Our second day in Málaga was amazing (so be prepared for a picture heavy post). My co-teacher from Málaga told me that Málaga has a much warmer climate than Granada, and we were really looking forward to that. True enough, the temperature stayed in the low 20s the whole day, dropping only in the evening, and we had clear blue skies and a lot of sun. It was perfect weather for us (a much needed break from Granada's cold) and we enjoyed a good day sightseeing and eating.
We started the day with a visit to the
Mercado de Atarazanas, the central market of the city. It's located in an old iron-clad buildings which was originally a gate that connected the city with the port. It was recently restored and now boasts a beautiful stained-glass window at the entrance.
The market was divided intro three sections: the first had meat and cheeses; the second all the vegetables, fruits and dry produce; and the last all the fresh seafood straight from the port.
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| Vegetables and fruits |
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| Such vibrant colors |
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| Different flavored olives |
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| Cheese and meat spreads |
The seafood section in particular was amazing. There was so much fresh fish, oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, lobster, octopus, etc.
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| Seafood galore |
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| Different kids of shrimp |
They also had prepared seafood which they'd grill or cook for you on the spot.
From the market we walked to the city center. I really love Málaga's streets; they have many pedestrian streets making it nice and easy to walk around, and they're very wide and clean.
They also have a lot of trees and green spaces, making the city so much prettier. Málaga has a kind of simplistic beauty to it; it's such a pretty city without even trying.
Our next stop was the
Alcazaba, a Moorish fortress built on a hill (with a student discount, entrance was only €0,60!).
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| Cobblestone paths going up the hill to the entrance |
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| Fortress walls and towers |
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| These were the original city walls |
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| View from the Alcazaba |
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| View from the Alcazaba |
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| Fortress walls and towers |
The fortress also had a palace which served as the royal residences for the various rulers when the Moors ruled in Málaga. Though the palace itself has since been destroyed, there are still remnants of the plazas and several rooms which have been restored.
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| Plaza de Armas, a gorgeous courtyard |
The palace part of the Alcazaba really reminded me of the Alhambra. It was like a mini-Alhambra with the same style of courtyards, horseshoe arches, fountains, and geometrical designs. Some of the rooms and squares even had the same name as those in the Alhambra.
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| Designs on the arches |
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| Designs on the ceilings |
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| The path leading the the Castillo de Gibralfaro |
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| View from the very top of the Alcazaba |
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| View from the very top of the Alcazaba |
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| Walking back down |
After exploring every nook and cranny of the Alcazaba, we headed back down for lunch.
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| Plaza de la Merced |
I wanted to try this place I had ready about in my guidebook and online, El Tapeo De Cervantes (C/Carcer, 8). It was a small bar/restaurant, but we had arrived before the lunch rush and were able to get a table outside.
It did not disappoint; the food was
divine. Honestly one of the best meals I have
ever had. We decided to share several plates and we ordered three times, not because we were hungry, but because we kept wanting to try more dishes. We made friends with the waiter asking him for recommendations, and the end of the meal, he gave us some free chocolate ice cream.
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1 - morcilla with sweet potatoes, quail eggs and chimichurri
2 - grilled swordfish and vegetables in oyster sauce
3 - Argentine beef with potato wedges, rocket salad and chimichurri
4 - baked potatoes with smoked salmon and cream cheese
5 - chicken kebab marinated in lemon sauce with basmati rice
6 - lamb stew with mint and couscous
7 - flamenquines with patatas bravas
8 - chocolate ice cream |
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| Had a really good Ribera del Duero to go with the great food |
Our stomachs happy and full, we took the bus up to the Castillo de Gibralfaro in the afternoon. We caught the bus from the main road which was lined with many palm trees.
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| Wide streets and palm trees |
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| Málaga town hall |
Standing on a much higher hill overlooking the city, the
Castillo de Gibralfaro (another €0,60 with the student discount) was built by the Moors and originally acted as a lighthouse and military barracks. The hill that it sits on is actually part of the
Montes de Málaga mountain range which continues northeast of the city.
The walls of the Castillo have since been restored allowing you to walk the perimeter.
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| Walking along the walls of the Castillo |
The place was amazing and offered the most spectacular views of the city.
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| View from one side, of the sea |
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| Panoramic view of the other side |
We decided to walk back down, and on the way, we stumbled upon a small mirador that boasted a nice view of the harbour. It was almost sunset so we decided to stay and watch the sun go down from there.
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| Watching the sunset |
The city lights started turning on soon after, and it was a magical sight.
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| So beautiful |
We ended the night back at the hostel watching the Spain-Belarus game with a huge plate of paella + a drink for just €6.
At midnight, I was ready to sleep, but Lyle and Julie called me back down and surprised me with this for my birthday :)
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