy a combined ticket f or 3.50 Euros which also covers entrance toanother beautif ul castle – Alzabara. In summer the opening hours are 09:00 to 20:30, and out of summer09:00 to 18:00.

Further inf ormation can be f ound at http://www.andalucia.com/cit ies/malaga/gibralf aro.htm

For lovers of the Spanish social scene Bodega El Pimpi embodies all that is best in tradit ional eatingand drinking. The ambiance is amazing; a veritable rabbit’s warren of small bar rooms and surprising,hidden patios. The decor simply has to be seen to be f ully appreciated, complete with its huge vaultedceilings and the dozens of wine barrels, (many signed by f amous celebrit ies) lining the walls. It ’s a greatgathering place f or all nationalit ies, where you can enjoy a choice of tapas dishes to accompany yourwine or beer; and on the last Monday night of the month, they have a Flamenco evening.

http://www.bodegabarelpimpi.com/launch_eng.html

All in all, Malaga is great place to go. There is so much to see and do that you’ll need to spend at least acouple of days taking in the sights, sounds and atmosphere. It ’s a city, the memory of which, will be withyou f orever. Enjoy!

Many thanks to the f ollowing f or some of the images in this post, Picasso Museum, El Torcal, CACMalaga, Castillo Gibralf aro.

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