Mijas Favorites

Favorite thing: This scene was one of my favourite views of the town. The Green and blue tables and chairs really stand out against the white walls lined with flower pots.

I was lucky enough to see it not at eating time when all the tables would have been full.

The beauty of Mijas and other white villages is the fact that any colours really stand out against the white, making stunning imagery round every corner. Maybe the blue and green tables and chairs wouldn't have looked as nice in another backdrop.

Favorite thing: Maybe you feel I have complained too much about Mijas being overrun by tourists, which it is ;) but it is still one of the nicer places to see here and attracts many people from Northern Spain too.

I understand that if you have never been to this area of Spain before you will find it beautiful. If you prefer the real I'm on holiday not travelling atmosphere it is a good choice for you too. It is nothing like North America or Northern Europe.

Maybe it's just living in Cadiz and preferring the more off the beaten path white towns that makes me more cynical.

There are of course a growing number of tourists all over Andalucia which apart from the ports and agriculture are the main source of income for the region, so I shouldn't complain too much.

Just remember that if you are the type of person that complains about Britain or your country being over run by frogs, krauts and foreigners which don't speak the language then go red faced as your fellow countrymen are the same abroad. Mijas is not only full of tourists but ex pats too, many of whom survive on catering to the foreign tourists and don't ever manage to learn a lot of Spanish.

Please note that I am also a pale skinned ex pat living and working in Cadiz. For some strange reason I get embarrassed by the Costa del Sol being over run by non Spanish speaking ex pats. When I arrived seven and a half years ago I of course couldn't speak Spanish, but living in a then not at all tourist town picked it up quickly to survive.

Saying that Mijas is not as bad as other towns along the Costa del Sol and attracts a more cultured tourist than a lot of the 18 to 30's resort towns.

I just like being the only guiri (foreigner) in the neighbourhood ;) you can't always get what you want though!

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Favorite thing: The views with mountains in the background was a real surprise to us. You can just see Mijas in the distance. This was taken at one of the golf courses we visited, only for lunch as do not play. There do seem to be several golf courses around the area of Mijas, all very well kept.

Fondest memory: We went to many ports and marina's during our trip to Mijas area. All had little bars and restaurants beside them which made a lovely place to relax and enjoy the asmostphere. Not owning a boat, but loved seeing them all. People watching too.

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Favorite thing: The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH or Parroquia de la Inmaculada Concepcion, existed as a Parish Church before 1492. It was ordered to be built in 1541 - 65 on the site of the ruins of the ancient Moorish castle and one of the castle's towers was used as a bell tower, but was not finished until 1631. It is a stone building with three Mozarabic naves supported by marble pillars. During restorations in 1991 - 92 a series of frescoes of the Apostles were discovered on the columns and they date back to approximately 1632.
The inside of the Church was absolutely beautiful.

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Favorite thing: An excellent look-out point EL COMPAS VIEW POINT looks over the Mijas Valley and a large part of the Costa del Sol. The town itself is 428 metres above sea level and is situated at the foothills of the Cordon Montanoso del Litoral ( Coastal Mountain Range ).
Large binoculars are available to bring images closer up. The views are absolutely breathtaking especially on a clear day when you can see the Mediterranean Sea.

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Favorite thing: The XVII century CHURCH OF SAN SEBASTIANwas rebuilt from ruins thanks to charity. A plaque on the outside of the Church reads:
"This Church was erected in the late 17th century and has since undergone many reforms. It has a single nave covered with a ridgepole structure and a square main chapel covered by a domed vault resting upon pendetives with moulded plasterwork and scrolled plaques. At the head of the high altar is a groin-vaulted niche with a fresco of small angels dating from the 18th century. The simple portico at the eastern entrance, incorporates a round arch framed by pilasters, an entablature and divided pediments , the whole facade crowned by a belfry gable with a single opening.

Favorite thing: If you have memories of Costa del Sol as being a quiet coast dotted with fishing towns, then it has been a long time since you have been there. Spain has benefited economically from being in the EU, and has received an enormous amount of outside investments. Along with that means new construction. A lot of it. Everywhere we looked along Costa del Sol, from Marbella to Malaga (and probably further than that, but that is as far as we went), we saw huge cranes building mega condominium complexes with hundreds of units each.

It is mind boggling to try to understand how there can be so much demand for accommodations. It is even more mind boggling to try to understand why no one is protesting all this development right on the coast, and on the hills overlooking the coast. We weren't sure if the insfrastructure is in place to support all of these residential units. From what we saw, there was a huge amount of residential building going on, but very little commercial development.

Fondest memory: Mijas, while quieter and less developed than the towns and cities right on the coast, hasn't escaped this new development craze. The subdivision (or "urbanization") we stayed in was still being developed with newly added multifamily dwellings. Across the Mijas road was a new development that was just beginning. Roads and utilities had been laid, and dwellings were just starting.

The good news is, it won't be difficult to find accommodations in Costa del Sol for a long time. The bad news is, if anyone bought here for investment, I doubt that person will make a fortune, given the growing supply of accommodations these days.

Favorite thing: Mijas' weather is the same as the rest of Costa del Sol. It's not inland - it faces the sea, so it experiences the same weather. This means that the weather is pretty mild - definitely not hot like inland cities of Cordoba or Sevilla. Nonetheless, it does get warm enough that a swimming pool is an advantage in the afternoon in the summer. If you can, try to get accommodations with a pool. It made for a relaxing way to spend the afternoon while the rest of the Costa del Sol is having their siesta.