Mijas is a picturesque town located in the heart of the Costa del Sol. Nestled between the hills and the sea, this charming town boasts a rugged landscape of ridges, hills, and varied undulations. With its mild climate and stunning scenery, Mijas offers a wealth of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy all year round. From paragliding and hang-gliding to hill-walking and mountain sports, there’s something for everyone. Golf enthusiasts can tee off at one of the many courses in the area. At the heart of Mijena Coast lies La Cala de Mijas, a quaint fishing village that has retained all its charm.
History of Mijas
Mijas, originally called Tamisa by the Tarshish, has a rich history dating back to 900 BC with the arrival of the Phoenicians on the coast of Malaga. The town prospered during Roman times, with one of the branches of the Via Augusta passing through it, connecting Cadiz with Malaga. In 714, it was conquered by Abdalaziz, Governor of Seville, and belonged in succession to the emirate and to the followers of the rebel Omar Ben Hafsun until its reconquest in 1487.
There are several interesting monuments to visit in Mijas, such as the bullring with its peculiar oval shape. Additionally, there are two Mudejar-style churches: the Parish Church built between 1541 and 1565 and the Shrine of San Sebastián built towards the end of the 17th century. Furthermore, there are various watchtowers along the coast.
Attractions
The village is known for its stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and the surrounding mountains. Its narrow, winding streets are lined with traditional white-washed houses and colorful flower pots. Mijas Pueblo is easily accessible by car and there are several parking lots available for visitors.
Mijas Bullring
One of the must-see attractions in Mijas is the bullring, built in 1900 at the request of a group of residents. It is one of the oldest and most picturesque bullrings in the region and is located in the Jardines de la Muralla, next to the Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción.
The bullring’s most interesting feature is its oval shape, making it one of the few non-round bullrings in Spain. It is small but charming and offers fantastic views of the town and valley. During the summer season, visitors should be careful of the heat and make sure to cover their heads and stay hydrated. The equestrian shows are highly recommended.
In addition to traditional bullfights, the bullring also hosts other events such as Flamencopolis, a spectacular show that combines various dances with flamenco. The entrance fee is reasonable and tickets do not need to be purchased in advance.
The bullring is located at Paseo de Las Murallas, s/n, 29650 Mijas. Its opening hours are Monday to Sunday from 10:30 to 19:00 in winter and Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 21:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00 in summer. The entrance fee is €4 and the contact number is 951 97 95 46.
Visiting the Mijas bullring is a must for anyone visiting Mijas Pueblo. It is a typical and interesting place that is well-maintained and ready for use on any occasion. There are several commemorative plaques for different bullfighters who have performed in the ring. Visitors can also take photos with a cape, guitar, and other props for a fun and typical experience.
Church of Inmaculada Concepcion
The Church of the Immaculate Conception is a small Mudejar-style church located at the top of Mijas Pueblo. It was built on the site of a former mosque and is a simple but beautiful temple. In front of the church, there are well-maintained gardens and an auditorium that offers spectacular views. If you continue forward, you will reach a viewpoint with panoramic views that you cannot miss.
The church is small and charming, and its exterior, with its flowers and spectacular views, completes an idyllic landscape and offers almost as much peace as the parish itself. The church has excellent acoustics and is a popular venue for concerts. It is worth entering to take a look at its Mudejar origins as a mosque.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oTs2gfex3NhUch2P9
Carromato de Mijas
The Carromato de Mijas, also known as the Carromato de Max, is a small but fascinating museum in Mijas Pueblo. Founded by Juan Elegido Millán, a hypnotist who went by the stage name Professor Max, the museum was inaugurated in May 1972 and showcases an original collection of miniatures.
The museum is small but packed with curiosities. Children and adults alike will enjoy exploring its many exhibits, which can be viewed in about 30 minutes to an hour. The exhibits are impressive and showcase the great skill and patience required to create such tiny works of art. The materials used to create the miniatures are diverse but common: school chalk, soap, pins, matches, toothpicks, breadcrumbs, thumbtacks, and more.
The entrance fee is not expensive and the money goes to an association for children with disabilities. The museum is located near the Mirador and the Virgen de la Peña, next to the main square and the typical donkeys of Mijas. There is a nearby restaurant serving typical Basque cuisine.
