M�laga

Spain

Things to do in M�laga:

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M�laga Restaurants

Cheap (47)

Cheers

Enjoy tapas on one of M�laga's most emblematic squares, overlooking the cathedral and sumptuous palace. read more
Affordable (52)

Pomelo

This exciting new restaurant has quickly made its mark as one of the best places in town for deliciously prepared dishes. Recommendations include pork fillet with creamy cider sauce and the Belgian... read more
Good quality (39)

Ogilvy and Mailer

Dishing up modern European cuisine to a cosmopolitan crowd, this sophisticated restaurant is locally renowned and has a glorious garden terrace. read more

M�laga Nightlife

Chilled (40)

Flamenco

Hidden away in the Old Town, this cocktail and wine bar has a cosy intimacy and�attractive Andalusian feel and d�cor. read more
Live Music (34)

Jardin

Situated within confessional distance of the cathedral, this sumptuous caf� has live flamenco and tango music on Friday and Saturday nights. read more
Clubbing (50)

New Fraggle

A popular bar and throbbing disco popular with students, including the Erasmus foreign-exchange crowd. read more

This Month in M�laga (March):

By Josephine Quintero

Shopping: Marina Ban�s is a one-stop shopping destination for those willing to shift their credit card into overdrive. Located a couple of streets back from the port, there are plenty of swanky boutiques in which to splash your cash.

Sightseeing: Don't miss the Turner Prize-winning duo Gilbert & George's Jack Freak Pictures exhibition, at M�laga's Contemporary Art Museum this month. The artists' kaleidoscope vision of a mad world is portrayed with 20 large scale pictures (Calle de Aleman�a, tel: 952 120 055, cacmalaga.org).

Key areas: Check out Nerja's spectacular Balc�n de Europa and then stroll along the Paseo de los Carabineros, which winds its way via pretty coves for nearly a kilometre to Playa Burriana.

Day trips: Frigiliana lies an hour east of M�laga and is a past winner of the prettiest village in Andaluc�a award. Wander around the picturesque streets and be sure to taste the local wine - you may well want to take a bottle or two home as a souvenir.

M�laga News & Gossip

El Torcal National Park

MALAGA

One thousand metres above the olive fields of Andaluc�a, limestone rocks huddle in bizarre formations like rows of grumpy grandfathers with hunched shoulders and timeless glares. Egyptian eagles circle overhead and sheep scuttle past wild rose trees and orchids. It's hard to believe that M�laga is only an hour's drive away. El Torcal National Park bubbled up from beneath the sea around 150 million years ago as a ragged, fascinating wilderness. Spain labelled it a Site of National Interest in 1929 and today a central car park and visitors' centre make access for mere mortals easier.

There are three signposted walking routes - graded green, yellow and red according to difficulty - although all fit comfortably into a day trip. The paths weave around the natural sculptures, providing shade from Andaluc�a's relentless sun. Look out for La Copa (The Wineglass) and La Loba (The Wolf). After hiking, descend to nearby Antequera, a whitewashed pueblo with street-caf�s and plenty of authentic tapas, but not before a sunset visit to El Torcal's viewpoint, Las Ventanillas. This cliff edge reveals griffon vultures swirling on thermals, the furrows of the R�o Campanillas valley and, of course, the shimmering coast of M�laga. www.andalucia.com

M�laga Trivia

March: Andaluc�a is home to the world's most endangered wildcat since the prehistoric saber-tooth tiger. Today only a measly 150 are thought to exist in the world.
February: Andalucia is the largest autonomous region in Spain, flanking the entire Atlantic coast and nearly a third of the Mediterranean beaches.
January: Traditional garlic soup is a heart-warming starter at this time of year. Surprisingly, despite around six garlic cloves being used to make a batch, because they are roasted first the end result is not as pungent as you may expect.