Culture Trip: Malaga

Yea my lovely readers, I flew on my own and took a trip to Malaga as part of my holiday.

On the 6th March 2022 I took a Ryanair flight from Newcastle to Malaga, I stayed in the lovely Soho Boutique Bahia Hotel. The hotel was located in the center of the city and was a really lovely hotel, it was clean and the room was spacious and had everything I needed for the two nights that I was there for.

Wanting to get the full experience of Malaga, on the morning I had brunch at a lovely cafe called Byoko where I had a crazy sexy smoothie (the name) and a bircher, it was like a porridge, fruit and yogurt compote. Really healthy, refreshing, and just what I needed for my day ahead.

You guys know me, I am like a magpie when it comes to anything cultural. When I found out about the Picasso Museum, I was eager to visit. rather than booking ahead, I just queued up for a ticket. Hands up I don’t really know anything about Picasso apart from some of his really famous paintings.

When I visited the museum I got to understand more about his own personal history and the inspiration behind his art and what his process was for each piece of art. I have to be honest, I did not relate to or understand many of his drawings but I did enjoy his sculptures- they were playful, cartoonish, and fun to look at.

Next on my visit list was the Alcazaba, which is a fortress in Malaga that frames the city.

Again I just bought a ticket and wandered around the gardens, there was an audio guide but it required you to download an app and I did not have data roaming so was unable to do that. It was a case of me looking around and being in awe of the beautiful view and having to google about it later.

I was in need of some food so I found a cafe nearby called La Plaza, I tried a couple of tapas meals and they were all really light and just what I needed after all that excitement.

After a bit of art and history, it was time for some retail therapy aka window shopping. I walked around the city and oddly enough I felt at home, it was like being in Newcastle on a Saturday. It was buzzing with shoppers, yes many of the shops were like what we have here in the UK but there were a few shops that were different which was nice to see.

I loved the shop called Desigual, which appeared to be a high fashion designer shop- they were all about sequins and bright colours and floral patterns, it was very me but sadly due to the price tag I could not afford anything from the railings. I got the vibe that Malaga are all about art and culture in their clothes- it’s all about making a statement.

In the evening I went to a lovely restaurant called Dona Ines which is romantic gastropub, I would say it was a hidden gem in Malaga.

I had a beautiful fish dish and a mile fuille, it tasted amazing and the service was over and above. They made sure everything was to my liking and I was having the best time- which I was.

The next day I went to the Malaga Cathederal in the centre of Malaga and the building is one big piece of art, it is amazing to look at.

I paid for a ticket and there was an audio guide but I felt that was disrespectful, I wanted to walk around in peace and admire the magnificence that was the cathedral. Let me tell you that this religious building is stunning, everywhere I turned I was looking at something beautiful.

All the paintings and sculptures, it took my breath away. The trip got better as I was able to climb to the roof and see the view from up above.

I was also impressed by the Cultural and advent-garde quarter, the Centre Pompidou Malaga. It was closed when I was there but it appeared to be some sort of cultural hub for Malaga.