Portray of the Destination
Málaga, Capital city of Costa del Sol, is one of the most important tourist regions in the Iberian Peninsula due to Its fine sand beaches and golf courses. The city has a rich cultural heritage thanks to the different cultures settlements that left their trace, so, many streets of Malaga end in beautiful places like Alameda Principal or Paseo Marítimo de la Farola. The best way to delight your view is to see the panoramic city view from the Gibralfaro Castle, a medieval touch to the city. The historical Malaga offers many typical sites and corners like the façade of the Town Hall from the early 20th century or the Plaza de la Merced crowned by the monument to Torrijos and where the famous painter Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born. Strolling along the ancient district we can find the Pasaje de las Chinitas, the Calle Granada where the Fine Arts Museum is or the Calle Larios, the main street of this district.

Apart from enjoying this cultural heritage, Malaga also offers a wonderful weather during almost all the year at the beachfront where the typical Andalusian gastronomy can be tasted at the different beach restaurants.

We would like to thank the Malaga tourism board for the text and photographs provided.
Visit: www.malagaturismo.com


Geography
Malaga is located in the autonomous region of Andalusia at the south of Spain. It is at the west side of the Mediterranean Sea and just 100 km away from the Gibraltar strait. The city is surrounded by the Montes de Malaga and the rivers Guadalmedina and Guadalhorce which cross the city flowing down to the Mediterranean Sea.

Climate
The climate of Malaga is a Mediterranean subtropical climate. The annual average temperature is 18º, the average maximun is 25.4º and the average minimum is 11.9º. Winters are mild and summers quite hot. The city has reached more than 44º in summer just twice, in 1978 and 1994, when the dry wind from the interior lands, called terral, blows. The average number of rainy days is 43 and usually during the coldest months, between november and january the 50% of the annual average precipitations falls. 2,815 hours is the average amount of sunny days per year.

When to go
Malaga is a city to be visited any period of the year, however the best seasons are summer and spring due to the nice weather. In august takes place the Festival of August, a good time to enjoy the lively atmosphere of the city. Easter is also a good period to visit the city, this celebration has been declared as Festival of International Tourist Interest.

History
Malaga was a colony founded by the Phoenicians of Tiro around the 7th century B.C. Notwithstanding, the province of Malaga was occupied since even a long time before and testimony of this are the dolmens of Antequera, the rock paintings of the Cueva de la Pileta in Benaoján, Cueva del Tesoro in Rincón de la Victoria or the pottery found in Nerja. Nonetheless, it was in the Roman period when the city reached its peak splendour: the Roman theatre and some sculptures kept at the Archaeological Museum. Until the arrival of the Barbarians, the city maintained this status.

Malaga is surrounded by towers which where used as vigilance sites to prevent possible invasions and also to collect taxes from those crossing the highways. After the Arab conquest, the city was part of the Al-Andalus Muslim region. There are still some traces of their urbanism network in the historical city centre and in two very important buildings: The Alcazaba -a citadel- and the Gibralfaro Castle. The conquest of the Muslim kingdom of Granada by the Catholic Kings, and especially Malaga, in august 1487, was a really bloody battle. After a long besiege, obstructing the water and victuals supplies, the Castilian army defeated the city. This besiege was one the longest episodes of the Reconquest that took six months. The citizens become slaves or suffered death penalty. The Catholic King Ferdinand gave the city the image of Our Lady of La Victoria and, since then, she is the patron saint of Malaga.

It was a pioneer city in the Iberian Peninsula to begin the Industrial Revolution becoming the first industrial city in Spain and was in the second place after Barcelona for years, known as the chimneys city. During the Spanish Civil War, Malaga was bombarded by the Mussolini Italian Air Force causing the massive escape to the republican region of Almeria. During the Franco government period, tourism lived a great expansion in Costa del Sol and, therefore, an economy boom took place during the 60s. The democracy restoration strengthened the city as one of the most important ones within Spain.

Traditions
Malaga is a city that exhales joy and friendship with its typical Andalusian folklore and its very lively and colourful fiestas. One of its main celebrations is the Procession of the Three Wise Men every 5th January when the Wise Men arrive to the city by ship from Africa and then, throw candies and presents to the children who are waiting for them in the city streets.

Easter in Malaga, celebrated since the Christian conquest, competes for the best position within Andalusia against the one of Seville. Many religious brotherhood processions takes place from the Friday – called Viernes de Dolores- before Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.

