What exactly does the name Malaga bring to mind?
Gorgeous white sand under clear blue skies? A tourist Mecca, just waiting for you to discover in your car hire?
Yes indeed, but so much more besides. Did you know for example that Malaga is the very city which gave us the artistic genius of Pablo Picasso? That the city beyond the beach is just about as interesting as you could get? Well, with influences of just about every Mediterranean culture over the last three thousand years visible in the modern city, this is certainly true.
It won’t take you long to realize just how important its most illustrious offspring is to Malaga. The Museo Picasso Málaga houses a vast collection of Picasso works, ranging from the expected daubs and doodles to even offerings in pottery. The building itself, the Palacio de Buenavista dating from the 16th Century, is certainly worth a look on its own, but the lovingly assembled collection is a must for any art fan.
The next stop on any Picasso tour in your car hire is his place of birth, the house on Plaza de la Merced, where as a young boy he found many of his first inspirations and subjects. The house houses a museum dedicated to his life and works, and goes a long way to explain the brilliance of the man.
The Picasso mark can even be found at the Bull Ring or arena La Malagueta. A regular attendee in his youth, the themes of the ring can be seen reflected in his works, and should you be strong stomached enough and forget your RSPCA membership for a moment, you can follow in the great man’s footsteps and attend a bull fight. Such an event will give you perhaps a glimpse of the Spanish soul, and a more traditional pastime you could not wish to find. Should it turn out to be your cup of tea, the catacombs under the stadium contain a museum explainingg the history of the sport, and provides perhaps an educational side to your sample of culture.
As we said the city is not just Picasso. Shades of the Roman and Islamic history can be found in the Alcazaba Castle, dating from the Eleventh Century which can be easily reached in your car hire. Nearby excavations have found that this area was originally the site of a Roman amphitheatre, but the second castle of Castillo de Gibralfaro dates from the reign of Caliph Yusuf I in the 14th Century, and provides spectacular views of the surrounding area.
Your holiday does not have to stop at just Malaga itself, as the surrounding Andalusian countryside can be easily explored in your car hire.