The museum’s opening hours are:
- Winter: Monday to Sunday from 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM
- Summer: Monday to Friday from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- Location and reviews: https://goo.gl/maps/dV6qpRxpPeLGDfwx9
Botanical Garden of the Wall
The Botanical Garden of the Wall, or Jardin de la Muralla, is a beautiful park in Mijas Pueblo. Located on an ancient Arab fortress site, it offers stunning views of the Costa del Sol and a botanical route with native flora.
The park also has several attractions, including the Mijas bullring, municipal auditorium, Church of the Immaculate Conception, a park, and a restaurant. The surrounding rock is used for rock climbing.
The gardens have been designed to have flowers all year round and there is also a 15-meter high stone waterfall illuminated at night. It’s an ideal place to rest on shaded benches and enjoy the cool breeze from the fountains.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Ep3K2nu92zWRrPSZ9
Donkey Taxi
The Donkey Taxi is a curious tradition in Mijas that originated in the 1960s when local workers, who used donkeys to return home, were asked by visitors to help them climb the hills in exchange for tips. The animals are well cared for and monitored by the town hall and veterinarians.
The Donkey Taxi offers a unique and enjoyable ride through the beautiful town of Mijas. The drivers are friendly and the donkeys are well cared for.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/RFEViEMZ9njKcKSG7
Festivities
Mijas is a town that celebrates many festivals throughout the year. These festivals are a great way to experience the local culture and traditions.
Here is a list of some of the festivals celebrated in Mijas:
- Local Festivals: September 8th (Virgen de la Peña) and October 15th
- Regional Festivals: February 28th (Andalusia Day)
- National Festivals: January 1st (New Year’s Day), January 6th (Epiphany), May 1st (Labor Day), August 15th (Assumption of Mary), October 12th (Hispanic Day), November 1st (All Saints’ Day), December 6th (Constitution Day), December 8th (Immaculate Conception), December 25th (Christmas Day)
- May Crosses Festival: Celebrated in May
- Tourist Day: Celebrated in July or August
- ViveMijas de Noche: A program that takes place in July and August where you can enjoy a tapas route, craft market, and live music performances
In addition to these festivals, there are also various fairs, pilgrimages, concerts, exhibitions, and theater performances that take place throughout the year. There is always an excuse to have a good time in Mijas.
How to get
To get to Mijas Pueblo and Mijas Costa by car from Malaga Airport, you should take the AP-7 motorway towards Algeciras. The distance to La Cala de Mijas is about 38 kilometers and to Mijas Pueblo is about 25 kilometers, which is equivalent to about 20 or 30 minutes by car.
Here are the directions to reach Mijas by car from Malaga Airport:
- Head southeast on Av. del Comandante García Morato
- Use the right lane to take the ramp to N-348/Av. de Velázquez
- Merge onto Av. del Comandante García Morato
- Continue onto N-348
- Keep left at the fork, follow signs for E-15/A-7/Benalmádena/Algeciras and merge onto E-15/A-7
- Take exit 214 toward Fuengirola/Algeciras
- Merge onto AP-7
- Take exit 214 toward Fuengirola/Algeciras
- Keep right at the fork, follow signs for A-387/Mijas and merge onto A-387
- Continue on A-387 until you reach Mijas Pueblo
Where to park in Mijas Pueblo
Parking in Mijas Pueblo is not expensive and your car will be protected from the sun. Additionally, you can access the car park from Avenida del Compás, near the Virgen de la Peña Hermitage and the Mirador del Compás. To reach this entrance, you will need to cross Plaza de la Virgen de la Peña in the centre of Mijas.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/5LKbtVrVnnJ4yFgV8
Property
Within the village itself property is expensive and some luxury apartments fetch among the highest prices on the coast. Outside the centre. However, you can find cheaper property unless you want to buy in one of the exclusive urbanisations such as las Lomas .
Las Lagunas
Is a residential area, popular with Spaniards but less so with foreigners is densely populated and currently under huge expansion. Housing is mainly apartments and townhouses. Services and facilities are good and include numerous shops, schools a health centre, chemists, supermarkets and a large municipal sports centre with indoor pool.
The area’s annual fair takes place during the first week of June and 15th October, Santa Teresa. Because of the area’s close proximity to Fuengirola, residents in las Lagunas quite often take Fuengirola local holidays as well.
Urb El Coto, urb Campo Mijas and urb la Sierrezuela are urbanisations located directly north of Fuengirola. You can get there from the Avda de Mijas continuation or from the Mijas road at the BP roundabout. Both access roads get very congested particularly the Avda de Mijas. Urb El Coto is the largest and consists mainly of villa accommodation. Services are good and include several small shops, a chemist, a school, restaurants and a bus service fro Fuengirola.
