Málaga, the museum city by the sea

Start with the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castle, where the whole bay unfolds, then walk down to the cathedral — “la Manquita”, the one-armed lady, with its never-finished tower. The Picasso Museum, the Centre Pompidou and the Carmen Thyssen Museum punctuate a stroll that inevitably ends on the terraces of Calle Larios or under the roof of Atarazanas market.

In the evening, head to Pedregalejo and El Palo, the old fishermen’s districts, for sardine espetos grilled on the beach. And for the curious, the Caminito del Rey, a spectacular walkway pinned to the cliff, is an hour’s drive away.