Málaga city, gateway to the Costa del Sol, southern Spain

Málaga is one of those cities that you fly into, and of course, out of, when arriving for a vacation and flying off home again.  However, the city is so much more than an airport!  Take the time to visit before setting off on your beach or rural Spanish holiday.

The second largest city in Andalucia, southern Spain has a lot to offer.  A cosmopolitan and attractive city, with its contrasts of ancient and modern, there is something for everyone to explore.

The city is the birth place of a couple of famous people including the artist Pablo Picasso and another son of Málaga, a certain Antonio Banderas, still "treads the boards" there from time to time.

In the newer section of the city, you will find modern department stores, like El Corte Inglés, and shopping malls full of temptations. 

You can stroll Calle Larios and view the best of fashion along the way, plus enjoy the human statues (street artists), reminiscent of Las Ramblas in Barcelona.



However, for many people, the older, narrow and winding streets are far more interesting, with little seafood restaurants and tapas bars dotted here and there, and fascinating little shops hiding just around the corner. 

If you follow Calle Larios you can find these fascinating little streets as side-shoots of the main "drag", sometimes even finding an artist at work.



In the older area, you will also find the Cathedral of Málaga - a beautiful Renaissance building with a baroque and very lovely façade. However, when visiting, beware of the gypsies haunting the entrance to the cathedral, who will try their best to take a few Euros from you.



The interior is fascinating with its curves and high ceilings.



Close by is the Plaza de la Merced, a huge town square surrounded by restaurants and bars and a great place to take a rest on your tour.  Here you will also find the house in which Pablo Picasso was born. Worth a visit, although there is a little to see except the clothing worn by Picasso when he was christened!  Also you are not allowed to take photos inside the house - if you try, your camera will be confiscated and locked away until you leave - I speak from experience and was surprised I didn't get my knuckles rapped too!



More interesting in the Museo Picasso (or Picasso Museum), where you can view many of the fine works of the artist as well as other famous artists:



Around the corner is La Alcazaba, a Moorish creation from the mid fifteenth century.  The architecture is fascinating and if you have a bit of energy, you can climb right to the top where the Gibralfaro Castle is located, with amazing views across the bay and countryside. 



A note of interest is that there is a well-preserved Roman amphitheatre in the grounds of La Alcazaba.  However, this is undergoing renovation at present and can only be seen through the fence.

Right next door to the castle is the amazing Parador de Málaga Gibralfaro, one of the famous Paradores of Spain - a range of luxury hotels, most of which are in converted castles, palaces and convents.  Luxury with great food, and amazing views!  The photo below was taken from the writer's balcony at the hotel, showing the bull ring and port.



Back down the hill, we find Calle Alameda and the Botanical Gardens, which run through the centre of the city.  A beautiful, restful and leafy place to relax and catch your breath.
Getting back to Antonio Banderas, if you enjoy theatre, Teatro Cervantes is worth a visit, and Antonio still appears there from time to time.



Wherever you go in the city, you will find a range of excellent restaurants, cafés and tapas bars.  Enjoy a range of both local and international food, but especially try the Andalucian specialities including “pescaito frito”, a selection of small fried fish including sardines and red mullet.  Enjoy the catch of the day and wash it down with a fine Spanish wine.

Lest we forget!  Yes, Málaga also has sandy and beautiful beaches to catch a tan, and you can also visit the Port of Málaga to see the incoming cruise ships and ferries from around the world.



If you don't have the time to stay in Málaga longer, try and make a plan to tag a day on to the beginning or end of your holiday to explore this fascinating city.  Jump into a horse-drawn carriage and enjoy the ride - you will not regret it!

Autumn light in the southern Spanish countryside (video/photos)

While southern Spain doesn't experience the glorious splash of autumn colours experienced elsewhere in the world, there are some attractive sights to see in the countryside. This article shows some views near Coín in the province of Málaga, Spain.

The writer was recently stuck in the middle of nowhere, looking after her son's house and dogs while he visited Barcelona for a few days.

With a very slow Internet connection, and not much else happening, photography and videography called.  She even got up at dawn, which is a rare experience (even when dawn is at 8:00 am!). The colors in the sky were quite beautiful to view... read more, see photos and view video.

Málaga, Spain ― Birthplace of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas

The birthplace of Picasso and Banderas is a great mixture of ancient and modern.

While most people just fly in and out of Málaga on their Costa del Sol holiday, the city has its own unique charms and history.

A lot of people probably know that Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso was born in Málaga, Spain.

What's that? Too long for you? OK, just plain old Pablo Picasso.

The famous Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer was born in the house to the left on October 25, 1881 and passed away on April 8, 1973

But did you know that the famous Spanish actor, José Antonio Domínguez Banderas, was also born there?

