Mijas, Spain is another Andalusian city (Costa del Sol) that we visited on our last trip in December 2016. If my last one seemed too dry to you, I'll try to tell you more emotionally about this "lace" town.
Mijas, Spain. First impression
The most colorful way to get to the "regional center" is by car. You can see not only the road in front of the car, but also the roads in the distance, cutting through the mountains at several levels of height with thin strips of serpentine. By bus, it is unlikely that you will be able to experience all the beauties of the landscape.
At some point they couldn't resist. We stopped to take pictures of the breathtaking panorama. Below - the cubes of the houses of Fuengirola and the sea ...
We parked in the street we liked and went to the city center. Amazing! Such splendor, such white uniformity! The houses look elegant and festive. And note that the lights there are no worse than on Pyatnitskaya - no wires!
This "step" house is quite worthy to fall into the company of "houses with eccentrics".
On its ground floor there are dense cafes and shops. In one of the cafes, "Jaime", we had breakfast with delicious pancakes and coffee. Cards are not accepted for payment here, which is why we had suspicions about paying taxes. Discarding these completely unresting thoughts, we moved on.
And in the form of an animal, directly opposite.
Tourists are happy to take pictures with this donkey. For their convenience, there is even a special ladder - climb up, it's not a pity! To the left of the donkey is an observation deck called "Compass" - Mirador del Compás.
Views of the mountains and the city.
Directly behind the donkey is a travel agency. Maps, advertising booklets, information about the city and surroundings.
Mijas, Spain. What was seen. City map
Centre
A few words about the office (indicated by the number 1). Located in the very center of the city. Quite large in size, it has an exhibition hall, a Wi-Fi zone and interactive screens with information about the Costa del Sol.
A little away from the office is the Chapel of Our Lady of La Peña - Ermita de la Peña, and the Virgin itself (in the photo she looks like a thin vine on the right end of the cliff).
It is believed that she saw the light only at the end of the 16th century thanks to two little shepherdesses who were brought to this place by a dove, and during the reign of Muslims, she hid in a rock for eight centuries. On the map it is marked with the number 3.
After watching the video, you will have an idea about the bell ringing during the service. If not for the sound of the wind!
Having walked a little away from the tourist center, we found ourselves on the territory of a huge square, which, unfortunately, was not marked on the map. Let's just call it the central square.
The December attire of a pedestrian seemed amusing. We were not hot in winter jackets, but he was in a T-shirt and flip flops. Symbols of different capitals were built on the square - Big Ben, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower. Something serious, you see, was started!
On the square, most likely, some kind of Christmas festival was held - teams of different colors performed, performed musical numbers. A kind of chime...
Here is the Chocolate Factory.
Although a small production, but completely, in my opinion, satisfying the needs of tourists.
Here you can drink coffee or chocolate, buy chocolate, make your own chocolate.
The guide explains the technology in pure English, so a school course is enough to understand what is done and how. The official website of the factory - mayanmonkey.es - maybe someone wants to read in Spanish ... Since we were almost at Christmas, the chocolate shop is decorated like Christmas)))
Away from the center
A little away from the central square - grottoes, an old mill. The mill has been recreated following traditional building rules, with original millstones and other mechanisms.
The Museum of Miniatures (Museo de miniaturas) "Carromato De Mijas" adjoins the mill buildings. Its founder, Juan Elehido Milian, is the world famous hypnotist "Professor Max". He decided to settle after numerous tours in Mijas in 1972, where he founded a museum. Despite the small area - you see, the museum had enough trailer - it contains exhibits from more than 50 countries. That's right, miniatures!
And here, near the grotto and the mill - the Burro Taxi parking lot. Taxi-donkeys - in my opinion, one of the main attractions of Mijas. Along with snow-white houses and blue flower pots.
Donkeys have become a tourist means of transportation and photography due to the entrepreneurial spirit of their owners. They realized that the income from this kind of pet rental often exceeds their fishing earnings. The donkeys are numbered like real vehicles, there they are, on their foreheads. Donkeys are decorated with colored self-knitted bridles.
And do not feel sorry for the donkeys and think that it is difficult for them to drag a cart with people. It's not a rickshaw. For donkeys, this is the same as for huskies, for example, running in a harness is a vital necessity.
Having walked a little forward along the street, we went to the Constitution Square - Plaza de la Constitución (number 7 on the map). The fountain, stone benches - all this was created from stones brought by a flood on November 2, 1884. Just imagine where the sea is (2nd photo) and where Mijas is!
