Málaga has been a port for nearly three thousand years, founded by the Phoenicians and later ruled by Romans, Moors and Castilians, and the layers show if you look. At the foot of the hill, a Roman theatre lies right next to the Alcazaba, an eleventh-century Moorish fortress-palace whose gardens and fountains climb the slope. Above it a ruined castle called Gibralfaro crowns the summit, linked by a walled path, and the view from its ramparts over the harbour, the bullring and the blue Mediterranean is the best in the city. The painter Pablo Picasso was born here in 1881, and a museum in a Renaissance palace in the old town holds a large collection of his work.
The city has changed a great deal in recent decades, from a gateway to the Costa del Sol into a cultured place of museums, restaurants and a lively waterfront. The old port has been turned into a promenade of palm trees and cafes. Here the local speciality is the espeto, a skewer of sardines grilled over an open fire in a boat filled with sand, and the sweet Málaga wine, once famous across Europe, is still poured in a few old bodegas. A small glass of it, with almonds, is a good afternoon pause.
The best riding lies behind the city. The Montes de Málaga rise steeply from the edge of town, with hairpin roads through pine and olive terraces, and further inland the white villages of the Axarquía are scattered across the hills. The surface is mostly good, the bends are tight and frequent, and the views over the sea are superb. In summer, the coast road is jammed with holiday traffic, so head inland early. The famous rock of La Peña de los Enamorados, near Antequera, stands in a plain to the north, its profile said to resemble a sleeping face, and a legend of two lovers from rival faiths who leapt from its top.
Fuel stations are plentiful, with Rincón de la Victoria to the east and Totalán a small village in the hills. The city's traffic is dense, and street parking for motorcycles is common but not always safe, so choose a designated spot. Spring and autumn bring warm days and clear light, while August can be baking. The smell of Málaga is frying fish, jasmine and warm sea air, and the evenings last long.