Known more commonly as Antonio Banderas, he still "treads the boards" in Málaga from time to time and supports the local theater community.

While you won't find any buildings dedicated to Banderas in Málaga, you can visit the birthplace of Picasso and also a museum displaying both his and other famous Spanish art.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/322379

Save the Costa del Sol, Spain

On the 23 December 2010 in Cabinet, The Secretariat of Climate Change of the Ministry of Environment in Spain, gave approval for Repsol to prospect for natural gas and hydrocarbons in Malaga. This was approved and licenses were authorised to five companies to partake of a hydrocarbon investigation in the territory and on the Spanish coast. Among the companies who are authorised are CNWL Oil Spain, of the Canadian international Sherrit Corporation, and Shuepbach Energy/Vancast Exploration. These licenses authorise the mentioned companies to look for petroleum or gas in six areas of the Andalusian coast, denominated "Chinook - A, B, C and D" and "Tesorillo and Ruedalabola". These new licenses to explore the hydrocarbon potential on the Andalusian coast between Cadiz and Almeria are to look for active gas wells. Also other projects of investigation in search of hydrocarbons.
... read more by clicking below.... and please sign the petition...
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-the-malaga-coast-spain/

Malaga city - capital of Andalucia and a city of great history

Most tourists think of Malaga as a place to fly into to start their holidays on the Costa del Sol, but few actually take the time to explore this fascinating city.

The city is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, and is a cosmopolitan and attractive city – ranging from modern streets and buildings, to the older narrow winding streets of typical Andalucian buildings, with many seafood restaurants and tapas bar to relax and rejuvenate during your tour of the city.

Located on the Costa del Sol, Malaga is situated in a sweeping bay, with golden sandy beaches, and is surrounded by beautiful mountainous scenery. Visit the port to see many cruise ships visiting the city. The city enjoys over 300 days of sunshine each year and benefits from the highest average temperatures in Spain.

Malaga has many attractions for the tourist and here is a selection of the main tourist “must visits”:

Calle Larios:

A wide and modern boulevard through the centre of the city with many smart shops and coffee bars and well worth a stroll. You will see many human statues (or street performers) – reminiscent of the famous Las Ramblas in Barcelona.

From Calle Larios, you can take many of the smaller, narrow winding streets and plazas to view other attractions of the city.

The Cathedral of Malaga:

A beautiful Renaissance cathedral with a Baroque and beautiful façade – and well worth the visit to this gorgeous piece of architecture. However, beware of the gypsies haunting the entrance to the cathedral, who will try their best to take a few Euros from you.

Birthplace of Picasso:

Close to the Cathedral is the Plaza de la Merced – a huge square surrounded by restaurants and bars, and including the house in which Pablo Picasso was born. Not much to see in the house, but it is interesting to see photos of Picasso as a child, and the clothing he wore when he was christened. No cameras are allowed in the house – if they catch you they actually take your camera and lock it in a locker until you are ready to leave! (I speak from experience!).

Picasso Museum:

More interesting is the Museo Picasso – which displays many of the fine works of this famous artist – close to the Cathedral.

La Alcazaba

Further on you can visit La Alcazaba – built during the Moors occupation of Malaga in the mid fifteenth century. Fascinating architecture and definitely worth a visit. The Alcazaba is on the hillside, and you can get some wonderful views from up there.
An interesting note is that there is a well preserved Roman amphitheatre in the grounds of La Alcazaba – unfortunately as it is undergoing renovation, it is only possible to view the ruins through the fence.

Gibralfaro Castle

At the very top of La Alcazaba is the Moorish Castillo Gibralfaro – with astounding views of the city below and the surrounding areas. Right next door to the castle is the Parador de Malaga Gibralfaro, one of the famous Paradores of Spain, which also enjoys the wonderful views. Well worth a stay for at least a night.

Calle Alameda and the Botanical Gardens

Running through the centre of the city, and close to La Alcazaba are the beautiful botanical gardens – a lovely and leafy place to relax and catch your breath (also just adjacent to the Port of Malaga).

Teatro Cervantes

The main theatre in Malaga is the Teatro Cervantes, which is where another famous son of Malaga once performed – Antonio Banderas – and he still appears there from time to time.

Video and tourist information about Malaga city

Cuisine

Malaga has many excellent restaurants, cafes and tapas bars where you can enjoy a variety of local dishes, ranging from tapas to full menus. Most are very affordable and offer Andalucian specialities including “pescaito frito”, a selection of small fried fish including sardines and red mullet. Enjoy the catch of the day and wash it down with a fine Spanish wine.

