Alcazaba | Castillo de Gibralfaro | Cathedral | Churches | Picasso Museum | Casa Natal Picasso

Major sights in the centre include the cathedral and several churches, each with its own distinctive style. There are also some excellent museums. These are all located within a small area, the highlight being the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro with their fantastic views of the town and bay.

Spain's celebrated painter, Pablo Picasso was born in 1881 in the corner house of an elegant yellow-toned block on Plaza de la Merced. His birthplace was declared an historic-artistic monument in 1983 and in 1991 it became the headquarters of the Picasso Foundation. The centre has been created to foster cultural activities including the promotion of contemporary art with a special emphasis on Picasso himself.

Plaza de la Consitucion. Malaga.

A short walk up from the Plaza de Aduana are the solid fortified walls of La Alcazaba, a major landmark of the city. This fortress dates back to the 700s, although much of the structure belongs to the mid 11th century. The entrance is through the gateway known as the Puerta del Cristo (Christ's Door), where the first mass was celebrated following the Christian victory over the town.

This pathway leads up through attractive landscaped gardens punctuated with bubbling fountains, carrying on through the gateways of Puerta de las Columnas, Arco del Cristo and Arcos de Granada. Several terraces offer magnificent views of the town and harbour. A small palace within the inner perimeter is now the home of the Archaeological Museum.

Just below the entrance to the Alcazaba are the ruins of an amphitheatre dating from Roman times. This dates back to the second century AD, and are currently under restoration. Above here there is a steep path that leads to the castle which crowns the Gibralfaro Hill.

Málaga's colorful market, the Mercado de Atarazanas, is one of the most appealing in all Andalucía. The stalls sell fresh fish, meat, spices, deli items, fruit and vegetables; the latter according to what is in season. The typical 19th-century iron structure incorporates the original Puerta de Atarazanas, the exquisitely crafted 14th-century Moorish gate than once connected the city with the port.

The Palacio Episcopal (Bishop's Palace), which faces the cathedral's main entrance, has one of the most stunning facades in the city and makes an evocative setting for temporary art and sculpture exhibits.

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