Mijas, Spain. Gardens near the Church of the Immaculate Conception
Further, our path lay in the direction of gardens, viewing platforms (on the map 10) La muralla, mirador y Jardines, located near the parish Church of the Immaculate Conception (Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción). Since the life of the Mikhas (or Mihs?) is literally in full view of tourists, we managed to accidentally notice a cute picture - when the cat, after waiting for the owner to pour water and water the flowers, quickly took the sink to do water procedures.
I took pictures, hiding behind a planter, so...
On the way to the gardens, we enjoyed the views, stuck to take pictures in the gallery, looked at the painted tiles - "azulejo".
The territory of the gardens is huge, near the Church of the Immaculate Conception there is a beautiful park with flowers and fountains. The church was built adjacent to the Tower de la Vela, which became its bell tower.
The guidebook says that the garden is planted with such plants that in each season some kind of bloom. This is true. December - and there some blooming "Durillo" and "Cotoneaster".
Mijas, Spain. Streets and lanes
Having been a little upset that they did not reach the planned points, they simply enjoyed a walk along the narrow snow-white streets, considered how the townspeople decorate their homes.
I understand that there are lovers of wood carving everywhere, and not only in the Bavarian Oberammergau. It was nice to see such examples of applied art.
It turns out that we were walking along the street of San Sebastian (calle San Sebastián). And, logically, they went to the Church of St. Sebastian at the end of the 17th century (on the map 13). The clock on the facade of the church is over a hundred years old and has been there since 1902.
So gracefully near this church three streets converge - St. Sebastian, Malaga street and Carril street. Straight "crossroads of three roads" natural. The Christmas tree, although with toys made from garbage (I’ll tell you a little lower), fits perfectly into the urban landscape, but the “brick” spoils everything, doesn’t it?
I am horrified by the current trend, which can also be traced in Moscow - to stick streets and sidewalks with road signs. I understand why this is done, but HOW it is implemented, I do not like it at all. I would, give me the freedom, put this brick a little earlier than where I am standing. And it would be clear that forward neither to the left nor to the right down-z-z-z. Now admire this sign for the rest of your life.
Having passed along the street of Malaga by ladders-lanes, we went out to the square in the center, which we had already been to. Found in a corner, on the balcony of the second floor, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. And, of course, a donkey. How is it - Mijas and without a donkey?
Mijas, Spain. What is on the map, but what is not in the story
The numbers are symbols on the map.
- 4. Japanese Garden - Located in the gardens of Camino Fuente de la Seda, it aims to recreate the zen atmosphere typical of Japanese gardens. On its opening day (September 2013), 6 Sakura (Japanese cherry) trees, typical of Japanese traditional trees, were planted.
- 8. Arena Plaza de toros
- 11. Caves of the ancient forge (Cuevas de la antigua fragua). These caves are a characteristic feature of many houses in Mijas. Due to the orography of the area, many families use them as a barn for cattle or pantries, as they maintain the same temperature all year round. These caves were created after the demolition of an ancient forge, and the municipal council decided to preserve them so that tourists could get acquainted with the natural architecture of Mijas.
- 12. Chapel of Madame Los Remedios and the quarter of Saint Anna (Ermita de nuestra Señora de los remedios y barrio Santana). Known as the Church of Santa Anna or Santana, it was built in the late 17th century or early 18th century. In the surrounding area is Los Ciete Caños Square, a typical white Andalusian village square. This part of the town has changed little in recent decades.
- 15. Contemporary Art Center with Picasso Exhibition
- 16. Municipality (Ayuntamiento). The building, built in 1987 by the architect Antonio Errezuelo, stands out for its courtyard with fountains. Working hours: Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 2 pm.
- 17. La Sierra Viewpoint - In addition to part of the coast of Malaga, on a clear day, Gibraltar and the coast of Morocco are visible from here.
- 18. Chapel of Calvario (Calvary) - Located at the foot of the mountain, accessed through dense woodland, making it very popular for walkers. (The route is marked with iron crosses). It is said that it used to be the spiritual home of the Carmelite monks guarding the Chapel of Our Lady of La Peña. Although the chapel only opens on the Fridays of Lent, it makes sense to climb up because of the breathtaking views of the coast and the Mediterranean.
Mijas, Spain. Impression
1. Mijas - the city of donkeys. In the right sense of the word. They even sell donkey head magnets. And not far from Mijas I managed to visit a horse farm.
