Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Welcome to the Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Destination Guides

bthere! Destination guides

Previous issues for Malaga

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

Spain : Malaga - December 2007

Country Code: Dial for Spain

Malaga never looks more glitzy and glam than in December, when the streets, squares and trees are strung with festive lights and decorations. With its sunny winter afternoons and crisp clear nights, it’s a great place for sightseeing, shopping and hanging out. Theresa O’Shea shows you round

Getting around

Malaga Airport is 9km south-west of the city centre.

Bus: The No.19 leaves from outside arrivals every 30 minutes, from 6.25am to 11.30pm. Tickets cost €1.
Taxi: A journey from the airport to the city centre costs approximately €15 to €18.
Tourist information: The main office is at 1 Plaza de la Marina (tel. , malagaturismo.com).

THE CENTRE

The compact historic centre is packed with quirky shops, pretty plazas and cafés just made for people-watching.

Sleep soundly – Snooze in style at Hotel Molina Lario (20-22 Calle Molina Lario, tel. , molinalario. warwickhotels.com, rooms from €105). Or try Atarazanas Hotel (19 Calle Atarazanas, tel. , balboahoteles.com, rooms from €55), housed in a 19th-century building.

Culture vultures – Two must-sees within a stone’s throw of each other are Museo Picasso (8 Calle San Augustín) and the splendid 16th-century Cathedral (Calle Molina Lario).

Must eat – Asako (96 Calle Carretería, tel. ) specialises in Mediterranean-Asiatic cuisine. For tasty vegetarian fare, check out Cañadú (21 Plaza de la Merced, tel. ).

Must drink – Don’t leave Malaga without sipping a fino (sherry) at the Antigua Casa de Guardia (18 Alameda Principal) or savouring a coffee at Café Central (11 Plaza de la Constitución), the oldest café in town.

Dance the night away – Strut your stuff at Sala Wengé (1 Calle Santa Lucía) or join the student crowd at Fraggle Rock (10 Calle Comedias).

Shop til you drop – Stock up on cheese, Serrano ham and spicy chorizo at the Moorish Mercado Central de Atarazanas (10 Calle Atarazanas).

PORT AND SURROUNDS

The revamping of Malaga’s busy port is having an effect on the surrounding area, which is shedding its seedy image and becoming home to a number of smart restaurants.

Sleep soundly – One option for those on a budget is Hotel Sur (13 Calle Trinidad Grund, tel. , www.hotel-sur.com, rooms from €43).

Culture vultures – Centro de Arte Contemporáneo (Calle Alemania) houses a superb modern-art collection, and entrance is free.

Must eat – Splurge on some top-notch seafood and gorgeous grilled meats at Manducare (2 Avenida Manuel Augustín Heredia, tel. ). Or fill up on tapas at Restaurante Gallego Candamil (15 Calle Cuarteles, tel. ).

Dance the night away – Take your sea legs to Disco Trafalgar aboard El Trinidad (3 Muelle, Puerto de Malaga), a reconstructed 17th-century sailing ship.

HUELIN (WEST MALAGA)

The area west of the bus station has smartened up since the opening of the María Zambrano train station and Vialia shopping centre.

Sleep soundly – Check into the über-modern Barceló Malaga (Estación María Zambrano, 2 Calle Heroe de Sostoa, tel. , barcelo.com, rooms from €85). Or try Hotel Solymar (34-36 Calle Ferraz, tel. , hotelsolymar-malaga.com, rooms from €35), situated right near the beach.

Must eat – Vinoteca La Sacristía del Rey (67 Avenida Sor Teresa Prat, tel. ) serves superb Mediterranean cuisine and a huge selection of wine. Build your own wok at Woking (Estación de Tren, Centro Comercial Vialia, tel. ).

Shop til you drop – Massimo Dutti, Botticelli, Zara Home, Imaginarium, Sfera and many more can all be found under one roof at the Vialia shopping centre (Explanada de la Estación).

EAST MALAGA

Heading east from the city centre, you’ll find Malaga’s best beaches and seafood restaurants.

Sleep soundly – Enjoy a relaxing stay at the colourful Cohíba Hotel (64 Paseo Marítimo El Pedregal, tel. , cohibahotel.com, rooms from €74), which sits on the seafront.

Must eat – You can’t go wrong at any of the seafood restaurants in the old fishing neighbourhood of Pedregalejo. The pescadito frito (fried fish) at El Morata (13 Paseo Marítimo El Pedregal, tel. ) is excellent.

Must drink – Sip a cocktail by the sea at La Tortuga (48 Paseo Marítimo El Pedregal) or chill in the tropical ambience of Bolivia 41 (97 Calle Bolivia).

Compiled by Theresa O’Shea shows