Forget everything you think you know about Málaga and the Costa del Sol, because you are wrong. This part of the world has conjured up ideas of sunburnt drunken Brits and Germans in budgie-smugglers for far too long — it is time for modern Málaga to take its rightful place at the top of the Andalusian table. About as charming as a city gets, Málaga is overflowing with history and youthful energy, bringing together centuries of curiosity and a seriously forward-thinking population to create a city worth falling in love with.

Málaga is the Andalusian onion, a tired analogy but one we will persevere with, and yes it is the layers we’re talking about there, not the tears. Málaga is a sophisticated city with art on its mind, a city that isn’t afraid to take chances and isn’t about to forget where it came from when taking them. If you want fine-dining and port-side splendour then you’ll find it in spades, but travellers searching for grit and grime will have no problem discovering a little more substance themselves. It really is a destination for anyone and everyone, with narrow streets leading doe-eyed visitors from Michelin stars to street food that is more about the street than the food.

It is no great surprise that Málaga now rivals Barcelona as Spain’s great cultural city-break destination. The port area has been rejuvenated beyond belief, and the city is home to arguably the finest roster of galleries in the whole of Spain. This is the city of Picasso after all.