Mijas & Mijas Costa

Mijas
One of the finest examples of the "white villages," it still has much of its charm with its little whitewashed houses perched on the hillside. The village has also managed to retain some of its quaint traditions, one of the most unusual being the donkey-taxis which line the central plaza. Mijas is a typical Andalucian village, perched high above Fuengirola and Mijas Costa with spectacular views of the coast and surrounding heavily wooded mountains. Mijas is a web of narrow cobbled streets complete with terraces overflowing with geraniums, red tile roofs, archways and of course, the occasional chirping canary. Like Ronda just over the mountaintop, the village dates back to distant times and there are two Mudejar churches here to prove it, as well as the sanctuary of the patron saint of Mijas, from the year 850.

There is a thriving arts and crafts movement in Mijas, particularly linen and wicker items, and the locally made bread and honey is definitely worth trying. For more information about these local trades visit the City of Mijas (+34 952.485.900).

One of the most interesting buildings in Mijas is the hermitage of El Puerto which can be spied just about everywhere in the village! Keep looking and you may just catch a glimpse of a hang glider wafting over the peak. Mijas has one of the country's few oval bullrings (it's also small) and some interesting churches and other monuments giving insight to its past: Roman, Moorish and Spanish. The journey along the old road between Mijas and Benalmadena, among the pines and little chalets that mark the route, is like a continuous balcony which overlooks the sea. During high season the village can be crowded with tourists visiting from along the coast. Higher in the town the streets turn into flights of steps and the higher you climb the quieter it becomes, and the cheaper the cafés, restaurants and bars are. Also look out for the mineral water spring at the entrance to the village.

 Mijas Costa
Just as Mijas village is serenity, tradition and culture, so Mijas Costa parallels that magic combination of sun, sand and water sports. The beaches at La Cala have been awarded the "Blue Flag" as among the best in the province, and are geared to provide action: jet skiing, water skiing and parasailing are all on the go. Be sure to check out the chiringuito charm here too, where you can sample a variety of Spanish seafood eaten with the favourite holiday drink, tinto de verano – ordinary red wine topped up with carbonated water, either regular or lemon-flavoured.

The Mijas municipality covers an impressive 148 sq km and includes two major urbanisations, Sitio de Calahonda and Riviera del Sol. The former is informally known as the English village in Spain and the place to come for karaoke, second hand shops, British doctors and dentists, Indian restaurants, imported foods and, naturally enough, a plentiful choice of pubs. The nearby Riviera del Sol is similarly inviting and popular among foreigners, particularly the large commercial centre with its bar, telephone booths and grocery store combined. The sports centre is also well equipped and includes an 18-hole golf course and thriving tennis club. The many complexes in Mijas Costa are home to much of the area's expatriate population, composed mainly of British, Germans and Scandinavians. The area is marked by lots of pretty coves and beaches with housing complexes (urbanizations) behind. Most of the complexes are carefully designed to incorporate Spanish influence and care has been taken not to produce concrete monstrosities, but extensive building development means that it looks likely that many of the urbanizations will soon join to form a town of their own. Mijas Costa also boasts some of the coast's more famous golf courses.