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First of all, it is worth clarifying something, as it causes confusion: the municipality of Mijas is divided into three distinct clusters. Mijas Village is the historic centre, perched at an altitude of around 430 metres in the mountains; Mijas Costa is the stretch of coastline with its beaches; and The Lagoons It is the residential and commercial area next to Fuengirola.
When you’re looking for things to do in Mijas, you almost always think of Mijas Village, with its whitewashed streets, viewpoints and squares, is a major tourist attraction and one of the prettiest white villages in Andalusia. In this guide, we take a look at its twelve must-see sights, as well as the beaches along the coast and how to get there.
You can explore the entire historic centre on foot in a morning, but combining it with other destinations requires transport. If you’d rather not drive or park in its narrow streets, Mijas is included in the day trip to Marbella and Mijas with hotel pick-up.
It is the gateway to the tourist centre and the best starting point. Here you’ll find the Town Hallthe bronze statue of a donkey —a symbol of the town—, craft shops and restaurants, and it is the starting point for the main pedestrian routes. It is also where the donkey-taxi stops are located.
Next to it is the The Seven Spouts Fountain, a monumental fountain whose seven jets have made it a popular meeting place and one of the must-see photo spots on arrival in Mijas.
A chapel carved out of the rock which houses the image of the Virgin of La Peña, patron saint of Mijas. The work was undertaken by a Mercedarian monk between 1656 and 1682, chiselling the stone by hand.
And it has its own legend: according to tradition, Two shepherd boys discovered the statue in 1586, guided to the spot by a dove. It is one of the most astonishing sights in the village precisely because of the way it was created: it is not a chapel that was built, but one that was hollowed out of the mountain.
Donkeys are the town’s symbol, and their story is more unusual than it seems. In the mid-20th century, the day labourers returning from the fields Riding their animals, they began to be photographed by tourists, who would then ask them for a ride. That custom eventually became an attraction and the hallmark of Mijas.
The main stop is at the Virgen de la Peña Square, and from there the tours take in the most iconic streets. Prices are indicative and vary depending on the season and the route:
The tour lasts between 10 and 20 minutes depending on the route chosen.
This is a controversial issue, and it is best to approach it with facts. In recent years, there has been debate about the welfare of animals used in tourism, and the Mijas Town Council has introduced regulations to protect them: the donkeys work a limited number of hours each day, are guaranteed rest, food and water, and spend regular veterinary checks.
If you decide to ride, you can assess the animal’s physical condition and the care it receives. And if you’d rather not, there’s always the option of to keep the tradition alive by having your photo taken without riding a horse. There are several ways to explore the town: on foot, on the tourist train or on a guided tour. The important thing is to enjoy Mijas in your own way.
It was built in 1900 at the request of local residents, and it has a distinctive feature that makes it unique: its shape is oval rather than circular. The reason was not aesthetic but practical — there was not enough space at the chosen site — and the result is one of the most original squares in Spain.
It is partly carved into the rock face and houses a small bullfighting museum. From the stands, you can see the village and, on clear days, the coast.
From the old Arab fortress Of the fortifications that once protected the town from enemy attacks and pirates, only a single tower and a few sections of the wall remain today, designated as Assets of Cultural Interest in 1985. The building dates back to 15th century.
The grounds have become a very pleasant place to stroll: the Gardens of the City Wall It combines vegetation, fountains and sections of the old fence, and is one of the quietest spots in the village to take a break halfway through the walk.
Next to the old fortress and surrounded by flower-filled gardens, the Mirador del Compás offers the most comprehensive overview of the municipality: the whole of the Mediterranean coast on the one hand, and the the Malaga mountains on the other hand, with Fuengirola and the coastline at its feet.
If you’re only going to visit one viewpoint in Mijas, make it this one.
The parish church was built in the XVIth century making use of earlier structures, next to the site of the old fortress. Its The bell tower was part of the castle tower, and before that, the minaret of the mosque, so that three historical periods are superimposed within a single structure.
Your treasure lies within: eight Baroque frescoes depicting the Apostles which had remained hidden and were discovered a couple of decades ago during restoration work. Its landscaped courtyard also serves as another vantage point over the village.
It is the most photographed street in the village and one of the best known on the Malaga coast: narrow, sloping, with whitewashed façades adorned with flower pots. If you’re looking for the quintessential image of Mijas, this is the place.
It is home to the Hermitage of San Sebastián, a simple construction of the 17th century with a floor of Mijas marble, the material quarried from the mountains that have given their name to much of the region’s marble craftsmanship.
Located in the lower part of the town centre, it is the village’s main square and the hub of local life. Its fountain has an interesting history: It was built using stones that had been swept in by a flash flood in the 19th century.