The third week of August the city celebrates the called Festival of August, the population wears their best flamenco costumes during the Desfile de Enganches or the Horse Fair where we can see really extraordinary Andalusian horses. During the day the festivity takes place at the historical city centre, people drink typical Andalusian wines like Fino or Cartojal and dance flamenco. During the evening the festivities continue at the outskirts of the city in a place called Cortijo de Torres where the fun fair and the casetas where you can taste tapas and drinks are. There are also casetas for young people turned into really open-air discotheques.

Gastronomy
The typical cuisine of Malaga is a combination of sea, country and mountain products: a trully Mediterranean quality cuisine standing out fish and seafood. Clams, the called coquinas and conchas finas (other species of clams), boiled and grilled prawns and many other different molluscs cooked in a parsley, garlic and white wine sauce which will astonish the most demanding diner.

Soups are also delicious specialites of the Malaga cuisine: gazpachuelo -potato and mayonnaise soup- and gazpacho malagueño or ajoblanco -cold almond, oil, garlic and grapes soup-. Among the desserts, sweets potatoes (roasted or with syrup), oil biscuit or raisins from Axarquia are quite tasteful. All these dishes can be savoured in the wide range of restaurants of Malaga.

Currency
The official currency of Spain is the Euro. There are bank notes of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 Euros. Also coins of 2 and 1 Euro and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. Currency exchange can be done in many foreing exchange offices but we recommend to do it in banks.

Currency Exchange
1 EUR (Euro) = 1.20 USD (United States Dollar)
1 EUR (Euro) = 0.66 GBP (Sterling Pound)


Prices
In comparison with other European Union countries and perhaps because of its tourist profile, Spain in one of the cheapest countries in terms of tourism. Of course, prices varies depending on the season. The peak season is summer and the lowest winter.

Useful Info

Official name
Malaga
Country
Spain
Time Zone
+1 GMT
Official Language
Spanish
Surface area
398.25 km2
Population
547,000 citizens
Political Regime
Constitutional Monarchy
Public holidays
1st January: New Year; 28th February: Day of Andalusia; Maundy Thursday and Good Friday:a different date every year; 1st May: Labour Day; June: Corpus Christi; 19th August: Day of the annexation of Malaga to Castile; 8th September: Our Lady of La Victoria's Day; 12th October: Our Lady of El Pilar's Day; 1st November: All Saint's Day; 6th December: Spanish Constitution's Day; 8th December: Our Lady of Inmaculada Concepción's Day; 25th December: Christmas Day.

Religion
The most practised religion in Malaga is the Catholic one, but there are also many Jews and Muslims.

Religion
90% Catholic, 8% Muslim and 2% Jewish
Arrival / Departure
Getting to Malaga can be by flight to the nearby airport or overland through the road network by car or bus and also by train, very comfortable and quick.
Safety
Tourism in Spain is a very important activity and, therefore, the visitor’s security is a priority for the country. Nevertheless, it is recommended to walk with the amount of money needed in the moment and not with the whole amount taken for the trip. Also, watch out your personal belongings in very crowded places.
Visa
The European Union tourists do not need visa to enter Spain. Neither those citizens of the United States, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and the rest of the Latin American countries, though a return ticket must be bought. Travelers from Australia, Anguilla, Bermuda, Canada, Cyprus, South Korea, Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Israel, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Saint Helena, Singapore and Turk & Caicos do not either need visa provided that they do not stay more than 90 days in Spain.
Clothing
Visitors should wear thin clothes during almont all the year as the temperatures are quite nice and it does not rain a lot. For the evening, thin jackets could be useful as the breeze flows, even in winter the temperature does not descend very much.

Electricity
220 volts, 50 mhz. The most common plug sockets are those with two circular plugs.

Radio and Television
The main radio stations are: Onda Cero Radio (FM 90.8), Andalucía Información (FM 94.9), Canal Fiesta Radio Málaga (FM 105.8), Máxima FM Málaga (FM 94.5), Cadena Dial Málaga (FM 93.9). TV channels are: Antena 3 Televisión, Canal Sur Televisión, Canal 2 Andalucía, Andalucía TV, Telecinco and Televisión Española.

Telephone
The Spanish phone code is 34 and the Malaga code is 95. To make international phone calls, you must first dial 00 and then the destination country code and the phone number. To make a phone call within Spain it is not necessary to dial any special code. The mobile phone technology used in the Spanish territory is GSM but, in many cases, it is not compatible with some of the technologies used in other countries like the United States and Japan, for example.

