548km (340 miles) S of Madrid, 132km (82 miles) E of Algeciras
The capital of the Costa del Sol and Andalusia's largest coastal city, Málaga is a bustling commercial and residential center with an economy that doesn't depend exclusively on tourism. The birthplace of Pablo Picasso, its chief attraction today is a museum devoted to the artist.
In spite of its crime, noise, pollution, and traffic, it is also the cultural capital of the coast, with more museums and historic monuments than any other resort in this chapter. For most rail and air passengers, Málaga is the gateway to the Costa del Sol, but most visitors move on to other resorts in the east or west before nightfall.
Those who linger in Málaga can experience the city's casco antiguo, the cultural heart of the Old Town, and taste the sweet Málaga wine.
Paseo del Parque is the center of town. It begins at Plaza de la Marina (you'll find underground parking here) and curves to the east. This is a palm-lined pedestrian promenade filled with banana trees and fountains, even duck-filled ponds.
The beaches, for the most part, are popular for their bars, not their gritty, grayish sands. Paseo Marítimo runs along La Malagueta Beach, but even better are the beaches to the east of Baños de Carmen and El Palo.
