| Mijas is more like three towns than one: | | | | of life, celebrating festivities with vigor |
| Mijas Pueblo has the character of one of the | | | | and facing life in a laid-back manner. You'll |
| Andalucian Pueblos Blancos, high in the | | | | find wonderful crafts including handmade |
| mountains and whitewashed. Las Lagunas is the | | | | pottery and paintings by acclaimed artists |
| modern and commercial section of the town. | | | | who live locally. Instead of the usual |
| And Mijas Costa is really a twelve-kilometer | | | | tourist trash, you could bring home a memento |
| long stretch of villages down the coast. All | | | | of your trip that, years down the way, turns |
| three areas are governed from the town hall | | | | out to be a sound investment. An open theater |
| of Mijas. | | | | is built into the fortress walls; this is a |
| | | | center of the village, where theatrical |
| Also throughout the winter and spring months, | | | | festivals and other entertainments are held. |
| the Hipodromo Costa del Sol has weekly | | | | |
| horseracing on Sunday mornings (Saturday | | | | Approaching Mijas Pueblo, you'll see a small |
| evenings during summer months). As well as | | | | white building high above the village. This |
| watching the horses, you can eat at the | | | | is the shrine of Calvario, a place of worship |
| restaurants and bars located here, or take | | | | visited by Carmelite monks for reflection and |
| classes on horse riding and other equestrian | | | | contemplation. If you want to visit, there's |
| themes. | | | | a path to it through the trees, marked with |
| | | | iron crosses. The view is remarkable, a |
| Mijas Costa | | | | panorama of coastline, sea, and mountain on |
| | | | both sides of the sea. |
| Mijas Costa is composed of El Chaparral, La | | | | |
| Cala, El Combo, Calahonda, Riviera del Sol | | | | The Virgin of the Rock on the Paseo El Compas |
| and Sitio de Calahonda. Right down the street | | | | is a shrine to the patron saint of Mijas, and |
| from the quaint medieval Mijas Pueblo, Mijas | | | | it's set right into the rock. There is also |
| Costa is very modern indeed. You can rent | | | | the Church of the Immaculate Conception built |
| vacation properties ranging from beachfront | | | | on the ruins of an old Moorish castle, and |
| studios to major villas, or you can stay in | | | | using one of the old Moorish towers as the |
| hotels convenient to the beach. And wherever | | | | church bell tower. Pillars supporting the |
| you stay, you'll have wide access to water | | | | three naves of the old building sport |
| sports from just swimming and soaking up | | | | frescoes depicting the Apostles dating from |
| sunlight to jet skiing, wakeboarding and | | | | 1632. The San Sebastian Church is one of the |
| surfing, windsurfing, and boating. | | | | most-photographed parts of the Costa del Sol |
| | | | because of the beauty of its setting. And the |
| Sitio de Calahonda and Riviera del Sol are | | | | Shrine of Our Lady of Los Remedios has |
| each large villages by themselves with all | | | | retained its simplicity, becoming a shrine to |
| the amenities: supermarkets, golf courses, | | | | the old village way of life as well as to the |
| bars, restaurants, hotels, and shopping | | | | Virgin. |
| districts. It's easy for English speaking | | | | |
| tourists to find what they want here; this | | | | You'll also find several museums here, |
| part of Mijos caters to tourists. | | | | including the Bull Fighting Museum and the |
| | | | Museum of Miniatures, which holds stuffed |
| At the center of Mijas Costa is La Cala, | | | | dressed fleas among other miniature and |
| which still has some of the quaintness of the | | | | miniaturized items. The Paseo de las |
| traditional seaside Andalucian village. It | | | | Murallas, the local bullring, is yet another |
| was once a fishing village, and today still | | | | part of Andalucian culture. |
| maintains a street market on Wednesday and | | | | |
| Saturday with everything from flowers and | | | | A unique pleasure is the Mijas donkey taxi |
| plants to fresh produce to ceramics and | | | | service; you can ride a donkey, a donkey and |
| locally-produced clothing. Try some of the | | | | trap, or a coach pulled by horses. It's a |
| traditional local sherries and wines here. On | | | | particularly authentic way to see Mijas. |
| Saturday nights in July and August, you'll | | | | |
| find classical music and flamenco dancing | | | | If none of this is to your taste, then maybe |
| throughout the promenade as the village | | | | the fact that Mijas is a golfing paradisw |
| celebrates Noches de Luna y Playa. | | | | will be. There are several world-class |
| | | | courses in this area, with a perfect |
| Mijas Pueblo | | | | year-round climate for golfing and high |
| | | | recommendations from many pros. Nowhere in |
| At the top of the quaint white village of | | | | the area are you more than a few minutes' |
| Mijas you'll find fortress walls, gardens, | | | | drive away from an excellent golf course. If |
| and excellent vantage points as you wind | | | | you don't know golf well, there are also |
| through narrow cobbled alleys and streets. | | | | several renowned golfing schools in the area. |
| Artists and writers from everywhere have | | | | In addition to the courses, several |
| chosen to settle here in Mijas Pueblos. The | | | | world-class hotels have been built in the |
| town has retained most of its traditional Way | | | | area to cater to the golfing traffic. |