Travel – Malaga has cast off its reputation as the gateway to the Costa del Sol to become the ‘City of Museums’ – Scotland on Sunday Travel
You don’t so much find Palacio Solecio, as stumble upon it. Located in Malaga’s casco antiguo or old town, it doesn’t look like a boutique hotel from the outside, but rather like the historic buildings around it. Situated across two mansions, passing it on the street you’d look up to marvel at its 18th-century architecture, and only by the smiling faces of those coming in and out realise this is indeed a place where people can stay.
Located on a lively cobbled street mere minutes from the Picasso Museum, it’s near the beautiful Alcazaba fortress, the first-century Roman theatre, the Cathedral, the theatre and everything else the city has to offer. Fancy a walk along the Muelle Uno seafront? Ten minutes. The contemporary art museum? Ten minutes. Tapas/drinks/shops/the best cheesecake of your life? Again, all reachable in around ten minutes. This is a compact city, but one with enough delights to keep visitors enthralled.
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Hide AdOriginally built in 1789 for Genoese businessman Felix Solesio (director of the nearby Macharaviaya playing cards factory), it has now been carefully reconstructed allowing guests to bask in its history while enjoying an array of contemporary delights. Derelict for 80 years before restoration began, the palace has now been transformed while preserving its heritage, following the rules of a listed building. The inner courtyard looks as it did, while the old grills over the windows, main staircase and columns have all been meticulously restored. There is a reverence in every detail here, with the architect and designer Antonio Obrador paying tribute to Malaga and its history throughout the hotel.
A clear highlight is the main patio, where it hosts its magnificent Balausta restaurant and cocktail bar. Here guests can enjoy dishes based on local gastronomy but with a twist. This includes fresh sardines that will render me unable to buy them in a tin again, tomatoes with so much flavour I could eat them by the gallon, and a gazpacho with an egg in it that baffled me but I utterly adored. Here are ingredients of the highest quality, where even the simplest dish sings. This is not pretentious food for the sake of it, but rather the best version of what locals eat. This is down to the Michelin-starred chef José Carlos García, a pioneer of new-look Andalusian cooking and Málaga’s thriving food scene, who takes pride in all his dishes being rooted in Andalusian gastronomy, showcasing the very best flavours the region.
Around the corner from the restaurant, the charming brick-walled bar specialises in inventive cocktails and local wines. I had a spicy Bloody Mary so good I then had several more.
For breakfast, guests can sit in the courtyard admiring the prints from local artists while enjoying fresh orange juice, Andalucian cheeses and olive oil, homemade tortilla and delicious omelettes made to order.
Then there are the rooms, featuring rustic interiors with splashes of bold prints and local Andalusian artwork. Its zig zag-patterned floors straight out of Twin Peaks, tall windows overlooking the Cathedral opposite, where Picasso was baptised, and a gorgeous freestanding bath, perfect for reading with a glass of wine. The room colours are all based on specific Spanish cards, again paying tribute to the building's first owner and its history. Painted leatherworks – Cordobanes – which became popular in Andalucía in the 16th and 17th century adorn the walls, while fabrics have been reproduced from old photos of the palace interiors. It is worth noting while I could open my window to look out on the pedestrianised street below, coming back in, there was zero noise from it.
As for the city itself, it has cast off its reputation as merely the gateway to the Costa del Sol to become a cultural behemoth in its own right. Calling itself the "City of Museums", Malaga has over 30 of them, with none more essential than the Picasso Museum. The city’s most famous son, just a few years ago Malaga only contained two of his paintings. With the museum open since 2003, now there are now hundreds, with 285 works donated by his family. Walking around the gallery what’s most striking is his range. This is not a place to limit yourself to mere cubism, but home to sculpture, ceramics, engravings, and more innovative works completed in later life. Situated only 200 metres from where he was born, it’s a short walk to his old home, or the dazzling array of galleries and museums the city has to offer, whether it’s the Centre Pompidou Malaga for contemporary art, or the stunning sculpture of the Episcopal Palace.
Then there are the beaches, endless beaches, sun-kissed and abundant in palm trees like a less loud version of Miami. Malaga is a micro-climate, enjoying 320 days of sunshine a year, so we fell into a cycle of swimming, drying off, then swimming again, an act enjoyed just as much by locals. Lying on the beach with a book, you are just as likely to hear Spanish as you are any other language, with the post-work dip a way of life I am deeply resentful of writing this back at home. Perhaps that's why Antonio Banderas still lives here.
After a warm dip, it’s then the perfect time to head to one of the numerous bars or restaurants, enjoying the affordable and delicious local fare. Sitting in a square with tortilla, patatas bravas, garlic prawns and a cold beer is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, planning your next cultural fix.
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Hide AdWhat lingered most occurred during a trip to Alcazaba, a 14th-century fortress situated on a mountain overlooking the city, boasting colourful gardens, fountains and views. “Throughout history, everyone has always wanted to visit Malaga”, our guide tells us, as we explore . “It’s why we were always being invaded”. Now I know conflict is bad, but thinking back to that square, that water, and our hotel, I can understand why for centuries people just can’t stay away.
Prices start from £137 a night.
Palacio Solecio, Calle Granada 61 – 29015, Malaga, (952 222 000, palaciosolecio.com)
Return flights from Edinburgh to Malaga start from £217, per person (based on travelling Friday 1st - Tuesday 5th September with Ryanair).