Mijas Pueblo in a morning: your walking guide

Where your driver drops you

Your driver will drop you and pick you up at Plaza Virgen de la Peña, next to the tourist office and the big village car park. It is the main entry point to the village and the walk below starts right there.

Before you go

• Comfortable shoes: the streets are steep and cobbled, and a pushchair is hard work.
• Sun cream, a hat and water; there is little shade on the viewpoints.
• A little cash for the bullring, small museums and churches, though most places take cards.
• Check current hours before you go: small museums and churches may close at midday or on Mondays.

Your walking route

1. 1

   Plaza Virgen de la Peña · 10 min

   The square at the entrance to the village, with the tourist office. Pick up a free map if you like.

2. 2

   Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña and the mirador · 20 min

   A small chapel carved into the rock in the 16th century, with a viewpoint terrace in front. On a clear day you see the coast from Fuengirola to Málaga.

3. 3

   Calle San Sebastián · 20 min

   The village's best-known street: steep, whitewashed and lined with flowerpots, with the small church of San Sebastián at the top.

4. 4

   Plaza de la Constitución · 20 min

   The main square, with cafés and the old village fountain. A good place for a drink before heading up to the bullring.

5. 5

   Mijas bullring · 25 min

   A small 18th-century bullring with an unusual shape, just above the main square. There is a small entry fee and a little museum inside.

6. 6

   Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción · 15 min

   The parish church beside the bullring, built on the site of the old mosque. It may be closed during services.

7. 7

   Jardines de la Muralla · 25 min

   Gardens laid out along the old Moorish walls, at the top of the village. The paths along the wall have the widest views of the coast and the valley.

8. 8

   Back down to Plaza Virgen de la Peña · 15 min

   Walk back down through the village lanes, stopping at the small shops for ceramics and local crafts on the way.

Where to eat

• Around Plaza de la Constitución there are bars for tapas and a coffee; standing at the bar is usually cheaper than a table on a terrace.
• Restaurants with terraces over the coast charge for the view. Go there for a drink at sunset rather than a full meal if you are on a budget.
• Try local tapas such as fried fish, cured ham, goat's cheese from the area and, in cooler months, migas, a hearty dish of fried breadcrumbs.
• Almond and honey sweets are sold in the village shops.

Best photo spots

• The terrace in front of the Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña, with the coast below.
• Calle San Sebastián, taken from the bottom looking up.
• The Muralla gardens, looking over the whitewashed village and the sea.
• The bullring and church together, from the gardens above.

If you have time

• The Museo Histórico-Etnológico (folk museum) near the town hall, with displays on village life; usually closed on Mondays.
• The walk up to the Ermita del Calvario, a small hermitage on the hillside above the village. It is a steep 20 to 30-minute climb on a rough track, so only in cool weather and good shoes.