Metravel city quest
City Malaga: free walking route “Málaga quest: the boy who became Picasso” along the sights. 9 points. Approximately 2 h 30 min. Quests and legends - straight
On 25 October 1881, a boy was born in an apartment on Plaza de la Merced and baptised with a name barely short enough to fit on one line: Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad. The world would remember him more briefly as Pablo Picasso. He was only ten when his family left Málaga, and he never returned. Yet the city stayed with him: its light, sea, narrow streets, bullfighting and scent of jasmine would surface in his paintings even when he painted something entirely different.
Picasso built no buildings in Málaga and painted none of his major works here. Even so, today it is in many ways his city. Near Plaza de la Merced stands the museum bearing his name, the museum he dreamed of for his birthplace, opened after his death. Today you will cross the Old Town, from the square where it all began to the old shipyard beside the port, through two thousand years of other people's history layered beneath your feet: Romans, Moors, the Catholic Monarchs and 19th-century merchants.
This walking route covers about two kilometres through the Old Town without retracing your steps. A couple of stops are optional: you can reach the end with or without them.
What to do: 1) Read the story and task at each stop. 2) Find the place on the map and walk to it. 3) Look around and answer the question.
We start on Plaza de la Merced beside the bronze Picasso on a bench. Let's go!
The route points in order — what these places are and why they are interesting. Tasks and answers stay inside the quest.
In the Middle Ages, people traded here and called the square Plaza del Mercado, Market Square. In 1507, Mercedarian friars arrived, built a church and gave the square their order's name.
Head down from Plaza de la Merced towards the fortress hill. In a few minutes you reach Calle Alcazabilla and a long stone bowl cut directly into the slope.
From the theatre, the fortress entrance is a few steps uphill along Calle Alcazabilla. The present Alcazaba was founded by the Hammudids in the early 11th century and substantially rebuilt in 1057–1063 by Badis, the Berber ruler of the taifa of Granada, with double walls and powerful gate towers.
This stop is optional. Descend from the fortress to Calle Alcazabilla, then head west into the lanes.
Continue along Calle San Agustín from Buenavista Palace and it brings you to the immense cathedral. Construction began in 1528 on the site of the city's former main mosque, soon after the Catholic Monarchs recaptured Málaga, to a design by Diego de Siloé.
Stay on Plaza del Obispo. Facing the cathedral is another Baroque façade, smaller but much more delicate in its workmanship.
From Plaza del Obispo, walk a couple of blocks northwest into the shopping streets and you reach Constitution Square, the city's old main centre. For centuries, its council met here, decrees were proclaimed and fireworks set off.
Now walk south down Calle Larios through all twelve blocks, past shop windows and street artists. The street meets the broad Alameda; beyond lies Plaza de la Marina, the ‘seaside’ square, gateway from the Old Town to the port.
The last stop. Walk a little west from Plaza de la Marina along the Alameda and turn onto Calle Atarazanas.
This route is part of Metravel city quests. Below are the other quests in this city and cities with quests nearby.