E L T I P S V R T

So we’re missing out on a gem of a city with a Moorish castle, Roman amphitheatre, modern Pompidou Centre... and a culinary culture that as impressive as its exotic past.

Some say the best way to discover Malaga is through its food – and Hanni, our Devour tour guide, proved the point on a weekend of indulgence off the beaten track.

To start, we visited two tapas restaurants a couple of streets apart but with very different concepts.

Wendy Gamba specialises in prawns, cooked any way you like – tartare, grilled, battered, garlic, in croquettes or potato salad.

Yards away is KGB – Kuartel Gastronomic Bar – whose theme, believe it or not, is espionage. Rich, indulgent oxtail sliders (mini sandwiches) stood out.

After exploring for a couple of hours it was time for Tapas Like a Local, our evening tour starting at the city’s oldest bar, Antigua Casa de Guardia.

It’s so understated that you could walk past in a moment but inside it is crammed with barrels of sweet Malagan wine.

We tried Seco Trasañejo Wine and Pajarete. The sweetness was undercut by salt from a tapa of cubes of cured tuna and creamy cheese. Next up a traditional deli. La Mallorquina specialises in cheeses, hams and olives but now sells more modern treats too, making it indispensable in the old town, which has remarkably few supermarkets.

We tried mojama (cured tuna), sobrasada (cured pork sausage), queso payoyo (cured goat cheese from Cadiz) accompanied by Verdejo D.O. Sierras de Málaga.

Then it was time for ham and its history at Dbandera in Plaza Mayor. Its walls are covered in different jamón ibérico.

We learned the different qualities and styles of ham and tasted three, washed down with local Ribera Del Duero red wine.

We finished with dinner at Meson Antonio, in a quiet cul-de-sac. Ensalada malagueña (salad with potato, orange, onions, fish and olive oil) was deliciously refreshing.

We tried buchones (fried white fish), croquetas de Jamón ibérico and tocino de cielo (egg custard) and Blanco de Rueda white wine.

Next morning, our Foodie Feast walking tour began with coffee and people watching on the Plaza de la Constitution at Café Central, one of the oldest in Malaga.

We ate pitufo con tomate – a toasted bread roll with tomato, olive oil and salt – and savoury churros. In the 1950s owner Don José Prado Crespo came up with a unique ordering system to conserve coffee

Cool off with a swim at the popular town beach, 10mins walk from the centre. With more time rent a bike and head for secluded beaches. Stay at the boutique Molina Lario hotel. Newly refurbished, it has sumptuous rooms, and rooftop pool and bar called The Top. Rooms from £100. Do not miss Alcazaba, one of Spain’s best-preserved Moorish citadels. The 11th century fortress looks out to sea and its beautiful courtyards hide gardens and fountains.