Alchemy in Andalusia
One of the best places on earth, you could say where heaven meets earth, really, is the Mediterranean basin. The Romans knew this, that’s why they conquered everything around it, so did the Carthaginians and the Egyptians under Ptolemy and before all this, so did the Greeks under Alexander and his father, Philip. Even Queen Isabel knew the value of uniting the Spaniards along with King Ferdinand.
In short, this is the cradle of western civilization. More importantly it is a powerful energy that ignites man’s soul. The magic of the basin is undeniable and today, throngs of tourists descend upon the many hotspots to experience their piece of heaven. One such piece of heaven is Malaga (pronounce Malaya in Spanish) in the Andalusian territory of southern Spain.
Location
Malaga sits within sailing distance of Gibraltar on the Alboran Sea, west of the Mediterranean. It’s less than a day’s travel from Cadiz in the west, on the other side of Gibraltar, and south of Cordoba. This makes Malaga one of the best places in terms of weather – a mix of balmy sun, salty sea breeze and wisps of cool breeze from the Northern plains. It all descends upon the Andalusian valleys to result in a paella of atmospheric delights.
A Day in Malaga
One of the most popular destinations, besides the nearby shores in the summer, is the Malaga Cathedral. It was the result of Catholic Kings conversion of a mosque. So the architecture here is amazing, from the old Muslim architecture to the medieval Christian renovations. When it was first completed it was dedicated to the Virgin of Encarnacion. The sheer magnificence of this 500 year old edifice is worth the visit.
Castillo de Gibralfaro
A visit to Malaga without a trip to the Castillo is a monumental blunder. Etymologically, Gibralfaro is of mixed ancestry. Yabal – which evolved into Gibral, in Spanish, means hill and Faro is a Greek word meaning lighthouse. This location sits high above Malaga and from here the view is magnificent. The castle here was once a military base in the early 20th century. The tower in the Castle has an even more impressive view of Malaga, below.
Malaga’s Famed Son
Once of Malaga’s famous citizens was the master Pablo Picasso. In a house along Plaza Merced, in 1881, Picasso was born to a local family. He left Malaga when he was young to study in Madrid, but he owes his roots to Malaga. If one is a fan of Picasso, visiting his birth home will be a real treat. There is also the possibility and indeed a certainty to visit Picasso’s art museum located in Malaga as well. It is located in the Palacia do Buenavista – a 16th century edifice. It was officiated by King Juan Carlos in 2003 and now serves as a magnificent testament to Malaga’s most famous son.
Roman Amphitheater
The Romans perfected the design and architecture of the amphitheater. One does not need to travel to Rome or its surrounding areas to feel the magnificence of these theaters. Malaga has one to offer. Remember, Spain, a long time ago was under the control of Rome and under the Governorship of Pompeii. So there are many Roman artifacts here as well as cultural resemblances from yesteryears.
Malaga is one of the best places to fly into and Monarch is one that services this route from London. Monarch Flights can be booked on fly.co.uk. This place is so very typically Spanish and for those who can differentiate even further it’s typically Andalusian. Paul Coelho said it best when he wrote that alchemy is “pursuing our spiritual quest in the physical world.” That it seems is the very definition of Malaga.
