Blog
Stories, curiosities, tales and legends of Malaga, as well as everyday things you’ve always wondered about…
October 12th: Fiesta Nacional, Spain’s controversial National Day
October 12th marks the Fiesta Nacional of Spain, a national holiday that commemorates the exact date when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the Americas in 1492. Previously known as Día de la Hispanidad (or Hispanic Day), this is one of Spain’s two biggest national holidays (along with Constitution Day […]
For the love of coffee! The 5 best specialty coffee spots in Malaga
I don’t know about you, but for me, a visit to a new city is never truly complete until I discover at least one coffee brewery. One of those places where the city opens up to you. Where the friendly owner chats away about the best coffees in the world. […]
The origins of Malaga’s peculiar system for ordering coffee
When learning Spanish, when it comes to ordering coffee, you might be familiar with “café con leche” or “café solo”. However, once in Malaga, some new phrases like “corto” (short), “sombra” (shadow) or “mitad” (half) get thrown into the mix. At first, these confuse foreigners and non-Malagueños alike. That’s because this […]
Malaga’s evolving vegetarian and vegan scene
Malaga has come a long way in the last decade when it comes to restaurants and eateries catering for vegetarians and vegans. There were few vegetarians in Malaga when El Calafate first opened its doors in 2010. It became one of the first eateries in Malaga to have no meat […]
What causes the ‘taró’ fog that closes Malaga’s beaches every summer?
If you’ve been in Malaga in the summer, you’re quite likely to have experienced ‘el taró‘ at least once. Taró is a type of dense fog or mist that is especially common between Malaga and Ceuta during August, producing a notable drop in temperature of between 4 and 5 °C. […]
Atarazanas market, a former Arab shipyard
Nowadays, Atarazanas is a marketplace and a major hub of activity in Malaga city centre. However, that wasn’t always the case. In fact, when it was first built in the 14th century, the city was very different. Large parts as we know it today (Paseo del Parque, Muelle Uno…) were […]
How to survive the Terral
The Terral is coming… Are you prepared?! Temperatures around 40 degrees might sound like heaven, but this dry wind makes for an especially unpleasant time so it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Keep your house cool There won’t be much respite outside, so make sure your home is Terral-proof by […]
The (in)famous Terral wind
If you’ve been in Malaga during the summer, the chances are that you’ve experienced the dreaded Terral. Temperatures shoot up and the dry heat makes it feel like you’re in an oven. But what is it exactly? Many think, given Malaga’s proximity to Africa, that this is a phenomenon that […]
What’s so ‘noble’ about the Hospital Noble?
If you’ve lived in Malaga for some time, you’ll have passed this building hundreds of times. Located beside the Fuente de las Tres Gracias roundabout, from which you can get spectacular views of the Alcazaba, is the Hospital Noble. You’ve probably never been inside because these days the building houses […]
What’s the story behind the obelisk in Plaza de la Merced?
Anyone who has visited Plaza de la Merced will have doubtless spotted the enormous obelisk placed right in its centre. But very few will actually know what it’s for. You may be surprised to find out that this is actually a mass grave. It contains General José María de Torrijos […]
Why is there a ‘German bridge’ in Malaga?
Anyone crossing the Guadalmedina river, heading from the city centre out west, is likely to have crossed the Puente de los Alemanes (Bridge of the Germans). But have you ever wondered how it got its name? The story begins on 16 December 1900, when a frigate belonging to the Imperial […]
Why does Malaga Airport have the code AGP?
If you’re a frequent flyer, you’ll be familiar with the concept of airport codes. Normally they are based on the letters of the city’s name. For example, AMS is Amsterdam, Madrid is MAD, Barcelona is BCN, Brussels is BRU… So why then is Malaga AGP? It really doesn’t follow any […]