Mijas, a picturesque and traditional Andalusian mountain village is without a doubt one of the most visited white villages on the Costa del Sol. At less than 8 kilometers from the Mediterranean coastline and within easy reach from popular tourist resorts like Torremolinos, Benalmadena or Fuengirola it is a must visit for tourists spending their holidays in Southern Spain.
Despite of the fact, that Mijas Pueblo is visited by thousands of tourists every year the old town has managed to retain its Andalusian character and charm, one of the reasons why a daytrip to the village still figures on top of the list of things to do on the Costa del Sol.
The historical center of the village with its typical Muslim architecture and narrow streets offer all kind of businesses like bars, restaurants or souvenir shops: from handmade ceramics to articles made from leather, traditional Spanish jewelry to bars, restaurants and bodegas where you can taste different types of tapas and wine.
But Mijas is much more than bars and souvenir shops. The village offers several monuments worth visiting and several interesting public and private museums not to be missed. To get the full picture of what to see in Mijas it is recommendable to spend at least a morning or an afternoon in the village. The typical 40 minutes visit of Asian tour operators or the daytrips sold in hotels on the coast which combine a visit to the village with time spend at other places like Puerto Banus or the street market in Fuengirola are much too short to get to know the real Mijas.
Tourist office
The best place to start your visit is the tourist office on top of the multi storey public car park in the center of the village and close to the bus stop and the taxi rank for people arriving with public transport. It is open every day and offers a free map of Mijas with all points of interest to visit.
Donkey taxis
Mijas is famous for its donkey taxis, but if you want to see more of the village you’re better of walking or taking one of the new electric tuk tuks. Due to the steep streets and the distance the donkeys don’t have access to some of the most interesting and beautiful places of the village like the bullring or Muralla gardens and the old fortified walls. However if you travel with children a donkey ride may be one of the main reasons to visit Mijas.
Mayan Monkey Mijas
Mayan Monkey Mijas, the world’s smallest chocolate factory is also very popular amongst children, especially because they organize workshops for children and also for adults where people can make their own chocolate bars. Making your own chocolate is definately one of the nicest things you can do in Mijas. The chocolate factory of Mayan Monkey is located on the Virgen de la Peña square just in front of the town hall and the public car park, but they also have premises in the Plaza de la Constitución in the center of the old town where you can enjoy their home made chocolate and ice cream.
Miniature Museum
Close to the tourist office visitors will find some of the places of interest not to be missed like the Shrine of the Virgen of the Rock with great views of the coastline and the surrounding mountains or the curious collection of miniature art in the Carromato de Max Miniature Museum. This little museum is run by a non-profit organization and all the proceedings go towards a good cause.
Panoramic Tour
Next to the miniature is the starting point of the electric vehicles from Tuk Tuk Spain. This new tourist attraction offers an excellent way to see the village in approximately 35 minutes from the comfort of an electric vehicle.
The tour of 8 kilometers does not only cover the monuments in the historical part of the old town, but also parts of Mijas Pueblo which most other tourists will never get to see. The residential area called Barrio de Santana located on the other side of town and the beautiful panoramic viewpoint on the top road are simply too far away to walk, hence this tour should be high on your list of what to do in Mijas, Spain.
Ethnographic Museum
Some of the monuments and places of interest covered during the panoramic tour are the ethnographic museum in the old town hall located in the main street of the village and the San Sebastian church which is probably one of the most photographed corners of the entire Costa del Sol. The pedestrian street which starts at the entrance of the church leads up all the way to the Sierra de Mijas mountain range where the El Calvario Chapel can be found. The San Sebastian street also houses the wine museum of Mijas with a great selection of wines from all over Spain and special wine tasting menus for wine lovers.
Bullring
Other sights not be missed are the remains of the fortified walls and the watch tower of the old fortress which was located in Mijas during Muslim times, the charming bull ring and the parish church at the highest point of the village. From the beautiful gardens located behind the church and the bullring visitors enjoy fantastic panoramic views of the western part of the Costa del Sol and on clear days even the African coastline.
Wherever you go in the village there will be always a restaurant nearby or a bar with a terrace where you can sit down to enjoy a drink or a snack and watch the world go by. In fact strolling around the cobbled streets, enjoying the charm of its typical architecture and the quality of the local gastronomy are just some of the many reasons why people keep coming back to Mijas.
Have you visited some of the places mentioned above or do you have a favorite place in the old town of Mijas we haven’t mentioned here? Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know the things you love to do in Mijas.