In the immediate vicinity, there is a old flour mill, a testament to the agricultural activity that sustained Mijas for centuries, and it is from here that several of the streets leading up to the rest of the route begin.
The Málaga Street It is the main shopping street in the old town, lined with craft workshops — many of them specialising in marble —, shops and bars. Walking along it is the best way to get a feel for the layout of Mijas Pueblo: narrow streets, constant inclines and white façades adorned with flower pots.
Getting lost in the narrow streets that branch off from it, with no particular destination in mind, is in itself one of the things to do in the village.
The Mijas House Museum, also known as the Ethnographic House Museum, is housed in the former town hall and features farming implements, a traditional dwelling and displays of the local trades. It has an added attraction: it served as filming location for the film «The Endless Trench».
And very close by is the CAC Mijas, the Centre for Contemporary Art, which takes visitors by surprise in a town of this size: it houses a remarkable collection of Picasso’s ceramics alongside works by Dalí and contemporary art. It is included in the organised tour.
Mijas Costa accounts for the municipality’s coastline, stretching for around twelve kilometres, separated from the village by the road leading down to the sea. The most atmospheric part of the village is La Cala de Mijas, with its seafront promenade, and surrounding it are the Butibamba Beach and the Las Buganvillas Beach.
Other beaches in the municipality include The Bass Drum, El Charcón and the area of Calahonda, with wide sandy beaches alternating with smaller coves. The seafront promenade links several sections, so you can spend the morning in the village and the afternoon by the sea.
If you don't want to worry about transport, take your pick:
The site has been occupied since ancient times, with evidence of Tartessian, Phoenician and Roman linked to marble quarrying and fishing. Under Arab rule, it was known as Mixa and it was fortified, taking advantage of its elevated position, a position of control that was maintained until the Castilian conquest of 1487, as part of the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada.
From then on, the village retained its layout of narrow streets and its agricultural and marble-quarrying character – the foundation upon which tourism developed in the second half of the 20th century. The sight of donkey-drawn taxis first appeared precisely during that period of transition.
Mijas Pueblo is about 30 kilometres in the city of Málaga and about 8th of Fuengirola, which is the nearest transport hub.
An important notice: Parking in the historic centre is very limited and the streets are narrow and sloping. It’s best to leave your car in the car parks at the entrance to the village and walk up.
Its location in the heart of the Costa del Sol makes it easy to combine with other destinations on the same trip:
For more options in the municipality and the surrounding area, see the Guide to Mijas.
The tour combines three of the Costa del Sol’s most iconic destinations in a single day, with pick-up in Málaga and at various towns along the coast. The itinerary is as follows:
The details:
If you’re staying in the La Cala de Mijas, Marbella or Puerto Banús area and would like to explore other parts of Andalusia, here are the day trips available with a pick-up point nearby:
The municipality is divided into three main areas. Mijas Pueblo is the historic centre, situated at an altitude of around 430 metres in the mountains, with its whitewashed streets, squares and viewpoints. Mijas Costa is the coastal strip, with around twelve kilometres of beaches. The third neighbourhood is Las Lagunas, the residential and commercial area next to Fuengirola.
You can explore the whole of Mijas Pueblo on foot: start at Plaza Virgen de la Peña with the Fuente de los Siete Caños fountain and the chapel carved into the rock, then continue past the oval-shaped bullring, the Jardines de la Muralla and the Mirador del Compás viewpoint, and heads down Calle San Sebastián and Calle Málaga to Plaza de la Constitución. If you have time, head to Cala de Mijas to finish off by the sea.
Prices are indicative and vary depending on the season and the route: around 10–15 euros for a donkey ride and 15–20 euros for a ride in a donkey-drawn cart. The tour lasts between 10 and 20 minutes and the main stop is at Plaza Virgen de la Peña.
Its origins are quite coincidental: in the mid-20th century, day labourers returning from the fields on their donkeys began to be photographed by tourists, who would then ask them for a ride. That custom eventually became an attraction and the town’s trademark, and there is even a bronze statue of a donkey there.
Due to a lack of space. It was built in 1900 at the request of local residents, and the chosen site did not allow for the usual circular layout, so it was adapted to an oval shape, partly carved out of the rock on the hillside. It is one of the few bullrings in Spain with this layout.
From Málaga city centre, Mijas Pueblo is about 30 kilometres away via the A-7 and A-387, a 35- to 40-minute drive. From Marbella, it is about 35 kilometres via the A-7. By public transport, the most direct route is to take the local train to Fuengirola and, from there, a bus to the village. Parking in the historic centre is limited.
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