Bathed by the warm waters of the Mediterranean and illuminated by constant sunshine, Malaga is cherished in the memory of all its visitors for its beauty, hospitality and cosmopolitan character. From the vantage point of the mountains that wrap around the city and give it a climate as sweet as its wine, one’s gaze always culminates in the blue of the sea, where the city merges together, living in perfect harmony with its coastline.

Warmth reigns in the city that was the birthplace of Picasso; it is a quality that was witnessed by different civilisations that turned Malaga into an economic and cultural reference point and left a rich patrimonial legacy that has remained intact over the centuries. Monuments such as the Alcazaba, the Roman Theatre, the Gibralfaro Castle or its imposing Cathedral are a good example of its splendour.

Mediterranean character

Today, the mild Mediterranean climate is still one of the main attractions of the capital of the Costa del Sol, the place where everyone wants to live. In fact, Malaga is currently the Spanish city with the fastest growing population.

The hours of sunshine and the friendly, vivacious and optimistic character of its inhabitants are part of the reason professionals from different working sectors come here, and this is even more so with the rise of teleworking and the commitment from technology giants to set up in southern Europe.

In Malaga you can experience the joie de vivre. The bright days invite you to enjoy the atmosphere in traditional seaside neighbourhoods such as El Palo, Huelin or Pedregalejo, caressed by the breeze and the saltpetre. The streets of the town are quiet at dawn, but as the hours go by, they become a festival of flavours with scents of the sea and firewood, where the famous sardine skewers, which aspire to gain the Intangible Heritage of Humanity classification, are a firm favourite.

The Mediterranean taste

The never-ending promenade that runs alongside the sea is dotted with beach bars and restaurants where you can enjoy the most traditional cuisine, with fried fish (pescaíto frito) as the main seller, but with other emblematic dishes such as orange and cod salad, cuttlefish with peas, catshark stew, chilled garlic and almond soup or gazpachuelo, a typical soup consisting of mayonnaise, garlic, egg yolk and olive oil. These are accompanied by more innovative dishes through which a whole generation of chefs disseminate Malaga's cuisine, revolving around olive oil, vegetables, seafood and local produce, together with wine, an essential component of the Mediterranean lifestyle.

The character of the people from Malaga is displayed every evening on the numerous terraces set up on avenues from which you can enjoy a beautiful sunset. The Muelle Uno area offers a spectacular sunset over one of the best panoramic views of the city's monuments. Also, in the Baños del Carmen, a former leisure and bathing area for Malaga's high society, you can enjoy an extraordinary view of the bay of Malaga. Opened at the beginning of the 20th century, it has now been converted into a restaurant that still retains elements of the famous spa.

Watersports

The Mediterranean is also the scene of numerous sporting activities such as sailing and kitesurfing, although there is one purely Malaga competition: the jábegas, narrow rowing boats whose origins date back to Phoenician times.

The jábega, which comes from an ancient fishing tradition, was used to spread a net in the sea that was thrown from the boat itself and then retrieved by hand from the beach. Today, rowing enthusiasts embrace sport and culture by taking part in the various regattas held throughout the year, which have become one of the city's tourist attractions.