Wherever you turn, you are surrounded by nature: with the lush green mountain ranges Sierra de Mijas and mountains of Malaga on one side and the gently swaying sea on the other, Málaga has something to offer in terms of scenery for everyone. This picturesque ambience is probably one of the reasons why the city to the place of birth became one of the most famous artists worldwide: Pablo Picasso.
“At some point, however, Málaga was just too small for Picasso,” he says with a smile Director of Picasso-Museums José Lebrero Stals in conversation. The co-founder of Cubism probably would not have expected that his birthplace would be the sixth largest city in Spain would be – and to the most important tourist regions of the entire Iberian Peninsula.
Tourism magnet art
The popularity of the city’s most famous son is probably one reason among many that it countless tourists every year moves to Malaga. “Picasso was like a musician who could master all the instruments, because he made excellent tricks in different styles,” says a guide and native malagueño (Málaga residents) during the guided tour of the Picasso Museum. In this is the Private collection of Picasso’s family displayed. The artist is said to have made the oldest work exhibited there when he was four years old, the newest at over 90 years of age.
Despite all the admiration, the southern Spaniards also criticize the famous artist: “Picasso never hit a woman, but the psychological violence he used was gigantic,” says a malagueño. Two of his wives sometimes committed suicide because of him, and it is well known that he was not faithful in his marriages.
Nevertheless, Picasso’s presence in the southern Spanish city can also be clearly felt outside of the Picasso Museum, since there is hardly an art museum in the city that does not have his work as a theme. However, if you are more interested in contemporary art, you can go to the Contemporary Art Center of Malaga drop by.
A paradise for fish lovers
But there are certainly enough reasons to visit Málaga – even for less art-loving holidaymakers. In addition to the scenic beauty in and around the city area, the gastronomy also inspires with numerous special features. Fish lovers in particular will definitely get their money’s worth in the coastal city: one of Málaga’s specialties is anchovies with lemon, i.e. freshly fried anchovies sprinkled with lemon juice. But also fresh fish, seafood and mussels found abound on the southern Spanish menu.