Malaga Airport in the Costa del Sol is served by most of the low cost airlines such as RyanAir and EasyJet. In the quieter months (October to March) it is often possible to pick up a return flight for a weekend for a very reasonable price. Malaga has a sub-tropical climate, and in the winter the daytime maximum temperature typically ranges from 14-20 degrees Celsius, with many clear sunny days.
The city of Malaga was created by the Romans, but much of the architecture is influenced by the Moors. The spectacular Gibralfaro Castle which overlooks the city was built by the Moors in the 14th century and is situated on a hill above the old town. It is about a 15 minute walk from the old town to the castle at the top of the hill (there is also a bus). A number of paths lead up to the castle from the edge of the old town. Admission is around 2€, and there is a small museum and a cafe within the castle grounds where you can enjoy the stunning views of Malaga town including the harbour, coastline and Malaga bull ring.
Malaga Old Town is a maze of streets centred around Malaga Cathedral which was constructed between 1528 and 1782 is open to the public Mon – Sat 10am – 6:30pm. Admission cost is around 2.50. Located close to the cathedral is the Picasso museum. Malaga was the birthplace of the Picasso, and many of his paintings are on exhibit in the museum.
The old town itself has an array of shops (many catering for tourists), tapas bars and restaurants. One of the most popular bars is Bodega Bar El Pimpi or “El Pimpi’s” which has pictures of its many famous visitors on the walls.
Malaga also has large beaches to the east and west of the town centre, which are easily walkable. For those interested in gardens, the popular Finca de la Concepcion botanical gardens just to the north of the city are a short bus ride from the centre. The gardens contain a large variety of sub-tropical fauna.
Alhambra Palace Granada
Within a couple of hours drive of Malaga is the spectacular is the Alhambra Palace in Granada, built by the Moors in the 14th century. The palace is a very popular tourist attraction and can be very busy in the summer. Granada is also inland, so the temperature can be hotter than on the coast in the summer months and can also be cold in the middle of winter. Be prepared to queue or alternatively you can book tickets in advance from the official alhambra website. In addition to the architecture the palace has large gardens with ponds and fruit trees, which have some amazing views over the city of Granada. The website also has information on places to stay in Granada, including special deals at local hotels.