Last, But Not Least, A Stop In Málaga, Spain

Málaga as seen from Monte Gibralfaro

View over the Mediterranean Sea

The port of Málaga

The Cathedral of Málagua in the distance

Just one of the many pedestrian streets

The Museo Picasso in Málaga

The Palacio de Buenavista, which houses the Picasso Museum

A bronze statue of Pablo Picasso, who was born in the corner house with green shutters across the street.It now houses the Picasso Foundation.

The Mercado Central de Atarazanas in Málaga

Sunset over Málaga harbor

I only knew two things about Málaga, Spain, before we visited this city on the Mediterranean coast.
It was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and also the native city of my wonderful friend Caro.
It was our last stop in Spain and Málaga proved to be a worthy end to a fabulous vacation.

Much larger than I had envisioned, there are some amazing museums and cultural centers here, from the Museo Carmen Thyssen Malaga to an outpost of the Pompidou Center, and of course the Picasso Museum, which is housed in the beautiful Palacio de Buenavista.

The commercial center of Málaga is closed to traffic and it is a treat to explore the shops and many restaurants at a leisurely pace, unencumbered by cars passing by. At night, it seems that everyone gathers here for wine and tapas. It is quite fun to hop from place to place sampling different foods, which we did.

We also ventured into the Mercado Central de Atarazanas, a covered market place that had some of the most amazing (and cheap) produce I have ever seen. And this being Spain, the selection of olives and olive oils was astounding.

The highlight by far was meeting Caro's mother, who invited us to a seaside restaurant a short bus ride from the center of town. Seafood in Málaga is extraordinary and it was a real treat to
spend an evening watching the sunset over the Mediterranean.

Two weeks was barely enough to explore the South of Spain, but we did see and learn so much. The country is beautiful and its people are incredibly welcoming and helpful. The food and wine are worth a trip on their own and compared to the rest of Europe, prices here are still very reasonable. Needless to say, we plan on returning back soon.

We are now back in Brooklyn, and will dive into our Carroll Gardens life as soon as we have unpacked and put our suitcases away.  Stay tuned. 

Thanks for coming along on this adventure,

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Granada And The Alhambra: The Highlight Of The Trip Through Southern Spain

A view of Granada from the Alhambra, Spain.

A view of the Alhambra with the snow covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain

The garden of the Generalife palace

The Court of the Myrtles

The patio of the lions

Well deserved tapas and wine after a daylong visit.

In my early teens, I visited Granada and the Alhambra in Spain.  The place seemed magical to me all these years ago and I always wanted to return to it to spend more time exploring its palaces, its gates and its magnificent gardens.

The Alhambra was the main reason for this trip to Southern Spain, so imagine my disappointment when I learned two months before departure that most entrance tickets had been sold out long ago. Luckily, my husband and I were able to secure two places on a guided tour.  We also reserved a room in one of the two hotels right in the Alhambra complex, so that we were able to take a tour at night as well and make the most of our visit.

Records first mention the Alcazaba fortress, the oldest part of the Alhambra, in the 9th century. It was built on the remains of a Roman fortification. However, it was not until the first king of the Nasrid dynasty, Mohammed ben Al-Hamar, established his royal residence behind the fortress' ramparts that the Alhambra started taking shape. Today, the Nasrid palaces, like the Palacio de Generalife, have been lovingly restored and the complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The plasterwork is just magnificent and the courtyards with the many fountains and pools are lovely. So are its tiles, though most of them have been replaced and do not date back to the Moorish period. It's setting against the backdrop of the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain and on the banks of the river Darro, is spectacular.  The gardens were in full bloom, with the scent of orange blossoms and jasmine accompanying us everywhere we went.

The Alhambra offers a perfect panorama of the City of Granada, which is worth a visit in its own right, especially the Albaicin neighborhood, one of the oldest centers of Muslim culture in Granada.

It's little eateries and shops are a perfect place for a bite to eat after an amazing visit.

The Alhambra was every bit as spectacular as in my memories from so many years ago, perhaps even more so.

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