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Spain : Malaga - March 2008

Country Code: Dial for Spain

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

Malaga’s revamped historic centre has enough sights, shops and watering holes to keep you busy for days.

Sleep soundly – The AC Málaga Palacios (1 Cortina de Muelle, tel. , ac-hotels.com, rooms from €100) offers four-star luxury in a superbly central location. For cheap and cheerful, try the backpacker’s hostel Picasso’s Corner (9 Calle San Juan de Letrán, tel. , picassoscorner. com, beds from €18).

Culture vultures – Pick up the Malaga bus tour outside the Cathedral (Calle Molina Lario) for all the major sights, including the Castillo de Gibralfaro, the Alcazaba and the Plaza de Toros.

Must eat – Mesón Lo Güeno (9 Calle Marín García, tel. ) has over 100 tapas to sample, while Lechuga (1 Plaza de la Merced, tel. ) specialises in exotic salads and also does a great €8 lunch menu.

Must drink – Sink into a sofa and grab a book at Café con Libros (19 Plaza de la Merced). If you’re still thirsty, check out what’s on at café-theatre Cochera Cabaret (4 Calle Pardo Bazán)

Dance the night away – Lose yourself in Liceo (21 Calle Beatas), a gothic mansion converted into a warren of bars and dance floors. Sala Spectra (8 Plaza San Francisco) plays indie and rock until 7am.

Shop til you drop – Flouncy flamenco dresses are sold at El Rocio (1 Calle San Juan) and other speciality shops near the San Juan church.

THE PORT & SURROUNDS

The majestic port area offers a growing number of accommodation and entertainment options. » Sleep soundly Room Mate Lola (17 Casas de Campo, tel. , room-matehotels.com, rooms from €90) is great for fans of modern design.

Culture vultures – Catch the exhibition by American visual artist Roni Horn at the seriously cool Contemporary Arts Centre (Calle Alemania, cacmalaga.org).

Must eat – For fine dining step aboard Restaurante El Trinidad (3 Puerto de Málaga, tel. ). It’s situated on the Santísima Trinidad, a lovingly reconstructed 17th-century sailing ship. Wok Direct (16 Paseo Marítimo Antonio Machado, tel. ) does an excellent Asian buffet.

Dance the night away – Strut your stuff all night at Discoteca Trafalgar (3 Puerto de Málaga).

HUELIN (MALAGA WEST)

The opening of the María Zambrano train station and Vialia shopping centre has transformed the once run-down area around the bus station.

Sleep soundly – The swish Silken Puerta Malaga (17 Héroe de Sostoa, tel. , hoteles-silken.com, rooms from €60) offers state-of-the-art luxury at surprisingly reasonable prices.

Must eat – Treat your taste buds at Trujal Vinos, the food and wine pairing specialists (Centro Comercial Vialia, Estación de Málaga, tel. ).

Shop til you drop – You’ll find dozens of shops including H&M, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara, Superskunk, and Imaginarium (as well as most of Spain’s other favourite chains) at the Vialia Shopping Centre (Explanada de la Estación), which also has a cinema.

EAST OF MALAGA

The beaches and seafood restaurants east of the centre come alive as the early spring weather warms up.

Sleep soundly – If cool neutral decor isn’t your thing, head straight to Hostal Las Acacias (5 Paseo las Acacias, tel. , lasacaciashr.com, rooms from €39). Each room has its own vibrant colour scheme.

Must eat – The old fishing areas of Pedregalejo and El Palo are chockablock with restaurants serving Malaga’s finest pescadito frito (fried fish). Restaurante las Acacias (5 Paseo las Acacias, tel. ) serves a mix of modern Mediterranean cuisine in an appealing patio-garden setting.

Must drink – Soak up the inimitable Cuban ambience at Cohiba Café (64 Paseo Marítimo El Pedregal). Open throughout the day until the early hours, it has a fantastic seafront location.

Compiled by Theresa O’Shea