Is this Spain's most underrated city break?
The birth place of Picasso boasts Easter parades, tapas tours and its very own Pompidou Centre. It’s so much more than just a gateway to the Costa del Sol.
Why go now
To enjoy the sunshine of Andalucia’s early spring, and for Easter week (March 25 to April 1). Malaga’s Semana Santa features hooded penitents shuffling through the rosemary-strewn streets carrying figures of Christ and the Virgin Mary – and you might spot Antonio Banderas, too. Airlines flying from UK airports include easyJet (easyjet.com), British Airways (britishairways.com), Vueling (vueling.com) and Norwegian Air (norwegian.com/uk).
Malaga city central
Stay here
Right by the beach, the five-star Gran Hotel Miramar (1) (telegraph.co.uk/tt-grandmiramar; doubles from €160/￡141 without breakfast) combines grande dame glamour with contemporary design. If you are going for Easter, book a room with a street view at the chic and central Room Mate Larios (2) to see the processions from your window (telegraph.co.uk/tt-matelarios; doubles from €80 without breakfast).
Gran Hotel Miramar
Malaga, Andalucia, Spain
8Telegraph expert rating
Pack your film-star shades and a statement hat. Grand style meets contemporary luxe at the Miramar, which is all about full-on seaside grandeur. I half expected to see Hercule Poirot sitting behind one of the palms in the courtyard. This is the hotel that will put Malaga firmly back on the glamour map. Read expert review From ￡141per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Walk here
From Plaza de la Merced (3), where Picasso was born, walk down the pedestrianised Calle Alcazabilla with the Roman amphitheatre on the left and above it the 11th-century Alcazaba fortress (4). Up ahead, visit the excellent Malaga Museum (5) (museosdeandalucia.es; free), then stroll along the palm-lined paths in the Paseo del Parque (6) to reach the glass cube that houses the Pompidou Centre (7) (centrepompidou-malaga.eu; admission €7) before walking back along the Muelle Uno (8) waterfront promenade.
See this
Book tickets online in advance for the Picasso Museum (9) (museopicassomalaga.org; admission from €7). The exhibition And Fellini Dreamed of Picasso runs until May 13.
Try this
The Soho Street Art and Tapas tour serves up culture with bar stops (welovetapas.com; €48 per person).
Shop here
Stroll up Calle Marqués de Larios, Malaga’s elegant main shopping street, then veer off into the adjoining lanes to come upon traditional shops such as Calzados Hinojosa (10) (Calle San Juan 20), which has been selling espadrilles for almost a century.
Drink here
Install yourself at a terrace table at Café de Estraperlo (11) (Plaza del Poeta Alfonso Canales 4) and you will soon get chatting to the friendly team and regulars. Beer from €1.40; gin and tonic from €5.50.
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Eat here
At Lola y Ludwig (12) (Calle Vendeja 29) in the Soho area, Andalucia meets Ireland in tapas such as chorizo sautéed in Jameson whisky (€3.50) and dishes including octopus with colcannon tart (€14).
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Off the map
La Concepción, three miles (5km) north of the city centre, is one of the best botanic gardens in Europe (laconcepcion.malaga.eu; €5.20). Created in the 19th century, it is particularly voluptuous in spring. The Malaga Tour sightseeing bus (green line) is the easiest way to get there (city-ss.es/en/malaga; ticket €1.30). See malagaturismo.com for more information.