La Sierrezuela is an upmarket urbanization with many exclusive villas and the most expensive property in the area.
Urb. Cerros del Aguila is a small but rapidly expanding development situated to the west of Fuengirola and the river in attractive rolling hills. Access is via the Miramar complex opposite the castle. Housing is mainly villas and apartments and there are few services on site. There’s a bus service to and from Fuengirola starting at the cementery on route to Cerros del Aguila.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/kGEt9w52NxqHeTYy6
Urb. Mijas Golf
This urbanisation lies to the north of Fuengirola on the east side of the Fuengirola River and is centred on the attractive Mijas Golf course. Accommodation is mainly apartment and villas and the area has several prestigious hotels including the luxury Hotel Byblos Andaluz. Access to the area is poor via the Coín road from Fuengirola which is often gridlocked for the first few kilometres.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/BFeD2xfGkbSLkByF6
Mijas Costa
Mijas Costa is the area that runs along the coast from Cabopino in the west to Fuengirola in the east. The area is residential with numerous urbanisations, popular with both holiday-markets and permanent foreign residents who are mainly British, German or Scandinavian.
Services and amenities are mainly concentrated near the A-7 and if you choose to live up at the north end of the urbanisations, you will need a car for practically everything. Many of the urbanisations are labyrinths of streets and it’s often impossible to find your way around. Most have a map at the entrance or strategically placed around the maze, but it’s best to make sure you have good instructions about how to find somewhere.
Cala de Mijas
The small village of La Cala de Mijas lies in a long sandy bay and remains a quiet fishing village in spite of the development around it.
Central to de village is a recently restored 10th century watchtower, now a museum, set in a small square surrounded by restaurants and bars. La Cala has retained its essentially Spanish character and is popular with young families.
The prestigious Cala golf Resort is situated in the valley a few miles north of the village. The golf resort forms part of Mijas Golf Valley, which stretches as far as Alhaurín el Grande and currently includes several top courses, with advanced plans for more.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/qCRQPqG2TRxQxDfQ9
Cala de Mijas Services
The village is the local services and administrative centre for the council where you can pay local taxes, present paperwork and register with the council. Amenities include a health centre, chemist, several private clinics and one dental clinic. All serve English-language speakers. La Cala has a large shopping centre with a supermarket, opticians, restaurants, banks and other services including a post office. There are also numerous small shops within the village where you can get just about anything. There are two state primary schools, CP El Chaparral and CP Garcia del Olmo and there is also a nursery school.
Cala de Mijas Property
There are several new developments in La Cala, particularly in the area north of the A-7. One of these is the Cala Nova golf resort, which includes a hotel, an 18-hole golf course, and around 2,000 homes. Another new development is Jardinana, which offers luxury apartments, townhouses, and villas. It is located only 800 meters from the beach and features green gardens with heated lap pools, a multi-use pool, a children’s pool with slides, a mini spa, and even a beach area.
Urbanizations in Cala de Mijas
Urb. Los Claveles, Urb La Cortijera, Urb Alcántara and Urb Las Buganvillas are urbanisations which lie to the east and are within easy reach of La Cala and consist mainly of villas on large plots, although there is some apartment accommodation. Los Claveles is the main development and the other urbanisations are relatively small. The area few facilities except for a chemist and some restaurants situated near the A-7.
Urb. El Chaparral is the largest urbanisation to the east of la Cala and is an exclusive development consisting mainly of large villas and plots. There are no services other than a couple of restaurants on the A-7. You will find small coves and a very popular beach bar. There are also two more urbanisations called Urb. Oasis and Urb. Las Farolas. (Map)
Urb. Playa Marina and Urb El Faro are small urbanisations which lie just before the point where the coast turns northwards and the lighthouse is situated. Playa Marina is mainly apartment accommodation and has a chemist and some restaurants. El Faro, popular with German residents, is larger and has both apartment and villa accommodation. There are several restaurants in the area. The main beach is a small cove with a beach bar and there is also a nudist beach near. (Map)
El Faro de Calaburras is a small urbanisation with steep, winding streets. Property is mainly villas. Other urbanisations, like Marina del Sol, La Ponderosa, and El Castillo, offer apartments, townhouses, and villas. They’re popular for being quiet yet close to Fuengirola. The main beach is at Faro de Calaburras. It’s a narrow strip of sand next to the A-7. Despite its small size, it’s packed in summer. (Map)