Look up in the historic centre of Malaga and it’s not just the soaring tower of the cathedral which takes your breath away. The walls of Gibralfaro Castle stare back down and, especially as they glow at night, seem to enclose and guard the city.
Directly below the castle nestles The Alcazaba of Malaga, an eleventh century fortification.
We have made the steep ascent to the Gibralfaro on many occasions, but have never been inside either. My sister, Marion arrived for a three day visit and I suggested we take in both monuments.
As it turned out, rain put us off the slippery climb up to the castle, but we still enjoyed wandering around Alcazaba which has been restored and maintained impeccably. The drizzle had put off all but the most determined tourists, so we kind of had the run of the place.
Wandering through the pristine plazas and amongst the moorish pillars, you get a sense of the architectural achievement here. A number of artefacts have been recovered and are on display, whilst a shallow pool in one courtyard looked almost inviting. Climbing up the watchtowers and on to the walls, we enjoyed stunning views across the city and harbour.
As part of Marion’s trip, we booked tickets at Alegría – a restaurant/theatre for one of their flamenco shows. This was excellent. You can have a meal in there beforehand, but we just went for the show. It’s a cabaret style set up and our table was very close to the stage.
The show itself was about an hour long – a mix of song, dance, clapping, finger clicking, foot stomping, wailing and some stunning Spanish guitar. All very powerful. On the way out, there is a wooden platform for audience members to try a stomp of their own! My Skechers didn’t make much of an impression on it!!!!
Our Spanish Hibernation 3:0 
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