Ruby Tuesday, Flowers of Marbella, Spain, February 8, 2011

Marbella, Spain is a beautiful vacation spot on the Costa del Sol in Andalusia.  It is

enjoyed by the rich and famous, many of whom arrive by yacht.  It has luxury hotels

and condos, excellent restaurants, golf and tennis and all kinds of water sports.  I

came by cruise ship on a transatlantic crossing, disembarking in Malaga and spent

three lovely days there, enjoying this ancient Spanish city and the towns nearby.

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Mellow Yellow Monday - Night Scene in Malaga, Spain - November 29, 2010

Mellow Yellow Monday - Night Scene in Malaga, Spain - November 29, 2010

Malaga is a beautiful Andalusian city on Spain's Costa del Sol, on the shores of the

northern Mediterranean.  It is one of the world's oldest cities, founded by the Phoenicians

about 770 BC. 

Its moderate climate, even in the winter months, make it a very popular tourist

destination, along with its many historical and cultural venues.  The city is a showplace

of various architectures.   Having been occupied by the Moors and under the influences

of both Islam and Christianity, Malaga's churches and buildings reflect tht influence.

Pabo Picasso and Antonio Banderas are but two of the famous sons of Malaga. 

I regret not spending more than 24 hours here at the end of my Mediterranean cruise. 

We were at a lovely little hotel right near the heart of town which was so convenient to

everything and we needed, at the very least, another two days, to properly see the

historic sights and to enjoy Malaga's charm and ambiance.  If there is ever a next time,

I'll plan appropriately!!

Malaga Cathedral at night

I am participating in Mellow Yellow Monday - come join in the fun!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1laga

65th Birthday Celebration - 4th Photos - 24 Hours in Malaga, Spain

Malaga is a beautiful city on the Costa del Sol in Andalusia, Spain.  It is rich in history, dating back to Phoenician, Roman, Arabian and Christian periods.  From its spot on the Mediterranean Sea, with its mild climate, endless sunny days, and brilliantly blooming bird of paradise, it is a mecca for tourists.  


I have visited in the past, on a cruise, and once overnight as I was headed for a three day stay in Marbella.  This time, we stayed at Don Curro, a wonderful hotel right in the heart of everything.  It was adjacent to Larios Street and near the cathedral.  We enjoyed Malaga so much, we regretted not spending an extra day there and a day less in Barcelona where all of us had been several times.

 

 The long line

Disembarking with 3500 other passengers is always chaos.  We joined the long queue of other passengers waiting for taxis.  We had a pretty good system, though.  I waited in line while the other four in our group inched the luggage up slowly from the cruise terminal.  I managed our purses on top of my rolling walker ( some time that thing comes in handy ).

This beautiful cathedral was right around the corner from our hotel

This is a view of the cathedral at night

This great shopping street, minus traffic, was also a block from the hotel.  We loved it and made an instant beeline there though, with the euro, there were no bargains for us!

While the others shopped, I made a quick stop here for a glass of a wonderful wine

and some tapas - I figured lunch would be delayed while the others looked for nonexistent bargains.  I was on a budget that didn't allow too many purchases!

A pretty scene - nice buildings, flowers, light fixtures

 

Just as in Rome, we chanced upon some newlyweds - such a lovely couple!

 

Nice getaway car for the bride and groom!

With my sweet waiter at Restaurante La Dehesa, Malaga

At last, my cohorts got hungry and we found a nice outdoor cafe near the hotel.  It was really packed but this nice young man found a table for us and we had a fantastic meal.  My Andalusian salad was delicious and I followed it up with grilled calamari - I always seem to order that in Mediterranean countries!

The police were out on their little bikes at  night ( no Harleys here! )

Fountains across from our outdoor dinner spot

Outdoor promenade at night

Definitely, if I ever get to Malaga again, I will stay at least two days.  We didn't even get to any of the historic spots of the city and there are so many that I wanted to see.