Mijas, Spain. Horses are not donkeys))
2. Mijas - the city of leather products. There are so many of them here that it seems to have returned to the past and ended up in some Izmailovsky market. And they do not admit that the products are from China. Make sure it's local. They explain: "We have bulls. We have skin." Prices are much nicer than in Moscow.
3. Mijas - a city of viewing platforms. There are many sites and the views from them are magnificent.
4. Mijas - a city of flower pots hung on the walls of houses. It was this image of Andalusia that developed for me after.
5. Mijas - the city of soups. I could not imagine such a number of names:
- this is salmorejo (salmorejo),
- gazpacho and gazpachuelo,
- garlic soup with grapes
- hot tomato soup
- fish and/or seafood soup,
- olive oil based soups
- cachorreñas soup with orange peel,
- garlic soup,
- asparagus soup.
But we went "on a tip", namely onion soup, which, as was said, is excellently prepared in the "El Olivo" restaurant. Well, the soup is good. But he's not very photogenic. The picture shows a traditional Spanish appetizer "melon with jamon".
6. Mijas is a city of creative cheerful people. What only some Christmas trees located on the streets and squares were worth. Or rather, toys on them! Here is a list of what I have seen or seen:
- glitter-dyed empty bean pods,
- cut bottoms from colored plastic bottles,
- wooden slats,
- blisters empty of pills,
- can caps,
- trash bags,
- centerpieces from toilet paper rolls,
- cocktail straws.
Spain, Costa del Sol, Mijas, Malaga, Spain
To show on the mapgeneral information
Mijas is the center of the municipality of the same name in the province of Malaga in the heart of the Costa del Sol. Mijas is a typical Andalusian village with whitewashed houses, picturesquely perched on a mountainside 450 meters above sea level.
How to get there
To get to Mijas from Malaga, or you can:
- By bus (about an hour)
- By taxi
- Rent a car (about 45 minutes)
You can read more about transport in the Costa del Sol.
Attractions
- Constitution Square / Plaza de la Constitución
- Arena / Plaza de Toros
- Chapel of Our Lady of La Peña (Virgin in the Rock) / Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña
- Church of the Immaculate Conception / Iglesia Parroquial de la Inmaculada Concepción
- Chapel of San Anton / Ermita de San Antón
Entertainment
- beach holiday
- Aquapark in Las Lagunas
- Golf
- Ethnological Museum
- Museum of Miniatures / Carromato de Max
- Walking around the city on donkeys
- observation decks
- souvenir shops
detailed information
The entire municipality of Mijas is divided into several districts, each with its own characteristics. Mijas Costa is a strip of villages along the 12 kilometers long coastline with magnificent beaches. Las Lagunas is a modern commercial area with industrial facilities. And the heart of the municipality, one of the gems of the Costa del Sol is the beautiful little village of Mijas Pueblo.
Walking along its small quiet streets, you can understand what makes foreigners come here and stay here for many years. Mijas has become home to many artists and writers due to its mild climate, lack of fuss and a small distance from the coast and commercial centers (only 7 kilometers).
Mijas Pueblo is a great place to shop for souvenirs. In the craft shops you can find ceramics, paintings and other handicrafts.
Adds color to this village an unusual taxi that runs along the alleys and small squares - "donkey taxi". Donkeys are harnessed to wagons or simply saddled and decorated with blankets. It is impossible to visit Mijas and not ride on such an original transport. The donkey has become such a significant figure in Mijas that a monument was erected to him in front of the tourist office, and in any souvenir shop you can buy some little thing with the image of this animal.
The central square of Mijas - Constitution Square - is a charming place where you can relax on a bench, listening to the murmur of the fountain or have a bite to eat in one of the cafes located here.
Among the cultural and historical attractions of Mijas are the chapel of Our Lady of La Peña - an 18th-century grotto carved into the rock, the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the chapel of San Anton.
By the way. The San Anton Chapel is located on the road between Mijas and Benalmadena and is a very popular tourist attraction. On January 17, the patron saint of all animals, St. Anthony, is honored here. From the chapel, fabulous panoramas of the Costa del Sol open up.
In Mijas you can also visit the Museum of Miniatures - this is one of the most unusual attractions where you can see very original exhibits, incredible examples of miniature art.
Mijas beaches
The trip from Mijas Pueblo to the beaches is a road of 15 kilometers. You can get there by bus or rented car.
