Planning a trip to Mijas Pueblo? It’s one of the prettiest ‘Pueblos Blancos’ in Andalusia and it certainly won’t leave you dissapointed.
Mijas Pueblo is just a few kilometres from Fuengirola, where I live, so I tend to be a frequent visitor of this gorgeous village.
Here are my tips for the best things to do and places to see, including some tips for planning your trip.
How to Get to Mijas Pueblo
By car: the drive to Mijas Pueblo is a really pleasant one and the village is easy to reach. Whether you’re driving from Malaga or Marbella, you can take the Mijas exit from the AP-7 highway. From the exit, it’s about 10 minutes drive up the hill, some parts of the road have sharp curves so drive slowly.
By bus: depending on where you’re coming from, you will need to get to Fuengirola to take a local bus from there (unless there is a direct travel connection from where you’re staying at). The bus number M-122 departs frequently from the main bus station (on map here) and the journey takes between 20-30 minutes, depending on the traffic. Check the timetable here.
By taxi: I have taken a taxi to the village from central Fuengirola on a few occasions, Uber rides ten to be cheaper and cost around 14 eur one way (for up to 3 persons). There is a taxi rank on the main village square (where also the bus stops) so you can catch one from there too.
Where to Park in Mijas Pueblo
There is a big spacious municipal parking building with multiple levels right next to the Tourist Office of Mijas. It has the most convenient location for exploring and it’s well worth leaving the car there instead of attempting to drive through the village.
The roads are very narrow and traffic is frequent, so you save yourself a lot of headaches if you walk from the main parking lot.
Location marked on map here.
10 Things to do in Mijas Pueblo
1. Visit Parque La Muralla
Parque la Muralla is my favourite spot in Mijas. These gorgeous green gardens are immaculately kept, well sign-posted and always provide a welcome retreat from the sun in the summer.
There is a variety of different plants and trees from all over the world, each one with it’s botanical name and origin displayed. Right in the middle of the park is a deep gorge, where you will find local pigeons building homes in the rocks. The park has well maintained pathways offering stunning views and also benches and binoculars to make the most out of your time here.
The access to the park is very easy, and a short walk from the main parking lot in the village. Right next to it is a large playground for kids, an old church and a small restaurant right at the entrance.
The park offers some of the best panoramic views of the Costa del Sol I’ve seen. If you can stay till the sunset, even better – it will be one to remember!
Location: here
2. Visit Plaza de Toros
As it’s a tradition for a proper Andalusian village, even Mijas has its own bullring, and this one may be the smallest one in the country!
No matter what your stance on bullfighting may be, the building is a beautiful monument and a part of the Spanish culture and heritage.
3. Check the Views from the Fortress
I have walked passed this small tower every time I visited Mijas, until I finally noticed what’s hiding next to the playground!
The fortress, which is a part of the 14th to 18th century wall ruins, is a small observation tower close to the entrance of Muralla gardens.
You can climb the steel staircase to the top to enjoy beautiful views of the village.
Location: opposite the bullring (not marked on Google maps)
4. Visit Plaza de la Constitution
The most beautiful square in the village – this small square is centered around a fountain surrounded by lush green trees and lots of restaurants and shops.
If you’re taking a walk in Muralla gardens, you can access them through the street on the left (pictured below) and come out of the gardens via the street on the right side.
The Plaza happens to be also the location of my favourite restaurant in the village – Blue Coffee Bike. From the Plaza you can also access some of the other restaurants which are overlooking the valley & coastline.
Be careful when walking around, there are always cars driving around as it’s used as a roundabout.
Location: here
5. Watch the Life in Plaza Virgen de la Peña
The center of the village life, and offloading spot for most tourist buses – Plaza Virgen de la Peña is a huge open space square surrounded by bars and restaurants. It is also home to the Tourist Office and the large municipal parking.
The square is fairly quiet in winter months but comes back to full life in early spring. There are horse carriages available for hire and restaurant terraces luring you in with the smell of fried fish.
To get the best view of the square, you can take the small lift on the left side of the square, or go into one of the restaurants overlooking the square.
Location: here
6. Say Hello to the Donkeys
While you are at the square, you can walk next to the Tourist Office and say hello to the beautiful donkeys that are parked there (and they might say hello back!).
As tempting as it may be, its best to avoid using the donkey taxi due to animal wellfare concerns that may others have written about. The village is more than manageable to master on your own feet, and you can let the animals to rest in shade instead.
7. Enjoy Village Views Paseo de la Muralla
Paseo de la Muralla is a road that leads you out of the Muralla Park, back towards the Plaza de la Constitution.
It offer the best views of the village and makes a perfect photography location. Talking about photos, right at the end of the street is La Bodega de Flamenco, possibly the most photographed cafe in the village (check below for an image)!
Location: here
8. Wander through the Village Streets
Mijas is a maze of cobbled white washed streets, one prettier than the other. Unlike it’s more famous sister (Frigiliana), it’s much more manageable to walk without any steep hills.
Get lost in the small streets, discover the prettiest houses, plants or views on your own. Say hello to local Spanish grandmas sitting on the bench, pat a cat that’s enjoying the sun and stop over for a glass of Sangria in a local bar when you get tired.
9. Visit the Chapel of la Virgen de la Peña
The chapel of Virgen de la Peña at the edge of the village, just off the main square, is a small religious monument carved into a rock formation. A small park with water features that stretches next to it offers spectacular panoramic views of the coastline, alongside a small gift shop and a restaurant.
Visit the chapel and sit down for a cold drink under the shade of trees, while enjoying the view.
Location: here
10. Visit the Local Shops
Mijas is known for its local shops, particularly ceramics. It also has a chocolate making shop and lots of places to buy original souvenirs.
I got carried away on a few occasions buying ceramics because they come in such a huge variety of shapes, sizes and colours, it’s really hard to resist. Brace yourself if you enter, and warn your wallet!
I hope you got plenty of inspiration for your trip to Mijas Pueblo!
If you discover some cool place, restaurant or beautiful spot – please do let me know in comments and share with others! Enjoy your trip!
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Such a lovely article all about Mijas Pueblo! There are so many beautiful streets to wander and little corners to discover. What is so interesting is the history of the town itself and imagining what it really must have been like before the times of cars and conveniences that we have now. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your comment Nicole!