Málaga

Mileage: 162921

Today's destination was the city of Málaga in the eponymous province, whose coastline is known as the Costa del Sol.

The city was not only the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, but also had a rich historical heritage. Sebb chose the Alcazaba of Málaga as our sightseeing destination for the day. The predominantly Moorish fortress and palace complex was connected by a fortified walkway to a second fortress, the Castillo de Gibralfaro, which was located just a few meters above, at the top of the mountain. On the city side, the building was directly attached to the former Roman theater. Thus, with our entrance tickets, we could visit three attractions at once.

So far, we had mostly started our city tours from a campsite outside and had taken public transport into the center. Today, however, the plan was a bit different. We wanted to drive into the city in the morning, take a city tour, and head out in the afternoon to stay overnight outside the city. This approach was to prove less than optimal.

We set off from our campsite and drove for almost two hours at a leisurely pace, alternating between winding through the mountains and along the coast. However, the closer we got to the large city, the busier the roads became. This time, we had again opted against the highway and found ourselves seamlessly transitioning from one settlement to the next along the country road. In contrast to our previous experiences along the Atlantic, the roads here were hopelessly overcrowded. When we finally reached our destination in Málaga after a nerve-wracking, stop-and-go drive, it was nearly 3:00 PM, and we were hungry. Unfortunately, the planned parking spot was too small for us and already occupied, so we had no choice but to keep looking. Too short, too narrow, reserved for residents; parking spaces for motorhomes were scarce in the city. When we finally found a spot on an unkempt lot, the mood in the car was quite tense—we were really hungry now.

We took a 15-minute walk through the Parque Forestal Monte Victoria into the city. At a small bar on a street corner, we took a seat and ordered tortilla with cod, eggs with ham, fries, lemon soda, and a beer. After eating, we started to relax again and could continue on our way. Now it was time to see the sights.

Originally, Sebb wanted to see the Alhambra in Granada, but there were unfortunately two problems. Firstly, the complex was located in the mountains inland, so it was not very accessible with Gary, and secondly, tickets were sold out until November 25, which was five weeks in advance.

The Alcazaba of Málaga was smaller and not recognized as a UNESCO heritage site, making it not only easily accessible, but we could also get online tickets in the morning at a reasonable price without problems. We preferred not to rely on the availability of tickets at the box office.

The complex was indeed quite large and partially beautifully and intricately restored. From the towers, we had a good view over the city, the harbor, and the Cathedral of Málaga. The first documented mention of the fortress dates back to the Umayyad Caliphate period (660-750). In the subsequent era of the Emirate of Córdoba, there was a boom and prosperity that lasted beyond the time of the Caliphate of Córdoba. It was the Hammudids (1016–1058) who began constructing a palace area in the Alcazaba. The Torre de Homenaje, which is now located inside the building, dates back to the time of the Nasrids (1232–1492). They were the last Muslim-Moorish dynasty of the Emirate of Granada, which ended with the Treaty of Granada with the King of Castile.

As we were on our way back at 6:30 PM, it was already getting dark. We bought some Serrano ham for breakfast and marinated chicken for dinner at the butcher.

We drove out of the city, but we were still caught by the parking problem. The first targeted spot was full, the second one as well, but at the third spot, we were fortunately able to find a place at 7:45 PM. We were all completely exhausted and had no desire to cook anymore. So today, we had olives, cheese, salami, and bread with ajoli again.

Today, we went to bed early.