Malaga is one of my favorite cities in Spain and is my preferred destination for a few days of beach and party. As the second biggest city in Andalucia, you can always find something to cure your boredom while in Malaga. Though it’s often disregarded for first and second-time tourists, here are five reasons not to skip Malaga during your Spain vacation!

1.) The weather is warm year-round

If you’re in the pursuit of guaranteed sun (except maybe April), anywhere in Andalucia will satisfy your sunshine needs. Though other coastal cities in Andalucia are also an option, Malaga is clearly the most sensible choice compared to windy Cadiz and nothing-to-do Huelva. Even in December, you’ll find locals sunbathing on a near-empty beach.

2.) There are tons of beautiful beaches and villages

Some provinces in Spain are severely lacking outside of the capitals. Malaga has many options for day trips outside of the city. Don’t be fooled by the unimpressable city center beach, Malagueta– beaches along the Costa del Sol are as enviable and picaresque as you’d expect from the Mediterranean. Malaga is also known for its quaint pueblos blancos, or ‘white villages’, such as Mijas.

3.) It’s a cultural hub

It is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and holds Spain’s biggest Semana Santa celebration after Seville. Malaga also has its own Feria in August, and on any given puente (that’s long weekend in Spanish) you will find the streets bustling with people enjoying the city’s many outdoor festivities and events.

4.) It’s international

Lots of expats from all over Europe reside in Malaga, so if you can’t speak Spanish that’s perfectly okay. And because it’s so international, you can always find your perfect vacation vibe as a visitor, whether you’re staying at a high-rise hotel on the beach and looking to spend money on guided tours, or a broke backpacker at a hostel wanting to day drink on the beach with other broke backpackers.

5.) The nightlife is popping

There are tons of bars and nightclubs that cater to both tourists and locals. Malaga is actually one of my favorite cities to party in compared to Barcelona and Valencia because it’s easily walkable while still having enough variety to not do the same thing over and over again. There are quite a few pub crawls and the clubs are pretty cheap (and hassle-free) to get into.