The most important mobile phone operators are Amena – www.amena.com-, Movistar/Telefónica Móviles -www.movistar.tsm.es- and Vodafone-www.vodafone.es-. Telephone booths are very common along the streets and they work with coins or phone cards. There are also the called locutorios, they are establishments with many phone booths, where coins or cards are not needed, just pay in cash the phone call after the conversation. In many of this kind of places it is also possible to send and receive faxes and there are computers with internet connection as well.
Police
112
Ambulance
112
Fire Brigade
112
Tourist health care services
112
Newspapers and Magazines
Local newspapers are El Diario de Malaga and La Opinion de Malaga. Also national papers can be bought: El País, El Mundo, ABC or La Razón. With regard to magazines we can find the local one Sur in English.
Postal Service
The Spanish postal service is very efficient. Sending registered mail costs a minimum of 2.5 Euros. There are some post offices in Malaga which addresses can be searched at the website www.correos.es. The opening hours are from 08:30 to 21:30, depending on the office, and saturdays from 08:30 to 14:00.
Health Care Services
Generally, the Spanish health care system, Malaga included, is good. Visitors must just be careful with the sunshine, which can cause sunstroke. It must be mentioned that the health care centre network is Spain is quite wide where primary and specialised care is given.
Airport
Malaga Airport is 8 km away to the south-east of the city, just at one side of the national road N340 and the new toll motorway which goes to Estepona. The address is Avenida García Morato s/n. Tel: +34 952 048 838. Website: www.autopro.es/es/informacion/malaga_aeropuerto.asp. The city is connected with the main Spanish and international airports. There is also a railway service direct to the airport that takes only 12 minutes to get there from the city. To reach the airport by bus take the bus number 19, there is one service each 30 minutes.
Public Transport
The public transport services in Malaga work quite well: public buses and trains for short or long way trips. The railway station is sited in the city centre and is very well communicated with other means of transport as there is a short way train that goes directly to the airport and the bus station is very close.
Railway
The Malaga Railway Station is in the city centre: Explanada de la Estación s/n. Tel: +34 902 24 02 02. Opening hours: from 6:10 to 23:00h.
Website: www.renfe.es

Bus
Many bus companies operates at the bus station that link the city and villages of Malaga, the rest of Andalusia and Spain. Also there are services with destination to Europe and north Africa. The address is Paseo de los Tilos s/n. E-mail: estabus@emtsam.es. Tel: +34 952 350 061. Website: http://www.estabus.emtsam.es.

Spanish national companies are:
ALSINA GRAELL SUR, S.A Tel: +34 952 310 400
AUTOMOVlLES CASADO S.A. Tel: +34 952 841 957
AUTOMOVILES PORTILLO S.A. Tel: +34 952 227 300
DAIBUS S.L Tel: +34 916 520 011
AUTOCARES SIERRA DE LAS NIEVES S.L. Tel: +34 952 231 200
AUTOCARES MATEOS S.L. Tel: +34 952 232 022
AUTOCARES LOHI S.A Tel: +34 952 216 421
AUTOCARES VALLE-NIZA S.L Tel: +34 952 542 784
RUIZ Y AVILA S.L. Tel: +34 952 541 113
TRANSPORTES BACOMA Tel:+34 952 238 496

International Bus companies are:
ALSA INTERNACIONAL S.A. Tel:+34 985 281 200
JULIA VIA INTERNACIONAL S.A Tel:+34 952 386 144
LINEBUS S.A. Tel: +34 963 911 54 46
ENATCAR Tel: +34 91 754 20 04
AGOBE S.L. Tel: +34 958 635 274
Car
The main road access are the dual carriageway E-15 -that links Malaga with the airport and then with Almeria, the N340 to Cadiz and the N331 to Cordoba, Sevilla and Grenada.

Car Rentals
Most of the international car rental companies working in Malaga have offices at the airport:

Avis: Tel. +34 952 048 486
Europcar: Tel. +34 952 176 527 Fax. +34 952 176 114
Hertz: Tel. +34 952 233 086 Fax. +34 952 048 479
Atesa: Tel. +34 952 048 506 Fax. +34 952 048 504
Ship
Address: Muelle de Cánovas, s/n. 29001. Malaga
E-mail: sac@puertomalaga.com
Website: www.puertomalaga.com
Tel: +34 952 125 000 / Fax: +34 952 125 002

Destination Tourism Office in Spain
Pasaje de Chinitas, 4. 29015 Málaga. Tel: +34 952 213 445. Fax: +34 952 229 421

See climate
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Currency converter
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A dinner
The average price of a meal in a restaurant is between 15 and 25 Euros.
A coffee
1 Euro
The Bus
Normal ticket: 0.90 Euros. Coupon of 10 trips: 5.70 Euros
The taxi
1.18 Euros since the metre starts running. 0.65 Euro per kilometre
The Underground
1 Euro
The train
1 way ticket: 1.05 Euros