The beaches of the municipality stretch along the coast for 12 kilometers. The beaches of Mijas have been awarded the Blue Flag many times. The beaches offer tourists a full range of entertainment: beach bars and restaurants, rental of umbrellas and sunbeds, diving, fishing, windsurfing.
By clicking anywhere on our site or clicking "Accept", you agree to the use of cookies and other personal data processing technologies. You can change your privacy settings. Cookies are used by us and our trusted partners to analyze, improve and personalize your user experience on the site. In addition, these cookies are used for targeted advertising that you see both on our site and on other platforms.The Costa del Sol, which translates from Spanish as "Sunshine Beach", is considered one of the best holiday destinations in Spain. Costa del Sol is the southernmost Mediterranean resort in Spain, located in Andalusia. 35% of the total tourist flow of Andalusia, one of the most important regions of Spain in terms of tourism, falls on the coast. Rest here is suitable for those who like calmer and quieter places than the Costa Brava or the Costa Dorada. The resort area, starting from the largest city of Malaga in the district, includes a number of fairly large settlements, such as Morbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos. However, perhaps the most pleasant places to stay here are two cities - Mijas and a small Nerja, the benefits of rest in which will be discussed.
The resort town of Nerja is located just 50 kilometers from Malaga and entered the history of Spain as an important port during the Napoleonic War and as an ancient Spanish settlement with developed agriculture and the production of silk products. In the middle of the last century, tourism began to actively develop here, and now Nerja is known as one of the most picturesque and quiet resorts on the coast. The hotels here are quite inexpensive, unlike many popular places on the Costa del Sol, and those who want to spend time on a beach that is not the most popular among tourists and who are interested in the surroundings and beauties of Andalusia will like the rest here.
The most important sight of Nerja is the observation platform "Balcony of Europe", conveniently located above the sea, which appeared on the site of the Nerja fortress destroyed by the earthquake. However, the caves of Nerja should be called the more famous point of tourism in the area. The cave is known for the world's largest stalactite column, 49 meters high. This masterpiece of nature is marked on the page of the Guinness Book of Records. In the cave, archaeologists found rock paintings dating back thousands of years, which allows us to speak of Nerja as one of the ancient centers of civilization. The cave is located very close to the highway, which is quite close to the coast, and getting there is not difficult.
Nerja is also great for daytime walks in this fairly quiet place with very pretty streets. The streets of Nerja amaze with their old beauty, and a walk through the historic district of Maro and along the coast is a kind of excursion that is very nice to combine with a beach holiday in Andalusia. In the old historical part of Nerja there are amazing historical architectural monuments founded here in the 17th-18th centuries.
Mijas is another old and beautiful coastal town in Andalusia that you will definitely enjoy spending your holidays in. This place is famous for the expat center in Andalusia, and a lot of locals here come from England, Holland and Germany. Mijas is also a city with a very beautiful and old heart of the city, but tourism is much more developed here than in Nerja, so it is unlikely that you will be able to see the “old way” of life in Spain here. The city will be of interest to those who would like to relax in a neat and tidy place with good infrastructure for tourism, but still in the most popular place on the coast filled with tourists.
You can get to Mijas by bus or car from Malaga - a distance of 30 km is overcome in half an hour. Finding a hotel at an affordable price is not difficult - there are a lot of hotels here, and because of the great competition, prices are not so high. The city is not one of the "white centers" of Andalusia, as the composition is called with white buildings, but most of it is made in bright colors. Tourists disperse on these bright streets during walks, and the feeling that there are too many tourists magically does not arise.
The tourist boom in Mijas began in the 1950s. Since then, many restaurants and cafes with wonderful Mediterranean cuisine at fairly affordable prices, a number of souvenir shops and hotels have appeared on these cozy streets. Nightlife on the coast has no seasons and is always attractive to tourists. Mijas cannot be called its main center, since most of the clubs and large bars are located in Benalmadena and Marbella. However, there are still places for parties - for example, Mahama, Cosmos, Las Delicias. However, for fans of the noisiest and largest discos, trips to the nightlife centers of the coast are organized every evening. Also local places are known for their casinos. They are really big and worthy here, and fans of card games will like them. The most important casino on the coast in the Puerto Banus area has long been famous among tourists. However, it is worth paying attention to the new casino near Gibraltar, which opened just a year ago, where there are quite a lot of provincial players. Spaniards are increasingly giving preference to tournaments available on mobile. Casino games on the Costa del Sol and the surrounding area are tempting because the level of players among tourists is usually quite low, and therefore the chances of winning are quite high for everyone!
