Mijas Guide
Mijas is a very big municipality, located between Fuengirola and Marbella. Coming from Malaga airport towards Marbella and having passed Torremolinos and Benalmadena, above Fuengirola, stuck in the mountain, with unbeatable sea views, you will first see the actual village/old town of Mijas:
Mijas Pueblo – White Washed Village
This is the original, still very typically Andalusian style, village and administrative centre of the whole municipality of Mijas that leads West as far as where Marbella and even Ojen start. The white washed villages of Andalusia are a favourite amongst tourists and residents alike. Mijas Pueblo is the historical core of the municipality of Mijas, situated in the heart of the Costa del Sol and only 30 kilometres from Malaga Airport, at the foothill of a very green mountain covered in pine trees that go as far as the villages of Alhaurin El Grande and Alhaurin de la Torre on its back.
The Town Hall has prepared many well explained and sign posted touristic routes, indicating their difficulty level and time you normally need to walk them, although you can use many by mountain bike too. You can also easily participate in guided tours through this protected Natural Forest.
Mijas Pueblo offers the typical charm of a traditional Andalusian "white village", with many narrow old town streets, horse carriages or donkeys you can hire to ride through them, getting to know all the little squares and very cosy places this old town has to offer. Due to its higher location, stuck to the mountain, it also offers you from many places outstanding sea views over the whole Coast as far as Gibraltar and Africa.
Next to the main church square, where you can also enjoy typical Spanish horse riding exhibitions in the small bull fighting ring and listen to great music concerts in the Auditorium of Mijas, you can visit the extensive botanic garden that opens as well to those great views over the Costa del Sol towards the Mediterranean Sea and Africa.
Mijas Village welcomes you with numerous museums and also many shops of typical Andalusian handicraft, leather articles, ceramics, jewellery, decoration, boutiques, etc., etc., etc. There is definitely something to visit and view for everybody, before you will be delighted to have lunch or dinner in one of the great restaurants or bars of the old town, often with magnificent open terraces or typical Andalusian, interior courtyards for al fresco dining.
Mijas Pueblo has been inhabited since ancient times, and the small village has always been devoted mainly to agriculture and fisheries. Since the tourism boom in the 1950’s, the tourism and construction sector have been the engines of the local economy. Today the village of Mijas Pueblo is a multicultural city with a high percentage of residents of foreign origin, more than 125 nationalities living happily together all over Mijas, and it is a major residential centre of tourism in Andalusia.
Just a short drive down from the village there is “Las Lagunas de Mijas “on the coast, right next to Fuengirola. Many people think it is Fuengirola, but actually it all still belongs to Mijas, as you can see when visiting the Mijas Aqua Park (with great slides for kids and adults) on the beachside of the coastal road A7/N-340. Las Lagunas is one of the most modern areas of Mijas Costa where you can find everything you need in both, big commercial centres (such as the Miramar or Corte Ingles) but also industrial areas, for building material, etc. Mijas also has several big cinema centres, offering the newest releases in Original Version, thus making it also possible to enjoy them in case you do not speak Spanish.
Mijas Costa
The area of Mijas Costa is unique and an absolute favourite amongst holiday makers and property buyers alike. The area starts in Fuengirola and stretches along the Mediterranean coast line all the way to Marbella East’s resort of Cabopino.
This stretch of coastline features many smaller communities or holiday resort destinations (“urbanizations”) like Calahonda, Riviera del Sol and La Cala de Mijas. Each area across the stretch of Mijas Costa is appealing because of their perfect geographical location. Each destination is only minutes from the beach, with some even being completely at beachfront; all amenities are within walking distance as well, this includes pharmacies, food shops, restaurants, clubs and sports bars.
For over 20 years, this area of the Costa del Sol has been incredibly popular for expats and holiday home buyers. The ideal destination for both family and friends’ holidays, with safe beaches and plenty of fun attractions. It’s also a great location for golfing, as the area features several popular Costa del Sol golf courses.
Mijas Costa – A Step Away from Marbella
Mijas Costa is a modern resort, with most of the locations being constructed in the last twenty years. So, you won’t find any historical sites or deeply rooted Spanish culture; however, many find the area appealing because it’s just about 15 minutes away from Marbella and 20 minutes from the famous Puerto Banus harbour. Glam and glitz won’t be found in Mijas Costa, but the area provides a family friendly atmosphere with many of the holiday urbanisations providing community pools, community bars and plenty of activities.
Mijas Costa is the perfect escape from the ordinary back home. No matter where you come from, you will enjoy lazy beach holidays in the area. You have both the beach and excellent amenities on your doorstep. You may also want to rent a car to get around for markets and exploring, but the best thing is you don’t necessarily have too – the public transportation is very good in the area, with multiple stops up and down the coast line.
Check out Calahonda in Mijas Costa
By far the most popular resort on this stretch of Mijas Costa is Calahonda. This resort location is situated around halfway between Marbella and Fuengirola and is very popular amongst British holidaymakers and expat residents. You will find that the beaches here are a mixture of sand and pebbles, but there are some great Chiringuitos, featuring great music, cheap food and cheap beach chairs.
One beach especially worth visiting is the one of Cabopino Harbour. This extremely popular location features several fabulous beach restaurants, bars and plenty of beach beds to choose from. The sand is very fine, the water is rather shallow, there are no stones and you have to walk out quite some ways before it gets deep. This makes it an ideal beach for the whole family. Heading in the other direction towards Fuengirola, you come to Calypso, a small urbanisation of villas and apartments. Here you will find supermarkets, bars and restaurants and a large market twice a week.
Visit Riviera del Sol – Miraflores in Mijas Costa
Right down the road from Calahonda in the direction of Fuengirola, past Calypso is Riviera del Sol and Miraflores. Here you find two urbanisations practically rolled into one. Miraflores is home to Miraflores Golf and Bowling Club. You will also find a beach and country club, which offers plenty of activities for non-members as well. The area of Riviera del Sol has lots of bars and restaurants to choose from and of course the beach, and its great boardwalk from Puerto Cabopino through to La Cala de Mijas, is only minutes away.
As with Calahonda, Riviera del Sol and Miraflores reach up high into the hills looking out across the Mediterranean. If your accommodation is located up in the hills, a car hire is definitely recommended.
Discover La Cala de Mijas in Mijas Costa
La Cala de Mijas is the perfect destination for a holiday getaway. The translation is simply “The bay of Mijas”, and it offers a typical Andalusian fishing village feel with all amenities along with a huge stretch of golden sandy beaches. You will find plenty of restaurants, of every kind, also giving the town a multicultural feel. Parents can bring their children to the La Cala park, which has a little café in the centre where parents can relax as their children safely play nearby.
During the summer months, the park often organises fun activities such as face painting, games and bouncy castles. There is a large market held every Wednesday and Saturday in the fairground and throughout July and August there is a beachside market. During a week in August, a Medieval Market is held in the main square with food, music, artisan stalls and children’s activities.
Enjoy Mijas Costa
Mijas Costa is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Spain. It’s an ideal family destination, with lots to do and within easy reach of the rest of the Costa del Sol.
