Málaga is the “the capital of the Costa del Sol”, irthplace of the World-famous painter Picasso. Don’t forget to visit the museum in Málaga named after him. In a rented car or by the high-speed train leaving from Málaga, the fabulous city of Seville with all its places to see is also at a reasonable distance. If you are interested in Andalusia’s Moorish culture, you must see Granada(Alhambra) and Córdoba (Alcazar). Jerez de la Frontera with it´s (Spanish Riding School), Ronda in Málaga province, known by a deep ravine, (called the Tajo de Ronda,and the Plaza de Toros, the oldest in Spain). Both Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles resided in Ronda for many years and described the beauty of the area. On the outskirts of the city of Ronda is the Ascari Race Resort, a racetrack designed by Dutchman Klaas Zwart. Gibraltar is also worth visiting (The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the area).
Tourists usually visit the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and the Museo Picasso Málaga, the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the old town or the beaches. The Malaga harbour is also the second busiest cruise port of the Iberian Peninsula.

A popular walk leads up the hill to the Gibralfaro castle (a Parador), offering panoramic views over the city. The castle is next to the Alcazaba, the old Muslim palace, which in turn is next to the inner city of Málaga. Other nearby attractions are the Roman Theatre, the old Jewish quarter, the Cathedral, and the Church of Santiago in mudéjar style. A popular walk follows the Paseo del Parque (a promenade that runs alongside a grand park with many palm trees and statues) to the harbour, ending in Calle Larios, the main commercial street of the city. There is also a curious museum, the Museum of the Holy Week, which includes an impressive display of Baroque ecclesiastical items.

The internationally acclaimed painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas were born in Málaga. The magnum opus of Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, “Malagueña”, is named for the music of this region of Spain.

Málaga, together with the following adjacent towns and municipalities: Rincon de la Victoria, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Alhaurin de la Torre, Mijas, Marbella y San Pedro Alcántara form the urban area with a population of 1,046,279 on 827.33 km² (density 1,264 hab / km²) – 2009 data. The urban area stretches mostly along a narrow strip of coastline. The Málaga metropolitan area includes additional municipalities located mostly in the mountains area north of the coast and also some on the coast: Cártama, Pizarra, Coín, Monda, Ojén, Alhaurín el Grande and Estepona on west; Casabermeja on north; Totalán, Algarrobo, Torrox and Vélez-Málaga eastward from Málaga.
The oldest architectural remains in the city are the walls of the Phoenician city, which are visible in the basement of the Picasso Museum.
The Roman theater of Málaga, which dates from the 1st century BC, was fortuitously rediscovered in 1951.

Like many of the military fortifications that were constructed in Islamic Spain, the Alcazaba of Málaga featured a quadrangular plan.

Further attractions

• Catedral de la Encarnación (neoklassieke kathedraal)
• De haven van de stad
• Jardín de la Concepción (botanische tuin)
• Kerk: Iglesia del Sagrario
• Kerk: Iglesia Parroquil de Santiago
• Palacio de los Condes de Buenavista (kasteel van de graven)
• Palacio Episcopal (bisschoppelijk paleis)
• Plaza de Toros (arena voor stierengevechten)

Museums

• Museo Picasso de Málaga
• Museo Carmen Thyssen
• Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga (museum voor moderne kunst)
• Museo de Bellas Artes (museum voor schone kunsten)
• Museo Municipal de Málaga (stedelijk museum)
• Museo Interactivo de la Música (MIMMA)
• Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares (museum van populaire tradities)
• Museo Císter
• Museo Catedralicio de Málaga
• Museo Taurino Antonio Ordoñez