strange how so many of us go to Málaga but never think to stay. There are direct flights to this thoroughly Spanish seaside city from 22 UK airports, and the majority of the 12 million passengers who pass through its bright and airy Pablo Ruiz Picasso airport are British. Desperate for sunshine and sherry, we all seem programmed to jump into our hire cars and hare off to the picturesque pueblos blancos inland, or board the coaches pushing west to the brazen beach resorts of Torremolinos, Fuengirola and Marbella. And how loco – sorry, crazy – is that? If we only lingered, visitors would discover a smart, welcoming city that ticks all the boxes required for a rewarding cultural break. The abundance of flights means fares are often reasonable, and if you search online you can bag a room in a good, central hotel for under £100 a night. The weather can stay fine until November – in The Face of Spain, the Hispanophile writer Gerald Brenan recounts how he met a man who once spotted eight bishops staying there one winter – a sure sign that Málaga "must have the best climate in Spain". Wandering through the venerable trees of the elegant Paseo del Parque, as workers add the finishing touches to a new marina and a waterfront promenade invitingly named El Palmeral de las Sorpresas (the Palm Garden of Surprises), I can understand why Malagueños feel their city deserves to be more highly regarded. The port failed in its dream of becoming Spain's European Capital of Culture 2016 (that will be San Sebastián) but everywhere you stroll there is impressive sprucing-up.
0 comments:
Post a Comment