Málaga, Andalucía’s underrated gem

It might lack the historical grandeur of Seville, Córdoba and Granada, but the buzzing port city of Málaga has plenty to offer visitors. In fact, if you're planning a daytrip you might want to reconsider and extend your visit to a long weekend.

It's about three-quarters of an hour from Marbella to Málaga by road, less if you take the Autopista del Sol, but on arriving in this bustling city the difference in attitude is immediately apparent. Marbella moves at a slower place, its raison d'etre the pursuit of pleasure, whereas Málaga has a different agenda. As one drives into the heart of the city the machinery of a busy port is visible on your right. It is a popular stopping-off point for cruise ships, but its commercial function sets it apart from the popular marinas of resorts like Estepona, Puerto Banús and Benalmádena. Málaga makes its intentions clear from the outset: this is a busy metropolis that means business.

However, this doesn't mean that it lacks a solid cultural heritage. Perhaps the two structures that most immediately evoke its lengthy and varied history are the Alcazaba and the striking baroque cathedral, known to locals as La Manquita (the One-Armed Woman). Reflecting both the city's Moorish and Christian histories, these buildings are living monuments to man's ambition as much as his religious devotion.

Recently the old centre of the city has undergone a beautification programme and has even more to offer than before. The amount of money spent on this civic facelift has already proved profitable, boosting visitor numbers and encouraging tourists to linger at the cultural centres, shops, cafés and restaurants, and spend more money as a result.

Since its opening in October 2003, the Museo Picasso Málaga has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors who have flocked to the Palacio de Buenavista to see the work of this city's most famous son. Many eye-catching examples of the maestro's work are on permanent display, while temporary exhibitions ring the changes and offer repeat visitors something new.

Tapas fans will be delighted to hear that Màlaga is a particularly fertile place to enjoy these imaginative Spanish delicacies. Bars and restaurants on the Costa del Sol tend to offer similar dishes, but move to the city and you will find options that you won't encounter anywhere else. It's well worth doing some research to find the top-rated tapas bars. Just ask a local to name their favourite.

Málaga has a geographical advantage in that it combines a lively urban buzz with some fabulous beaches. This also means that its fish and seafood is second to none. You really shouldn't miss the amazing dishes at Pedragalejo.

The city is, if anything, even livelier after dark, with hundreds of bars and dozens of nightclubs from which to choose. Music and theatre lovers from all over the Costa del Sol book tickets via the internet for events at Málaga's Teatro Cervantes. Throughout the year this is the place to see international acts: in the past few years artists of the calibre of Lou Reed, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, King Crimson, The Funk Brothers, Paul Weller, Nick Cave and Rufus Wainwright have performed here.

Should you decide to spend the night enjoying the buzz of the big city, you might want to book into the Hotel Larios. Situated on the iconic Calle Marqués de Larios in the heart of the city and close to all its shops, restaurants and attractions, this Art Deco gem is the ideal base from which to explore the many delights of Málaga.