Málaga is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 578,460 in 2020, it is the second-most populous city in Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most populous in Spain. It lies on the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) of the Mediterranean, about 100 kilometres east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about 130 km (80.78 mi) north of Africa. Málaga’s history spans about 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest cities in Europe and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. According to most scholars, it was founded about 770 BC by the Phoenicians as Malaka. From the 6th century BC the city was under the hegemony of Ancient Carthage, and from 218 BC, it was ruled by the Roman Republic and then empire as Malaca. After the fall of the empire and the end of Visigothic rule, it was under Islamic rule as Mālaqah for 800 years, but in 1487, the Crown of Castille gained control in the midst of the Granada War. The archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabic and Christian eras make the historic center of the city an “open museum”, displaying its history of nearly 3,000 years.
The history of Malaga.
Phoenicians from Tyre founded a colony named Málaka or Malake about 770 BC. The town controlled access to the Guadalmedina and served as a waypoint on trade routes between Phoenicia and the Strait of Gibraltar. Like other Phoenician colonies, it fell under Carthaginian rule during the 6th or 5th century BC. The Phoenician and Later Roman urban core developed around an area running from the Gibralfaro Hill to the mouth of the Malaca flumen. After the Punic Wars, the Roman Republic took control of the town known to them as Malaca. By the 1st century BC, Strabo alluded to its Phoenician profile, in contrast to the hellenized characteristics of the neighbouring settlement of Mainake.
The geography of Malaga.
Málaga is located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) on the northern side of the Alboran Sea (the westernmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea). It lies about 100 kilometres (62 miles) east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about 130 kilometres (81 miles) east of Tarifa (the southernmost point of continental Europe) and about 130 km (81 miles) to the north of Africa. The city centre is located around the mouth of the Guadalmedina and close to the Guadalhorce’s mouth (where the airport is located). The Totalán Creek constitutes the eastern boundary of Málaga with the municipality of Rincón de la Victoria.
Places you can go and see.
The Roman Theatre:
Sitting at the base of the dramatic Alcazaba, this historical monument is just one of the many jewels that adorn this Mediterranean city. Steeped in historical and archeological significance, with its origins in Moorish and Roman times, it is believed to be among Europe’s oldest theaters, loosely dating back to the first century A.D.
The Gibralfaro Castle:
A highly photographed ancient landmark and easily one of the essential things to do in Malaga (whether you’re a history buff or not), the Gibralfaro Castle is a citadel perched atop the hill for which it takes its name. Looming over Malaga city, this Moorish castle was originally constructed in the 14th-century and later reconstructed during the Renaissance period to what you see today, all of which have been well-preserved thanks to their inclusion on Spain’s list of national monuments.
The Caminito del Rey trail:
Not for those afraid of heights, the 7.7km-long Caminito del Rey is an iconic series of ridge trails and precarious bridges that cling to the steep cliffs along Málaga’s Guadalhorce Valley. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this dramatic walkway was originally created in the early 20th by King Alfonso XIII to connect the opposing sides of the gorge; over time it was updated to become the stunning trails we know and love today.
Where you should visit in Malaga:
- The Caminito del Rey trail,
- El Caminito del Rey, 29550 Ardales, Málaga
- https://goo.gl/maps/k86uMU1eDnqc7pB98
- The White Towns of Andalusia,
- Av. Blas Infante, 19, 11687 El Gastor, Cádiz,
- https://goo.gl/maps/NwphLcDAouc8AuF77
- La Concepción Historical Botanical Gardens,
- Camino del Jardín Botánico, 3, 29014 Málaga
- https://goo.gl/maps/dqdiLBHpmwvScuaU8
- Catedral de la Encarnación de Málaga,
- C. Molina Lario, 9, 29015 Málaga
- https://goo.gl/maps/y629ox9nBXvX8M4x8
- El Torcal de Antequera,
- Calle el Torcal de Antequera, 70, 75, 29200 Antequera, Málaga,
- https://goo.gl/maps/fDJ4aLDDGHFRY8jb8
