Málaga, Spain

The Scene: An Andalusian port city with a Moorish legacy.

The Signature: The Alcazaba: a gargantuan Moorish fortress and palace, dating back to the 11th century, which was famously seized by Ferdinand and Isabella in the 15th century. The fortress houses an archaeological museum with Roman-era mosaics and Arab ceramics. Right beside it sit the ruins of a second-century Roman amphitheater, which were discovered in the 1950s. 

Insider Knowledge: Go to the Mercado Central de Atarazanas (Calle Atarazanas 8; 34-95/221-3445), which has been in residence at an ancient Muslim boatyard since the 14th century, for fresh produce, local cheeses and the region’s culinary crown jewel: marbled jamón ibérico.

Don’t Miss: Málaga was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and is home to one of the world’s major Picasso museums, which features a collection of 235 pieces donated by the artist’s family. The Picasso Museum (Palacio de Buenavista; museopicassomalaga.org) is located in a 16th-century building only a few blocks away from the house where the artist was born.