Delve Into The Surprising Culture Of Málaga

If you’ve taken taxis from Málaga Airportin the past and dismissed the capital as a cultural wasteland based on the noisy tourists who throng the arrivals lounge, you’re missing out on a truly wonderful Spanish city. True, it was once a tourist hub for the Costa, appealing to the British-food/British-beer brigade, but not any more.

Over the last twenty years the city has worked hard to put its ‘tourist hotspot’ past behind it and concentrate instead in focusing on its rich history and culture to draw in a more discerning visitor. Luckily for Málaga it has plenty of cultural gems to highlight: from Roman amphitheatres and Moorish fortresses to sixteenth-century palaces, the history of this fascinating city is written on the wonderful architecture of its streets. The Malagueños authorities wisely contributed to these historic sites by adding cultural highlights like the Picasso Museum, the Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and, most recently, the stunningly contemporary Pompidou Centre.

To give you a taster of what is on offer during a cultural trip to the city, here are some of its most popular highlights.

The Picasso Museum

The fact that Spain’s most famous artist was born here was never going to go uncelebrated by the Malagueños and in 2004 the city honoured its famous son with the opening of the Picasso Museum. Set in a stunning sixteenth-century building in the town centre the permanent collection includes a range of works: ceramics, engravings, paintings, drawings and sculptures. When the museum was being built, the excavation work at the site unearthed Roman and Phoenician ruins which are now on display in the basement.

The Roman Amphitheatre

Just behind the Picasso Museum is the Roman Amphitheatre. Only discovered in 1951, the local authorities have invested heavily in restoring it to its former splendour, making it well worth a visit.

Gibralfaro Castle

Towering above the Roman Amphitheatre and the Alcazaba (a stunning Moorish fortress) is the Gibralfaro Castle. Built in the fourteenth century, its position on the hillside above the city makes it a wonderful place to stop and enjoy the vista. There’s a great outdoor café here so you can enjoy a cold drink while you admire the historic buildings below.

The Pompidou Centre

Local legend has it that the idea for the first Pompidou Centre outside of France came when the then-Ambassador of France in Spain, Bruno Delaye, and the Mayor Francisco de la Torre, got talking at a football match. While Spain played France, the pair came up with the idea of opening a modern art gallery in Málaga’s newly redeveloped port area, Muelle Uno and Muelle Dos. Today the brightly coloured glass cube gallery houses 90 permanent works of modern art.

Getting There

The great thing about the city’s position as a gateway to the Costa del Sol is that it is well served by a wide range of flights from the UK. Of course, during the busy summer seasontaxis from Málaga Airportcan be hard to find so it’s worth booking your airport transfer online before you leave home. Unlike the taxis from Málaga Airport, a pre-booked transfer servicewill set the price in advance so you can relax knowing that a driver will meet you in the arrivals lounge and help you with your bags to the car.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for affordable taxis from Malaga Airport Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.