Elizabeth_S

I've never been less prepared for a destination but we did spend the last 6 months getting ready to move out of our house of 30 years! It's a miracle we have airline tickets!

Restaurant recos appreciated - staying near the cathedral but we travel far and wide for restaurants! Kimhe will check out your latest Flamenco recos when we get there.

Adios!

sundriedtopepo

Hi Eliz here is a link to a thread in which kimhe has given some great restaurant suggestions in Malaga:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...a-523521-2.cfm

Congrats on your big move, and enjoy your vacation.

ekscrunchy

Hi Elizabeth!

There's not much here on Malaga but maybe you'll find it interesting:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-malaga.cfm

Buen viaje....and Feliz Año Nuevo.

kimhe

Depends on what you're looking for, but some tips from our latest visit a few weeks ago in the link sundriedtopepo mentioned above. http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...a-523521-2.cfm

Here are the eight restaurants in Málaga city that are listed in the Guia Repsol, the Spanish counterpart to the Michelin guide: https://www.guiarepsol.com/es/la-gui...locality=|7367

I remind you of the flamenco nights in the basement of Peña Juan Breva every Friday at 10:30 pm. Free entrance and real deal song and guitar. Also a no fuss restaurant/bar on the ground floor with the best flamenco atmosphere. http://www.malagaturismo.com/en/tour...breva-group/79

The flamenco programme in Málaga is listed here, plenty of things going on these days: http://www.guiaflama.com/flamenco-en-malaga/

And the long awaited and huge Málaga museum of Fine Arts and Archeology opened two days ago: http://www.surinenglish.com/20161122...611222021.html

Elizabeth_S

Thanks all - will check it out. I think I had seen that post of kimhe's before because I had noted Oleo restaurant but the rest of the info is helpful now.

Beautiful morning here - the scene outside our apartment looks like a set - overlooking the Plaza in front of the Cathedral. I rarely book apartments on Plazas with restaurants (for noise reasons) but figured it was worth the risk in December. The windows in the apartment are excellent at dampening the sound and by 11pm it was quiet. Friday night might be different but it's worth it! (and there's a bedroom in the back facing an interior light well so we're good).

It's a lovely apartment - even better than the pics. I booked directly with the company after seeing their listing on both airbnb and VRBO. The price to book directly was about 60% of the cost of booking on those two sites. In fact it was so much cheaper it caused me to be extra vigilant that I was dealing with a real company not a scam artist. I have been very impressed with the company - Holidays2Malaga - excellent communication throughout and very easy meet/greet. As mentioned the apartment is lovely and spotlessly clean. Here's a link:

http://www.holidays2malagacathedral....spo-square.htm

Off to explore! We have 8 days so we're taking it s-l-o-w!

kimhe

You're staying right in the heart of it!

The apartment is 50 meters from hole in the wall Wendy Gamba with the gourmet bulltail burger with au jus mayo and havarti cheese (and lots of other goodies) plus vermouth on tap. A great food find on our latest trip here in early October. http://azahar-spain.com/azahartapas/wendy-gamba/

According to a friend who lives in Málaga, recently opened and cutting edge Eboka, on the other side of the cathedral, is very well worth a visit: http://ebokarestaurante.com/
Gets raving reviews from locals: https://www.tripadvisor.es/Restauran...Andalucia.html

For the best traditional Málaga tapas and meals, go to El Cortijo de Pepe on lively and local atmosphere Plaza la Merced, less than 10 mins walking from your apartment. https://www.cortijodepepe.com/

For the best steaks, lamb etc., go to El Botijo a 5-7€ and 5-7 min taxi ride from your place. Had the most juicy and tasteful lamb leg here, and the solomillo with the house mushroom sauce was also spot on. Genuine and popular place with no molecular gastronomy pretensions, and not many tourists find their way out here. http://www.tripadvisor.es/Restaurant...Andalucia.html
Home page: http://www.restauranteelbotijo.com/M...tacion_ma.html

Real deal flamenco every night in Peña Los Amayas, in C/ Beatas 21, almost next door to emblematic Peña Juan Breva. Moises Navarro used to dance with the flamenco dance genious Rocío Molina (of course from Málaga) and performs here regularly. Currently they are doing the performance "¡Picasso y el flamenco!": http://www.flamencomalagacentro.com/
Tickets: http://www.flamencotickets.com/tabla...-amayas-malaga

Wish you some great days in Málaga!

Sue_xx_yy

Boy did you time your Malaga trip right Elizabeth_S. As I type it is -15 C with wind chills of -25 to -30.

And to think just last week I was out on my bike, sigh.

Elizabeth_S

OK - time to get serious. We finally ventured out yesterday and actually went to the Cathedral and walked up to the Teatro, Plaza Merced, found the Picasso Museum and - most importantly - found Wendy Gamba. (thankyouthankyouthankyou kimhe!)

I shall now make reservations at Eboka for next week.

If the weather is better today we will go to the Alcazaba - yesterday afternoon and evening it rained heavily. Although that doesn't seem to stop anyone from doing anything! It's cloudy but dry now and the forecast is great for Monday-Wednesday. We leave Thursday for Cadiz for Xmas.

Sue - dodged that bullet, didn't we???

kimhe

And a Christmas flamenco event (Zambomba) in Peña Juan Breva in the heart of Málaga on Thursday 22nd at 9pm. Free entrance. http://www.guiaflama.com/agenda-flamenco/zambomba-22/

A typical Zambomba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9pheuacB_c

Elizabeth_S

We leave the morning of the 22nd for Cadiz unfortunately.

Booked a Segway tour of Gibralfaro tomorrow. What could possibly go wrong?

kimhe

Sorry, didn't see that you leave for Cádiz on Thursday.

But great things going om here also. Two of the finest flamenco singers today David Palomar (from Cádiz) and Marina Heredia (Granada) perform in the Momart theater in Cádiz on Thursday at 10pm: http://www.guiaflama.com/agenda-flam...david-palomar/

David Palomar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyNynTZblpY
Marina Heredia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkkI9q2viWA

Tickets (15€): https://www.tickentradas.com/lugar/momart-theatre-cadiz

Elizabeth_S

Thank you! Do you have any restaurant suggestions for Cadiz - we're staying in the old town and I'm having trouble finding a place for Christmas Eve .......

kimhe

The segway tour of Gibralfaro sounds like an excellent idea ;-)

Don't know Cádiz, but you could try the Parador, the parador restaurants will be open. The restaurant at the Parador in Cádiz is mentioned in the Guia Repsol which means top quality: http://www.parador.es/en/paradores/p...diz/gastronomy
https://www.guiarepsol.com/es/gastro...ador-de-cadiz/

The gastrobar La Tacita is also here: http://www.parador.es/es/paradores/p...-del-atlantico

Elizabeth_S

Well - now I'm curious - you know Jesus?

Elizabeth_S

It was a great time! We might do another tour to the Port on Wednesday!

MyriamC

In Cádiz we had an excellent dinner at Balandro.
http://www.restaurantebalandro.com/