Malaga Walking Tours - Part 2
From the Plaza de la Merced, walk back into Calle Granada, passing numerous
distinguished eighteenth-, nineteenth- and twentieth-century buildings on the
way to the city’s more official main square, the Plaza de la Constitucíon.
For centuries the square has been the site of all the main public events,
from the infamous autos-da-fé organised by the Spanish inquisition, to fiestas
and even bullfights, before the bullring was built in 1874. The balconies
evident on the older buildings around the square were the prime spots from which
to enjoy such events.
Turning west of the square takes you to the authentic old town of the city, with
several churches hidden in its narrow, bustling streets. The recently restored
Los Martíres is an old gothic church built to honour the city’s patron saints,
third-century Christian martyrs Saint Paola and Saint Ciriaco. The church of San
Juan, a short walk through more decayed streets, has some interesting and
recently restored patterned murals, as well as a tower which is one of the
city’s chief landmarks.
Another highlight is the nearby Atarazanas Market whose entrance, dating back
to the fourteenth-century, was the gateway to the busy Muslim shipyard. A little
way from the market is the Alameda Principal, Málaga’s eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century promenade, on which you will find Casa La Guardia, the city’s
oldest bodega, where you can enjoy the authentic sweet wine of the city, in an
atmosphere that one imagines has changed very little since it opened back in
1840.
A fascinating way to discover the city of Malaga is to hire a resident
British guide to show you around.
Contact Ben Luke at info[at]malagawalkingtours.com (just replace the [at]
with the @ sign.
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