Magical Malaga

I flew with Vueling from Birmingham and for a short flight the seats were more than comfortable and both flights were on time.

We stayed just outside the city in the TRYP Guardamar which was a pleasant hotel, ideal if you want to be outside the city perhaps for a longer stay and wanting a quiet hotel. It was 10 minutes transfer into the city. You can walk to Torremolinos in 45 minutes and it is 15 minutes by taxi.

We started our first day with a walking tour around the historical centre. The passion from the guide was fantastic, this is something that continued throughout my visit in Malaga everyone seemed so happy.

I was straight away impressed with the beautiful architecture and really felt I was experiencing a traditional Spanish city bursting with culture and history.

We visited the La Alcazaba Moorish fortress & Roman Theatre which was very impressive, built mostly in the 11th century, was the palace-fortress of the city's governing Muslims. It was built on the summit of a hill, adapted to the relief. The Roman theatre is situated at the foot of the Alcazaba. The theatre was built in times of Augustus and was used until the 3rd century.

Our next visit was to the Cathedral roof top. It was well worth climbing the 200 steps for a stunning landscape view.

We then went to Picasso museum which featured the new collection. This museum is located in the Buenavista Palace, a 17th century Renaissance building and the most important example of stately home architecture of the period.

We had lunch in a traditional restaurant the Bodegas El Trillo which was delicious, so many amazing restaurants to choose from. I would go back in a heartbeat to Malaga.

After lunch we headed to the Automobile & Fashion museum of Malaga (vintage car and fashion dresses collection). This time we took transportation rather than walking. Malaga Car Museum combines the history of the motor car with the main artistic trends that characterised the 20th century. The Museum is located in one of Malaga's best-known buildings, the former tobacco factory originally built in 1923 and renovated last year by Malaga City Council. Luxury, sophistication and good taste are apparent throughout the Museum's ten theme-based exhibition rooms. Ideal if you want something to do to please a couple and the venue is perfect for an event conference to hire or even a wedding.

After some free time we enjoyed a Spanish flamenco show in the city and you had a few to choose from and they are well worth visiting for an alternative evening of entertainment.

On the second day we visited the Centre Pompidou Malaga.The world famous gallery Centre Pompidou is coming to Malaga. The museum is expected to open this summer of 2015, just before the touristic season takes off. The Pompidou Malaga collection will be housed in the large glass cube, built with a cultural purpose in mind and which is situated at the corner which joins Muelle Uno of Malaga’s newly renovated port. The Malaga collection, provisionally called ‘Centro Pompidou de Málaga’, is the first branch outside France and will add to the city’s already impressive range of art galleries. I really enjoyed the visit and if spending time down by the harbor it is ideal. Especially if you want to escape the sun to cool down for an hour.

We then took a transfer to the botanical gardens if you book the tourist red bus, it also stops here and it is a great way to see the greener side of Malaga.

The jewel of Malaga, the La Concepción Gardens constitute the most beautiful and important tropical garden in Spain and one of the best in Europe. A century and a half old - Marquis Jorge Loring Oyarzábal and Marchioness Amalia Heredia Livermore created them in 1850 - these gardens were declared a historic-artistic garden ensemble in 1943 and were recently acquired, restored and opened to the public by Malaga Town Hall.

We had lunch at El Palmeral restaurant located in the harbor of Malaga. This restaurant is perfect if you want something special as it is gorgeous it had a Miami feel to it.

We later went to the Hamman Al-Andalus Arab Baths of Malaga it is the perfect way to unwind I would highly recommend a visit you do need to pre book and say if you wish to have a massage. The last Moorish inspired the new Malaga Hamman Al Andalus, an enclosure for enjoy the ample space and revive splendour of the era. Located in the heart of Malaga, these baths breathe the atmosphere light and warm characteristic of the area, and recreate one of the social andalusí rituals to arouse interest today, all inside a set qualified architectural car could of monumental. Leaving the baths we saw a bride and groom newly wed and I was lucky enough to see the tradition of rice being thrown onto them rather than confetti.

I ended my final last few hours in Malaga by going into the Room Mate Valeria hotel for a drink on the rooftop which offers stunning views of the harbor. The Marriott hotel also has a lovely rooftop pool and bar area, as the film festival was on a lot of the stars were leaving the hotel so it was not possible to try that one. If I went again I would go for a drink as I'm sure over sunset it would be amazing.

For a few days city break in the sun I would recommend Malaga, if you have visited Madrid, Barcelona and looking for an alternative with a short flight and transfer it is perfect. I felt very safe and was impressed by the promenade as it really is easy to walk from the harbor to the city.

I found we had a lovely Spanish welcome, food and restaurant choice is superb for foodies and wine lovers the tapas and wine tasting is widely available and will not disappoint.