If I had to choose a memorable trip, it would be my last voyage to Europe. Traveling by train from Germany to France, flying from Paris to Madrid, and last but not least, an adventure by bus in southern Spain. My brother and I traveled from Frankfurt, visiting Paris, Madrid, Toledo, Granada and Córdoba, but as the song says, all good things come to an end, and our last stop was in Spain's Costa del Sol capital, the great Málaga.

A view of Málaga, pure Mediterranean charm!

Málaga harbor, as seen from the Alcazaba

Our time in Málaga wasn't long, but it coincided with the "end of the world". As a matter of fact, our flight back home was on 21st December 2012, the day announced as the last one of our era, according to the maya prophecies.

Nevermind, getting to Málaga was pure bliss. If I can give any traveler a piece of advice, I would tell him/her to travel by bus or car. There is probably no better way to perceive a place than by giving yourself the time to see every detail. As when we got to Málaga by bus from Granada. The landscape dramatically changed: from wide olive plantations and snow-covered high mountains to an eternal sunny coast. I remember the first time I glanced at the Mediterranean: my heart started to beat faster and faster...

Málaga has so much to offer, but we had to narrow it down to a couple of interesting sights such as Picasso's birthplace, La Merced Square, The Roman theatre, Alcazaba,bullring, the Cathedral, the pier, La  Malagueta beach and Uncibay Square.

The obelisk on La Merced Square, a monument in honor of General Torrijos.

The great painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga

Picasso's birthplace. Our favorite anecdote: Picasso had trouble breathing when he was born and the reason why he survided, was because he inhaled the smoke of his uncle's cigar.

We stayed at the Pink House Málaga Hostel, which was within short walking distance from the main sights. But from the bus station to our hostel, we took a cab. Eloy Díaz, the friendly taxi driver was all in for giving us a preview of his city, so he drove around before taking us to the hostel. This guy would also be the one to take us to the airport. What amazed me, is how much he knew about the history of this place and the civilizations that populated this area. First the Phoenicians, then the Romans. Later on, the city was under Islamic rule until the Reconquista. The monuments and archaelogical remains make Málaga's historic center an "open air" museum which displays the history of more than 3,000 years!

The obelisk dominates la Merced Square

Málaga is one of the oldest cities in the world

Roman theatre ruins and the Alcazaba (Moorish fortress)

The ruins of the Roman theatre date to the 1st century BC

Some of the Roman era materials were used in the construction of the Alcazaba

Built in the early 11th century, the Alcazaba in Málaga is the best-preserved one in Spain

Another feature that I'll never forget about Andalusia: the scent of oranges everywhere...

The architect restorer Leopoldo Torres affirms that the Alcazaba of Málaga is the prototype of military architecture in the Taifa period. Its only parallel is the Krak des Chevaliers in Syria.

Who's that good-looking lad? My brother Adriano taking a break in the Alcazaba

The La Malagueta bullring from the Alcazaba

All the monuments built under Islamic rule include water as a key element. They considered the vital fluid as a precious good.

The Alcazaba has beautiful gardens and elaborate fountains, which make it perfect for an afternoon walk

Built on a hill overlooking the port, the Alcazaba is a wonderful place to unwind and forget about city hustle

This fortification was built by the Hammudid dynasty to protect the city from attackers

What never ceases to amaze me of the monuments in Andalusia is how fine the details are.

The Courtyard of the Cuartos de Granada, which pretty much looks like the Courtyard of the Myrtles in Granada's Alhambra

The Cathedral of the Incarnation

A view of the city from the Alcazaba

After an afternoon spent in the Alcazaba, we decided to take a break for a well-deserved meal in a restaurante beside the Cathedral. It was a great moment to take black&white pictures and to taste the renowned food and wine of the city. What you should know, is that the wine of this region is sweeter, which makes it nice to drink with every meal...

The Cathedral of Málaga was built following the plans drawn by Diego de Siloé in Renaissance style. Its interior is also in Renaissance style

The south tower remains unfinished. Research points that the funds raised by the parish were used instead for helping the British colonies in the United States to gain their independece from Great Britain. Other investigations state that the money could have been used for renovating a roadway. Hence, Malagueños call their cathedral "La Manquita", in English "the one-armed lady".

La Malagueta bullring

And finally: La Malagueta beach!

After a long day around town, taking a nap at the beach seems like the best idea. Well, it was.

La Malagueta beach, the perfect last stop for our trip

Málaga has one of the warmest winters in Europe, with temperatures ranging from the 17 °C during the day and 7-8 °C at night.

Life in the city is linked to the sea. Eloy, the taxi driver, mentioned a figure that no longer exists in the daily life of Málaga, the cenacheros. A Cenachero was a fisherman who sold fish on the streets

The second largest city in Andalusia is popular among people that learn Spanish

We made it! from Frankfurt to Málaga: a trip to remember!

The most perfect sunset to end our trip

The gentle Mediterranean on a winter day

The Malagueta beach was a perfect way to end our stay in Málaga. Later on that evening we decided to go out. We dined at Uncibay Square, a place boasting of energy and nightlife. Dinner and wine were great, but for me the whole experience of dining was the cherry on the sundae. Lots of people, mostly young, taking night strolls to get to where the party is at its best. Thats what makes this city so special: the charm of its inhabitants and that non-stop beat that makes you want to keep going.

It wasn't the end of the world. Not that I believe in that kind of prophecies, but it was all over the news and social media. In fact, on 21st December, Eloy picked us up at the Hostel (about half an hour late, but still he came. He stated that a coca-cola truck was blocking his taxi, but we know that thats part of the southern charm) and he drove us to the airport on a sunny day, like I hadn't seen in a long time. The sun was shining in Málaga and our hearts were happy and calmed. After all, it was a long trip and we were looking forward to spend Christmas in Germany with our family.
We got to the airport on time, luckily, and said good-bye to Eloy, who helped us carry our luggage to the terminal, checked-in and had extra time to rest before the flight to Berlin, the connecting flight to Frankfurt and then the train Frankfurt-Würzburg.


Again, it wasn't the end of the world. It was the end of an unforgettable journey. An adventure that I'll always cherish in my heart. And with every end, new beginnings come. As a matter of fact, I like to look at my time in Málaga not as the end of my trip, but as the beginning of many others...