Málaga

Málaga is a port city in Andalusia, southern Spain, on the Mediterranean coast of the Costa del Sol. Pablo Picasso was born in the city in 1881, and his birthplace on the Plaza de la Merced is a museum.

The Phoenicians founded Malaka as a trading port around the 8th century BC, and the Romans later built a theater at the foot of the hill, which was uncovered in the 20th century. Under Moorish rule the city grew rich, and the Alcazaba, a palace fortress of the 11th century, was built on the hill above the port, linked by a wall to the castle of Gibralfaro. The cathedral, begun in the 16th century, was left with only one of its two towers finished, and the people of the city call it La Manquita, the one-armed lady. In the 19th century Málaga was a center of wine, raisins and early Spanish industry.

Cervezas Victoria brews its beer in Málaga, where it was founded. The Málaga TechPark, west of the city, holds offices and research centers of technology companies, among them a cybersecurity center of Google. Cruise ships dock at the port beside the city center. Sweet wines made from Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez grapes carry the name of Málaga.

The Museo Picasso Málaga, in a Renaissance palace, holds paintings, drawings and ceramics by the artist given by his family. The Centre Pompidou Málaga, opened in 2015 under a colored glass cube on the harbor, shows modern art. During Holy Week, processions carry huge floats of saints through the streets of the old town.