Málaga

Those who have not seen Málaga in a few years should return to be delighted. The formerly congested main street is now a broad pedestrian boulevard paved in marble and lined by sculpture and restored facades of smart shops, fine dining and sidewalk cafes. The narrow side streets of the surrounding neighborhoods have lost none of their charm from a face-lift, and still hide Moorish tearooms, tapas bars and restaurants. A sparkling new museum houses the collections of Pablo Picasso's family, a must see for Picasso fans or anyone interested in modern art. The artist's birthplace is also a museum, and signs identify other sites in the city that ...

Those who have not seen Málaga in a few years should return to be delighted. The formerly congested main street is now a broad pedestrian boulevard paved in marble and lined by sculpture and restored facades of smart shops, fine dining and sidewalk cafes. The narrow side streets of the surrounding neighborhoods have lost none of their charm from a face-lift, and still hide Moorish tearooms, tapas bars and restaurants. A sparkling new museum houses the collections of Pablo Picasso's family, a must see for Picasso fans or anyone interested in modern art. The artist's birthplace is also a museum, and signs identify other sites in the city that are associated with Picasso's childhood here and his family. Positioning itself to become one of Europe's Capitals of Culture, Málaga has outgrown its old reputation as little more than a jumping-off point for the beaches of the Costa del Sol, but those beaches are still a prime draw for the region. Within easy reach of the city is the entire coastline of long beaches, trendy little yacht harbors (don't miss an evening stroll through Porto Banus) and gracious Mediterranean towns like Marbella.

About the Expert

Lura Seavey is the author of Fun with the Family in Vermont and New Hampshire and she has contributed to several Thomas Cook guidebooks, including Drive Around Catalonia, Travellers Mallorca, and Travellers Barcelona.