Getting To Know Malaga The City: Part 1 – Background And History

Written by and published with the agreement of Jason Wild of The Marbella Connection

When people think of Malaga they think of the airport or perhaps others are aware it still has a football team that once graced the same field as the top clubs in La Liga, but in truth this city has a lot more to it than many realise.

Steeped in history, the area was first discovered some 2,800 years ago by the Phoenicians and has evolved ever since, seeing constant improvement with new infrastructure that continues to attract interest and investment from all over the world.

Packed full of history, educational facilities a technology park employing some of the brightest young talent in Europe and a Trade Centre to match any city the future is looking bright, and with continued redevelopment that features some of the best real estate projects anywhere in Europe over the coming few years under the latest plans, the people of Malaga have plenty to be excited about.

Here is an article that offers more insight into the history of the city and why it has remained so appealing to so many different cultures over the last three millennia.

Background and History of Malaga

Malaga, a city on the coast of Southern Spain, situated in a bay surrounded by mountains, dissected by two rivers the Guadalmedina and Guadalhorce with the Mediterranean Sea coastline the most prominent.

A city that has 2,800 years of history and is one of the oldest cities in Europe and with the second biggest port in Spain that was recently modernised while remaining a cosmopolitan city and the capital of the Costa del Sol.

With a history that dates back to the Phoenician times when it was first founded, but later passed to the Romans and Arabs, who also left their mark here. Due to its strategic location the port developed into a city as it was considered an important site along the trade routes even in ancient times.

Malaga was finally conquered by the Catholic Kings in 1487, leaving an incomplete cathedral due to the lack of funds back then, known as ‘La Manquita’.

The city is rich in culture, modernity and historical monuments which still stand including the Alcazaba Arabic Castle and the Gibralfaro Castle with its beautiful gardens. Malaga is also Pablo Picasso’s birthplace, and the square where he used to play as a child still exists and his house is now a museum.

The capital of the Costa del Sol, a destination known throughout the world since the beginning of the tourist boom in this area, where the climate, the sea, beaches and golf courses represent an irresistible attraction for national and international tourists.

The Historical District ‘old town’ of Málaga is a place where the architecture on display ranges centuries testament to this evolving city boasting many attractions from different ages with an assortment of churches, convents and palaces from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to the architectural legacy created from the nineteenth century through its strong industrial growth opening the city up to European markets.

Larios Street was inaugurated in the late nineteenth century and continues to be the commercial and social heart of Málaga. The best shops, the central offices of banking institutions and some of the longest-established cafés are located on this charming thoroughfare.

The adjacent streets, almost all restricted to pedestrians, make up the nucleus of the traditional centre with countless establishments offering all kinds of goods.

A place where it is possible to taste many foods, from the most modest budget to the most exclusive. Filled with locals and tourists alike throughout the old quarter enjoying the tapas bars and restaurants, sitting in the plazas and open terraces, a popular pastime through the day and long into the night often accompanies by music of all kinds as one peruses the fashion boutiques along the way.

Malaga is also an ideal base from where to start exploring all corners of Andalucia, with great access by road to Granada & Sierra Nevada, Seville, Cordoba, Ronda, Marbella, Estepona and even Gibraltar.

While Malaga airport is 10 minutes from the city centre, the gateway to the Costa del Sol where all domestic and international flights are received frequently from USA, Asia, Africa, Middle East and almost all the European capitals.

To assist you in planning your move to Spain download our Guide containing all the information you will need to make the move: