With its year-round sunshine, monument-packed historic quarter and famous Picasso Museum, Málaga makes for a wonderful day-trip. As an Enforex student at our Spanish school, you have the opportunity to sign up for this school-organized weekend trip to Málaga, where you and your peers will discover the best that this city has to offer, along with background knowledge and interesting tidbits provided by one of our trusty guides.
About Málaga
Málaga's history reaches back nearly 3,000 years when it was founded, in 770 BC, by the Phoenicians. Phoenician rule was followed by stints under Carthaginian, Roman, Arab and - in 1487 - Spanish rule, a long string of cultures attracted by Málaga's coastal location. In fact, Málaga has always played a commercial role as a port and seafaring town; even today Málaga has the Mediterranean's second largest port.
The historic monuments, pretty churches and picturesque streets of the old town are found north of the port and south of the mountains surrounding Málaga's northern limit. It's here where you'll find the bulk of Málaga's attractions, a hodgepodge of castles, ancient ruins, pretty squares, old streets, museums and churches galore. Come along with Enforex and see it all!
Pablo Picasso Museum
Often considered an amazing destination to learn Spanish in Spain, one of Málaga's claims to fame is being the birth city of famous 20th-century artist Pablo Picasso; he was born and spent the earliest part of his life in an apartment located in the Plaza de la Merced. Just a short distance away from his birth home, now home to the Picasso Foundation, is Málaga's Picasso Museum. Opened in 2003 with over 150 works donated by Picasso's daughter-in-law and grandson for the creation of a museum in Málaga, the Picasso Museum quickly became the city's principal attraction. The collection serves as a comprehensive study of the evolution of Picasso's art and styles, ranging from drawings created during his childhood to masterpieces in his signature Cubist style. It's located in the marvelous 16th-century Palacio de Buenavista, a former noble mansion, and features paintings, drawings, scultures, engravings and ceramics all created by Picasso over the course of his life.
Other Málaga Attractions
Alcazaba / Fortress-Palace
This fortress-palace, built in 1057, was where Málaga's Arab leaders lived and governed back in city's days under Muslim rule. The Alcazaba, which you can visit and explore, boasts all sorts of elements typical of Arab construction and decoration. Be sure to see its imposing defensive walls and towers, its series of passageways and ramps, its tranquil waterways and fountains, its intricate decorative designs and pretty courtyards.
Castillo de Gibralfaro / Gibralfaro Castle
Just steps from the Alcazaba is Málaga's Gibralfaro Castle, a fortification originally built in the 8th century but reconstructed in the the 14th and 15th centuries to help protect the Alcazaba and house troops. While not much remains of the castle's interior, its hilltop perch provides fantastic views of the city of Málaga, a few peaks of Morocco's Rif mountains and the Strait of Gibraltar.
Teatro Romano / Roman Theater
Also in the vicinity of the Alcazaba, at the foot of the hill, are the excavations of Málaga's Roman theater. Rediscovered in the 1950's, estimates place its construction in the 1st century BC.
Catedral de la Encarnación / Encarnación Cathedral
Construction of Málaga's beloved cathedral began in the 16th century, not long after the city was conquered in 1487 and incorporated under the Spanish crown. Building lasted for two centuries and concluded when the money ran out, leaving the cathedral with only one of its intended two towers and eventual nickname: La Manquita (The Little One-Armed Lady). Its two centuries of construction also yielded a mix of architectural styles, ranging from the Gothic Iglesia del Sagraro entrance to the Gothic and Renaissance interior and 18th-century Baroque façade.
Centro de Arte Contemporáneo / Center of Contemporary Art
Located in a renovated market, Málaga's contemporary arts center is considered southern Spain's point of reference in terms of 20th century artistic tendencies and movements. In addition to its permanent collection, it hosts excellent art exhibitions by both Spanish and international artists.