Make a City Break Your First Stop after the Car Hire In Malaga Airport

One of the things that many visitors to the Cost del Sol miss out on when they have sorted out their car hire in Malaga airport is the city lying just a few miles away to the north. That is a real shame, as Malaga has much to offer the visitor, whether your interest lies in history, Spanish culture or just having a really great time.

Malaga is the main port of the Andalusia province that stretches along Spain's southern Mediterranean coast. Like much of the rest of the Costa del Sol, Malaga benefits from the being sun-drenched, and golden-sanded. But it also is home to a dizzying array of historical sites, testimony to its long and storied history. And the Andalusians are rightly proud of their many spectacular festivals and fiestas that brighten the calendar of resident and visitor alike.

Starting in February is the lent-time celebration of Fiestas de Carnaval, when Flamenco dancing, and a costumed parade, liven up the streets. Malaga likes to think of itself as the spiritual home of flamenco, and Gypsy dance, music and verse is never far from the city's streets.

Then, over the Easter week, the Holy Week of Malaga takes centre stage- one of most famous and spectacular celebrations of the Passion in Spain. Solemn parades on Good Friday involve thousands of bizarrely attired penitents processing through the streets, dragging huge ‘tronos’. These are thrones holding blazing candles and figures of Christ, and are so large that more than 100 bearers are sometimes required to parade them. Passionate flamenco verses are often sung at the height of the procession- the overall effect is electric.

In August, there is the Feria de Malaga, a weeklong celebration of the re-conquest of Malaga by the Catholic Monarchs of Castille. Fireworks, prancing Andalusian horses and more excited parading are all to be found during the evenings of festivity. There is even a great open air fairground that takes to the streets, and which all, young and old, take full advantage of.

But at any time of year, Malaga is a great place to be in the evenings- authentic tapas bars are the staple of the night-life scene here. And the flamenco bars, where the passion of the Gypsy is truly lived, simply have to be experienced- music, dance and song will whisk you away into a truly Andalusian blend of Moorish and Gypsy cultures.

During the day, Malaga also has much to offer the visitor, with its splendid Roman amphitheatre, and the dominating twin Moorish citadels on the central hills- the Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro Castle. These date back to the period when Malaga was ruled by Moorish caliphs, for some 500 years. So don't just head out to the beaches when driving from the airport (after car hire in Malaga airport) - turn north and head into town- and Malaga will reward you with an authentic Spanish experience.