The main attractions of Mijas are local viewpoints where you can take great photos. Here you can go to the Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of Miniatures, which are old interesting for those who like to combine relaxation with ethnographic and historical research. There are quite a lot of architectural sights in Mijas, which, however, can be seen in a few hours on the way to one of the most pleasant places in the vicinity - Constitution Square. It also has its own bullfighting arena. And, of course, having been in Mijas, you should definitely ride donkeys - “donkey taxis” are the main piquancy of Mijas! The beaches in the Mijas area are quite well-groomed, and the sea will delight you with clean and very warm water, which, together with other advantages, will allow you to have a great time in Mijas.
A few kilometers from the coast, it has a population of 35,000 and covers an area of 142 km². Despite this, the populated part of Mijas is concentrated on a very small area, which allows you to see all the sights of the city and enjoy its streets during a simple walk.
Mijas can be reached by driving 8 km along the old highway N-340, which connects it with Benalmadena and passes through rural houses and pine forests, resembling a kind of balcony from which amazing seascapes unfold every now and then. Suddenly, after another rather sharp turn in the middle of the hills, a small charming town appears in front of you. Seeing it, you immediately understand why Mijas is called the "white town". The walls of the houses, painted in the purest white, create an amazing panorama, and the arrangement of the houses in terraces further enhances the impression. Another easier road leads to Mijas from Fuengirola.
Mijas is one of those lovely small Spanish towns that so delight tourists with the dazzling whiteness of their houses. Small and snow-white, they seemed to dot the hilly slopes, giving the city a unique charm, which local villages are famous for.
From the streets and observation decks of the city, fascinating views of the surrounding mountains and the sea coast open up. The city has preserved a number of original traditions: once in the central city square, you can hire a donkey taxi for a walk along the narrow cobbled streets. The intertwining streets of Mijas, with their arches, red-tiled roofs, geranium-lined terraces and singing canaries, will leave an indelible impression on you.
Mijas: the history of the city
The first settlement on the territory of modern Mijas, according to historians, was founded by the Turdetans - Iberian tribes who lived in southern Spain at the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 2nd century BC. Later, the settlement was conquered by the Romans, who appreciated its advantageous strategic position: from the back, the city was protected from enemy attacks by a mountain range, but it made it possible to perfectly observe the movements and landings of enemies in the coastal zone. During this period, a fortification tower was built in the city, allowing better observation.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the settlement was captured by Muslims, who during their reign expanded its borders and strengthened the city walls. The remains of the settlement of that time have come down to our time, which we can see in the form of the foundation of a number of houses and churches in Mijas.
In 1487, after the fall of Malaga, Mijas was recaptured by the troops of the Christian kings and received a number of prizes and honors for their loyalty during the battle against the Muslim invaders.
Attractions
The history of Mijas, like the history of many other small Andalusian towns, is rooted in ancient times, from which a number of attractions have been preserved in the city. We list some of them:
- Iglesia Parroquial de la Inmaculada Concepcion Built in 1630, erected on the foundations of an Arab castle. The church was built in the Mudéjar style.
- La Iglesia de San Sebastian. Small, like the city center itself, but a cozy church is located at the beginning of a picturesque street of the same name.
- The Wine Museum is located up San Sebastian Street.
- Peculiar taxi - donkeys (Buro-Taxi), which has become one of the symbols of the city.
- Ermita Virgin de la Pena. The sanctuary erected in honor of the patron saint of the city in 850.
- El Puerto Hermitage. One of the most interesting sights of the city is the El Puerto hermitage, famous for being visible from almost anywhere in the city.
- Municipal Museum. A story about the historical buildings of Mijas would be incomplete without mentioning the local municipal museum, which anyone can visit absolutely free of charge. In addition to a number of interesting exhibits, the museum is known for the fact that for 30 years it served as a haven for the former mayor of the city, Manuel Cortes, who was hiding behind its walls from the persecution of the Francoists.
- Bullfight Museum.
- The sights of today should, of course, include very large hippodrome located between the coastal zone and the upper city.
- Other architectural monuments from the time of ancient Roman, Muslim and Spanish rule remain in Mijas, including a number of notable churches and a small bullring.
The quiet atmosphere of the upper part of Mijas contrasts with the bustling, tourist-filled coastal areas, especially during the high season. The city is full of small restaurants, cafes and shops where local artisans display their products. Try local honey and bread, known for their special, unusual taste, which they owe to the fresh and clean mountain air.
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