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Vicente Aleixandre, Nobel Prize in Literature, once described Malaga as "Ciudad del Paraiso", 'Paradise City'. Paradise can certainly seem near just by taking a walk through Alameda Principal and "El Parque", amongst the flowers and birds on a Spring morning.
Malaga, city which overtook the half a million mark in population years ago, commercial and with its port facilities, enjoys one of the best climates in the European continent.
The traveller can start walking round its Eleventh Century Muslim Alcazaba, which contains within its walls, walled enclusures, towers (they say that there were over one hundred) courtyards, reservoirs and passages. At walking distance, in restoration, "El Teatro Romano" which gives us an idea of the importance Malaga had during the Roman domination, and not very far away from the romantic "Plaza de la Merced", where Picasso was born in October 1881.
 PICASSO'S NATAL HOUSE
The visitor will enjoy its gardens (Malaga has five botanic gardens, on eof which is "El de la Concepcion", considered to be the second in Europe).
Special mention must be given to "La Catedral de Malaga", Malaga Cathedral, from the Sixteenth Century, one of the most important Renaissance temples in Spain. The interior of this Cathedral, of high and wide aisles, amazes due to its notable chapels, the choir stalls (the work of Pedro de Mena, Jose Micael Alfaro and Ortiz de Vargas, from the Seventeenth Century), paintings by Alonso Cano, Morales, Claudio Coello, Niño de Guevara and sculptural groups of Salvador Gutierrez Leon, from Malaga from the Nineteenth Century and situated in the retrochoir. Adjacent to the Cathedral, the Parish Church of "El Sagrario", with spledid, gothic-Isabelline facade. Opposite the magnificent, principal facade of the Cathedral, is the "Palacio Episcopal".
Gibralfaro, the Arabic fort, offers marvellous views over the city and interior, over looking the city of Malaga.
One has to take a walk without haste around Malaga, cross "El Pasaje de Chinitas", gardens and squares. Magnificent collection of Malaga paintings from the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries are exhibited in the building of "La Aduana"; Baroque "El Camarin de la Virgen de la Victoria", in its Santuary; the Church of Los Martires, rococo, and the Mudejar Church of Santiago. Just the same, walk across the maritime promenades and "La Caleta", breathing the sea air.
Any time of the year is good for a visit, due to the goodness of the climate. Holy Week, so profoundly experienced, so particular and blessed; "Las Fiestas de Agosto"; "La Fiesta de Verdiales" (28th December)... make up part of the attraction of Malaga.
Lastly, and after visiting the city, one has to talk about its gastronomy. The "pescaito frito" (fried fish), is, doubtless to say, one of its main dishes. One cannot pass through Malaga without tasting its genuine fresh anchovies "vitorianos" (boquerones "vitorianos"), exclusive to the Malaga coastline, and which forms part of the variety of fried fish (la fritura) to gether with the horse mackerel (jureles), the red mullets (salmonetes), the whiting (pescadillas), octopus (pulpos) and squid (calamares), although the combinations are diverse
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Malaga
