Old town of Málaga, Spain
© Sean Pavone Photo/Getty Image
2,800 years of history. Málaga, Spain
Today we’re visiting a city with over 2,800 years of history, one of the oldest in Europe. Málaga is said to have been founded by the Phoenicians in 770 BCE and today its year-round exceptional weather has made it the capital of tourism in Spain. Situated perfectly along the Costa Del Sol, an estimated six million tourists make the trip to this culturally rich mecca every year. If you can pull yourself away from the beautiful beaches, you’ll find yourself abound in historical architecture, museums, and the local cuisine of espetos, specially skewered sardines cooked over an open fire.
Aside from paying Pablo Picasso’s birthplace a visit, the most well-known reason people make the journey to Málaga is to celebrate Holy Week. Handled differently than the silent and meditative celebrations throughout the rest of Spain, Málaga’s 45 processions are essentially colourful, loud, and exciting parties throughout the streets commemorating The Passion of Jesus from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday. The event has happened for more than 500 years with a vast number of floats and other processional materials being carried over from year to year.