Everyone knows that Málaga is one of Spain’s leading tourist destinations and that it welcomes thousands upon thousands of tourists every day. In particular, the historic centre of the city is the area most affected by this influx of people; furthermore, with the constant arrival of cruise ships at Muelle Uno, more and more tourists are looking for souvenirs to take home. This has led to the streets of Málaga’s city centre being packed with souvenir shops.
Santa María Street, situated very close to the Málaga Cathedral or Cathedral of the Incarnation, behind the Bishop’s Palace, is one of the main streets that has become a ‘souvenir street’ for tourists, thanks to its prime location on the tourist route. If you’re walking down this street, you simply must stop off at Flavours of Spain. Just follow the smell of almonds!
Furthermore, this is an important area of interest for tour guides, as it is situated in a key location for reaching any part of Malaga city centre, making it the preferred starting point for many guides.
Next, we’ll tell you about the history of this iconic street and how you can get there.
The origins and history of Calle Santa María
The history of this street dates back to the reign of the Catholic Monarchs in the 15th century, when it was known as Calle de los Mercaderes. Following the Reconquista, the street was primarily allocated to the cloth merchants’ guild, At that time, the street was not divided into two sections, as the area stretching from the Jardines del Sagrario to the Plaza del Siglo was occupied by the Convent of Santa Clara, which was subsequently demolished.
In mid-1931, the Church of El Sagrario, situated on this street, was declared a historic monument. It is an Isabelline Gothic church built in the 15th century on the orders of the Catholic Monarchs. From then on, Calle de Santa María welcomed more and more people every day who came to admire this imposing monument, making it one of the city’s most important streets.
Very close to Calle Santa María is the Cambar Restauranta, just a 15-minute walk away, at Muelle Uno. Here you can enjoy the city’s best cocktails in an exotic and exclusive setting. We look forward to seeing you!
How do I get to Calle Santa María from the Cambara Restaurant?
To get to Calle Santa María from the Cambara Restaurant, you’ll need to walk 800 metres along Paseo de la Farola towards Paseo del Parque. Once you’ve passed the two zebra crossings, turn left and walk 200 metres along Paseo del Parque, then turn right and cross the zebra crossing onto Avenida de Cervantes.
Walk along Paseo de Cervantes for 100 metres and turn onto Calle Juan Luis Peralta until you reach Calle Cister. Then you’ll just need to walk for about 3 minutes more and you’ll come to Calle Santa María.
We hope you’ve found this information useful and that you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about the the history of one of Europe’s oldest cities.
Thank you for reading!
Source of the main image: https://www.minube.com/