In the port city of Málaga, an autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain

 "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."

-- Pablo Picasso
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(in the capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain) The port city of Málaga is known for being the hometown of the famous artist Pablo Picasso. Aside from this, the city is a beautiful place to visit as it features beaches with golden white sand and the vast Old Town with stunning architecture. (Guests will love exploring the city as they can stroll around and take in its scenery.) Loaded with history and brimming with a youthful vigor that acknowledges its multi-layered past, the city that gave the world Picasso has transformed itself in spectacular fashion, with half a dozen new art galleries, a rethought port area and a nascent art district called Soho. (The bar scene could put bags under the eyes of an insomniac madrileño, while the food culture encompasses both Michelin stars and tastefully tatty fish shacks.

+ The city lies along a wide bay of the Mediterranean Sea at the mouth of the Guadalmedina River in the center of the Costa del Sol. It was founded by the Phoenicians in the 12th century BCE, conquered by the Romans and the Visigoths, and taken by the Moors in 711. Under Moorish rule it became one of the most important cities in Andalusia. When the caliphate of Córdoba disintegrated, the kingdom of Málaga was founded, ruled over by emirs who named it “terrestrial paradise.” (After they had failed several times, Christians took the city on August 19, 1487.)

+ Today, Málaga is one of the great Spanish Mediterranean ports (after Barcelona). Sheltered by the surrounding sierras, Málaga’s mild climate makes it an internationally known resort city. Nearby are several narrow beaches; some, such as Marbella and Fuengirola, have pine woods reaching to the seashore. The most important business sectors in Málaga are tourism, construction, and technology services.

+ The Guadalmedina River, which before the construction of the dam at Agujero caused frequent severe flooding, flows through Málaga from north to south. Towering above the city is Mount Gibralfaro (558 feet [170 meters]), crowned by an ancient Arab fortress. The cathedral, in the center of the Old City, was begun in 1528 on the site of a mosque; the interior, main facade, and one of the towers were completed in 1782, but the second tower remains unfinished. Other important churches are those of Santo Cristo de la Salud, Sagrario, and Victoria, the latter being notable for the macabre decorations on the tomb of the counts of Luna. The Provincial Museum of Art has a collection of 17th-century masterpieces as well as modern works—including some by Pablo Picasso, who was born in the city at No. 16, Plaza de la Merced. In the 21st century the city invested heavily in new cultural offerings, including the Picasso Museum, the Contemporary Art Museum, the Carmen Thyssen Museum, and branches of the Pompidou Centre and Russian State Museum.