Chances are you 've been to Malaga . Well , the airport at any rate . Every year , millions of us pass through on the way to the beaches of the Costa del Sol or palaces of Granada . But , now , the southern Spanish port is having a moment . Thanks to a multi-million pound regeneration project , and several new galleries and museums , this once down-at-heel city has become one of Europe 's hippest destinations . Incoming : The Centre Pompidou Malaga , a pop-up version of the Parisian institution , has opened to visitors . Along with a thriving cultural scene , there are good restaurants , great shopping and exciting nightlife . This week saw the opening of Centre Pompidou Malaga , the first of several popup versions of the famous Parisian gallery planned outside France . It is housed in a low-slung white building topped with a giant glass cube in the trendy harbour area . When I turn up , a large crowd is queuing to pay the £6.70 entrance fee to view 90 works by artists such as Miro , Magritte and Picasso on loan from the Pompidou in France , plus an exhibition exploring dance and choreography . There 's a brilliant room of self-portraits , including a Francis Bacon and Frida Kahlo . Drawing a big huddle is Kader Attia 's striking installation , Ghost — a mass of Muslim women in prayer , made from tin foil . Pompidou is the latest bold step in branding Malaga a 'City of Museums ' . Across town , the first overseas branch of St Petersburg State Russian Museum has just opened in a refurbished tobacco factory . Take a good look : Gibralfaro Castle offers fine views of the city , with the Mediterranean as a wide backdrop . Next door is the Malaga Automobile Museum , an extraordinary celebration of cars , fashion and art . By 2016 , a Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology will complete the set . Malaga 's Picasso Museum opened in 2003 — a long-held dream of the artist , who was born in the city in 1881 . The Automobile Museum in Malaga houses around 90 classic cars , plus displays of haute couture . Round the corner , you can peek into Santiago church where he was baptised . The Picasso Birthplace Museum in the house where he lived until he was ten , contains more paintings , ceramics , early photos , belongings and sketchbooks . What sets Malaga apart — for now , at least — is that all these galleries tend to be uncrowded , refreshingly small , and most in walking distance of each other . That means there 's plenty of time to explore Andalusian cuisine . Get in the mood at the buzzing Atarazanas market , then try the terrace at El Pimpi , which overlooks the Roman amphitheatre . For unbeatable seafood , take the bus to the beach at Pedregalejo on the city 's outskirts , where locals feast on freshly caught boquerones ( anchovies , often deep fried ) , espetos ( sardines , barbecued on sticks ) and platters of enormous mussels , prawns and clams . For modern minimalism , head to the sleek gastrobars of the arty Soho district , such as KGB , where punky young things queue for tables . 'Seville just stays the same , ' one girl tells me over fusion tapas and a beer . 'Malaga is moving on . ' Green and pleasant : Malaga 's botanical garden plays host to exotic plants from around the world . Near the Pompidou is the city 's botanic gardens , rated as one of the best in Europe and bursting with palms , exotic plants and squawking birds . Also to see are the Moorish Alcazaba fortress and Gibralfaro castle , where you can enjoy fabulous panoramic views of the city . Visitor numbers are already soaring — with some people saying Malaga will be like Barcelona in ten years ' time . I 'm tempted to agree with them . British Airways ( 0844 4930787 , www.ba.com ) has daily flights from London to Malaga from £82 return . The four-star Hotel Guadalmedina ( www.hotelguadalmedina.es ) offers double rooms from €70 , room only . More on the Pompidou Centre Malaga : www.centrepompidou.es .
Visitor numbers to the Spanish port are soaring and they are set to rise . Pop-up gallery , Centre Pompidou Malaga , opened this week , in a giant cube . A Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology will open to the public in 2016 .