Spainiversary part 2: Málaga
The second stop on our celebratory Spain-iversary tour of southern Spain was Málaga. Founded by the Phoenicians in 770 BC, it's one of the world's oldest cities and reminded us a bit of our beloved Valencia with its proximity to the sea, old town architecture, and surrounding mountains.
We trekked up one of those mountains (think Appalachians rather than Rockies), exceeded our daily step goal, and were rewarded with a jaw-dropping view of the city and the sea from Castillo de Gibralfaro (Gibralfaro Castle).
An afternoon was spent strolling along Playa la Malagueta, dipping our toes in the water, watching locals play futbol, and revelling in the scrumptious scent of sardines grilling on open fires.
A charming Italian restaurant near the beach with delicious pizza and prosecco quickly became our favorite, and the walk back to our hotel took us through one of the most magnificent parks we've ever visited. Surrounded by palm trees, banana leaf trees, pines, hibiscus bushes, and lots of other beautiful flora and fauna, we were mesmerized. Happenstance stepped in when, at the end of our walk, we came upon two master jugglers perfecting their craft.
The central market was teeming with fresh seafood, more olives than we've ever seen in one place, and loads of gloriously fresh fruits and veggies.
We took several strolls around the Centro Histórico (Old Town) a pedestrianized zone featuring historic buildings, narrow streets, and palm trees.
Unfortunately the contemporary art museum was temporarily closed, but we found a mural, "Peace", by Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the Obama "Hope" image, and considered that a win. We took a hard pass on the Picasso museum however, as neither of us are fans.
Each day ended on our cozy terrace watching the sun set behind the mountains and reminiscing about the days' adventures.
Thank you, Málaga, for your enthralling scenery, your kind demeanor, and your spectacular surroundings. A return trip is likely in our future. For now though, it's on to Sevilla. 🇪🇸🌄🌴🌊🐟🌺🫒🍊🍇🎨
