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MIJAS COSTA AND MIJAS PUEBLO

The Pretty white mountain town of Mijas Pueblo is nestled o­n the edge of the Mijas peak, 8kms inland from Mijas Costa. The Romans made Mijas a fortress which dominated the coast and a few remains of the outer walls can still be found giving excellent view points.
In 1487, five years before the Kingdom of Grenada fell, the Christian army took the village and Mijas became a military headquarter during the fighting that followed.  Although defeated, many of the mountain population stayed.  The town is essentially tourist driven where foreigners outnumber the Spanish residents.
Wander too close to the donkeys and you may find yourself being hassled by the drivers to take a ride, as you will by the owners of the many leather shops, buy haggle with them and you can pick up some bargains!
A very pretty and much photographed shrine is that of the ‘Virgen of the Rock’ which holds the image of the Virgin de la Pena, the patroness of Mijas.  It is set into the rock by the El Compass vantage point.
On the whole, Mijas has more than its fair share of souvenir shops catering for the many tourists that venture up from the Costa.  Various sporting activities can be found in the surrounding area, including tennis and golf.  Mijas racecourse can make for an entertaining night out with horse and camel racing as well as entertainments for children.  For a slower pastime, organised walks through the beautiful local countryside can be enjoyed free of charge. Mijas Costa’s main centre ‘La Cala’ provides an abundance of shops, cafeterias and restaurants.  Mijas Costa is favoured by the more mature tourist due to a flatter landscape than many other coastal resorts with long sandy beaches and plenty of low level accommodation close by.