Malaga Beyond the Beach, Malaga, Spain

Tourists used to flock to Malaga chasing the sun and Mediterranean Sea along the Costa del Sol, to the point that this mass tourism led to an overbuilt coastline. But the sun-drenched city—actually the 9th city in the world with the most hours of sunshine a day—managed to reinvent itself, highlighting its history, culture, and gastronomy. Today, beyond the relaxing beachfront where sardines are grilled in chiringuitos restaurants, the shaded narrow alleys of Malaga twist around old walls leading the curious traveler to the gems of an authentic city waiting to be rediscovered.

The compact historic heart of Malaga reveals layers of civilizations and a rich multicultural history that are easy to explore in a relatively short amount of time.

The 11th-century Alcazaba fortress dominates Malaga’s old town. Built by the Nasrids—who would later erect the Alhambra in Granada—it once protected a kasbah, or fortified city, with its palaces, gardens, and towers. At its base lie the much older ruins of a Roman amphitheater, which marble blocks were later upcycled by the Moors to embellish their own palaces. Nearby, the fish salting place used to stand or “malaka” in Greek that gave its name to the city founded by the Phoenicians around 800 BC. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).