Yes, Málaga, Spain, has a hipster area and here's 7 travel tips

CAC Málaga in a museum of modern art that's like a beating heart of the Brooklyn in this Costa del Sól party town. When we went, it was hosting an exhibition by Shepard Fairey, that guy who made that Hope poster for Obama. So they painted the concrete blocks next to the museum with pop art pieces. That's Brooklyn.

When you first arrive, Málaga probably doesn't strike you as a cosmopolitan city bursting with startup culture, artisan foodie joints or even top-notch restaurants. That's because it's basically one big gateway to the Costa del Sol and the hordes of holidaymakers that call it a second home.

The historic center is actually pretty nice but flooded with tourists and people (not the same thing) from Marbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos and the other paradises around Málaga looking for an urban touch to their stay on the sandy beaches of the Costa del Sol.

That said, there _is_ a Brooklyn in Málaga, and with a hint of punk-era Berlin in the mix, it's actually one of the more interesting scenes that are on the rise in Spain.

1. Go to the Soho of Málaga

Yes, the most hipster area of Málaga is called Soho. Because why not?

Soho is an area close to the docks and south of the city center that's seen rapid urban grassroots development in the 2000s (see Wikipedia for the basics). Soho is called collectively a "neighbourhood of the arts", but it's pretty standard hipster fare that's popping up here. The project has a useful and well designed website that's a good place to see what's going on and see what's new. Soho is still developing and changing rapidly so be sure to look. Calle Tomas Heredia is a good place to start wandering around.

2. Look at the street art

An integral part of the Soho movement is an urban art project called MAUS (Malaga Arte Urbano Soho). This is an effor to bring the best street artists in the world to liven up the buildings in Soho, often by painting huge murals or graffiti on the buildings. Just walking around Soho you'll spot a ton of graffiti and street art and there's more coming along all the time. Be sure to check out the MAUS homepage for the latest info.

3. Eat something

While in Soho, check out La Barra del Soho. It's a wine bar with a menu of traditional Andalucian dishes with a twist written on a a giant chalkboard that's so Brooklyn we just love it - and it's affordable as well. La Barra is situated smack in the middle of Calle Tomas Heredia. Check out their Facebook for opening hours and such.

4. Go to the CAC
At the heart of all the action in Soho is a museum called CAC that opened in 2003. It's a pretty nice contemporary art kunsthalle right on the edge of Soho and the exhibitions are actually put together in good taste and reflect the street art wibe that flows from the nearby MAUS project. Also, it's free.

5. Hit the Beach
When in Costa del Sol, do like the hordes on Costa del Sol do. Going to beach in Málaga is actually not as bad as you'd think as most of the resorts are situated along the coast and away from the city itself. The beach is called Malagueta and it has the basic parasol/lounger rentals as well as a few booths selling random beach food and drinks. Yes, there's also a Burger King nearby. 'Cause you'll go eventually.

6. Hit the Beach Promenade
The part of the port right across from Malagueta beach has been transformed into a boardwalk of sorts with plenty of restaurants and bars. There's even an offshoot of Centre Pompidou here, but the mood here is a bit polished for our taste but it's still well worth a stroll along the promenade, people watching.

7. Grab Breakfast
One of the more Brooklyn places in the city centre, a cafe-meets-American-diner place Noviembre serves a good breakfast and awesome burgers. Also, be sure to try the cakes for dessert. Noviembre is also a good gateway to the more bearable parts of the city centre, with a lot of action a few blocks north from it as well.