Wild Rowing is based in Málaga, in southern Spain. The city is one of the oldest in the world (it was founded by the Phoenicians in 770 B.C.E.), and is Spain’s hottest growing cultural and technology hub.

With its international airport, the city of Málaga is the gateway to the sunny beaches of the Costa del Sol and many other parts of Andalucía. Nestled between the Mediterranean sea and the hills of the Montes de Málaga and Sierra de Mijas, Málaga has a more temperate climate than other parts of the region. It was the birthplace of painter Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas (who still lives in the city). The pedestrianized center is full of art museums (such as the Museo Picasso Málaga, the Centre Pompidou and the Museo Carmen Thyssen), and the city is host to several film festivals, including the Festival de Málaga in the historical Teatro Cervantes.

The city retains strong Catholic, Islamic and Jewish influences. The Arabic Gibralfaro castle looms over the center of the city, and an Arabic fortress called the Alcazaba and a Roman amphitheater sit at the bottom of the same hill. One of its most spectacular annual events is Easter’s Semana Santa, in which hundreds of people carry giant religious icons through the streets.

Music also plays a big part of life in Andalucía. There are two different styles of flamenco from the area (verdiales and malagueños), plus well known pop artists such as Efecto Mariposa and Vanesa Martín, and flamenco chill’s Chambao. The biggest live music event of the year is the Feria de Agosto in late summer.

To find out more, visit Málaga’s official tourism website.