As Malaga goes to sleep during the siesta period, this would be the perfect time to relax and refuel for the late afternoon activities.

Incidentally, if seeing Malaga with limited time, the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour is a great option as it takes you to all the main sights of the city in comfort... get on and off as often as you like during the day.

In closing, Malaga is definitely worth at least a day and a night of your visit to the Costa del Sol. Tag it on to the beginning or ending of your holiday and you will not regret it!

Author: Anne Sewell

Fuengirola Zoo - An Oasis of Calm in the Centre of Town - Costa del Sol, Spain

When visiting the Costa del Sol in Andalucia, Southern Spain, a must-see destination is the Zoo in Fuengirola


Located right in the centre of town, the zoo is a beautiful and calm place, beautifully designed to give its residents space and realistic natural habitats to live in, grow and produce their young.


History of the Zoo


The zoo originally opened in the 1970's, as a typical zoo, with awful cages and fenced enclosures for the animals. Living conditions were unspeakable and left a lot to be desired. In December 1998, Rain Forest took over the contract to operate the zoo and completely redesigned the property using the latest “full immersion zoo” concept. The property is actually relatively small, so they chose to use a “tropical forest” ecosystem for the whole of the property- very suitable with the sub-tropical vegetation in the area.


They set out to create an environment embracing the tropical rainforests of Madagascar, Southeast Asia and Equatorial Africa, including rivers and waterfalls, caves, valleys, trees and rocks. As the property is small, subterranean stables were built for the animals to sleep and also raised gardens were erected around the property to block off the nearby buildings - making the zoo a different world within the busy seaside city.


Breeding of endangered species


Once everything was in place, the animals were introduced to their wonderful new habitat. Breeding of endangered species now successfully occurred - particularly with the chimpanzees.. Although the zoo had been breeding chimps from the outset, in the past there was a great deal of infanticide, as conditions were so unnatural. For the first time they could walk on grass, touch plants, run, play hide-and-seek… for the first time they could behave like chimpanzees.


With the introduction of the new zoo, many of the animals are now successfully breeding - not only the chimps, but also the Bornean Orang-utans, the Sumatran Tigers, the lemurs from Madagascar, Pygmy Hippopotamus and the Blue Duiker are all examples of animals that now successfully breed their young in this new environment.


It is truly wonderful to see the baby animals, and their parents so happy and proud. Although I am normally against zoos as a whole, seeing endangered species flourishing is truly a heart warming experience.


A stroll around the zoo

As you enter the zoo, staff will take your photo, as a memento of your visit. You will then calmly stroll around the shady environment, with tropical sounds appropriate to each section playing through the trees. It is easy to imagine that you are actually in the tropical jungles of Africa or Asia!


There are aviaries of beautiful birds, waterholes with various buck and birds including beautiful flamingos and their young, sharing the space, and of course the more famous animals in the zoo - the Gorilla, the Sumatran Tigers and leopards! Also worth a visit are the Orang-utans - they have recently produced a cute youngster, and the mother endlessly shows off her baby to visitors, and also delights in posing for you - she definitely has a great sense of humour, and I have managed to take some amazing shots of her!


The chimps are also enchanting to watch, and currently have youngsters too. The golden cheeked gibbons are also beautiful - the male of the species being black and the female a beautiful golden colour. Currently their baby is also golden, but as it is a male, it will eventually turn black like Dad.


Make sure you visit the Nile crocodiles - scary looking creatures, but luckily the viewing glass is very thick!


The highlight of the visit, in my opinion, is the Madagascar enclosure - habitat of the lemurs, where every 30 minutes you can take a tour to visit these gorgeous and friendly creatures. Entrance to the enclosure is through a very realistic baobab tree - created for the zoo - you can really imagine that you are in Africa when you step inside this hollow tree on the way to the lemurs!


Another highlight is the regular Forest Clearing Exhibitions, where you can enjoy a commentary on various animals in the zoo, and see exhibits. In summer, during July and August, try and visit the zoo at night for an amazing experience as the animals come to life after sleeping in the heat of the day - concluding with a dinner in the heart of the jungle! Currently they are running a special African evening, with African dancing and a tasty meal.


In conclusion:

All in all, Fuengirola zoo is a zoo in continuous evolution and it is difficult to include everything about this wonderful place in one article. However, it is important to know that the zoo is involved in 35 European endangered species breeding programmes and also collaborates on a variety of international projects to save, in situ, the planet's endangered forest zones. Please give generously to the various projects as you visit the zoo and have a wonderful visit! You will be back (I've visited 4 times and I LIVE in Fuengirola!


About the Author:


Anne Sewell is involved in travel on the internet with several websites, including All World Vacation Station - a global travel guide with worldwide accommodation options.