Best Things To Do In Mijas Pueblo, Spain
If you’re planning a visit to Mijas Pueblo, you’re in for a great experience. It’s one of my favourite places to visit and I make sure I go every winter while I’m staying in the Costa del Sol – so I’ve been quite a few times. In this travel guide, I’m sharing the best things to do in Mijas Pueblo and other recommendations to make your trip to Mijas the best it can be. Enjoy!
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Top Things To Do In Mijas Pueblo
When you first arrive, you’ll see the main tourist information centre. They have free maps of Mijas that you can pick up to help you navigate the village.
Visit The Plaza Virgen de la Peña
The Plaza Virgen de la Peña is a beautiful plaza right in the main centre square of the village. It has a few local gift shops, mostly for leather bags and belts, but they also have lots of little restaurants to grab a coffee, bite to eat or a drink. If there are any events happening in Mijas Pueblo, this is usually where they are held. You can have a look at what events are happening in Mijas Pueblo during your visit here.
The Plaza Virgen de la Peña is a great spot to people watch and enjoy a beautiful morning or afternoon on a patio. This plaza has the most incredible tree that you can see in my picture below.
Watch A Free Flamenco Show
If your visit to Mijas Pueblo is on a Wednesday or Saturday, you’re in luck because the local tourism board puts on free flamenco show.
When are the free flamenco shows in Mijas Pueblo?
- Wednesdays at 12pm in the Plaza Virgen de la Peña
- Saturdays at 12pm in the Plaza de la Constitución
Attend Mijas Pueblo Local Markets
On Wednesdays there’s a craft market in Mijas Pueblo where you can buy pottery, jewellery, and other locally made products.
On Sundays there’s the ‘boot’ market that has vintage items and second-hand pieces. You just never know what you’ll find!
Visit The Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña
After you cross the road from the Virgen de la Peña plaza, you’ll see a unique church made entirely out of stones and set within the hillside. It’s a small building but worth checking out because of how unique it is. If you look up on the outside of the building you’ll notice the church bell hung from the stone structures. It’s definitely one of the most unique churches I’ve been to.
Enjoy The Square Right Outside The Ermita Virgen de la Peña
The square right outside of the Virgen de la Peña church is incredible. It’s a great spot to take in the gorgeous views of the Mediterranean Sea and the coastline. You’ll see unique benches and chairs made out of stones. I believe these stones are remnants from the devastating mudslide/flood that occurred in 1884. The fountain and benches in the Plaza de la Constitución (more on that next) is also made from debris from the flood.
Plaza de la Constitución
The Plaza de la Constitución is another plaza in Mijas Pueblo worth visiting. This plaza has shops, restaurants and art galleries in almost every direction. It’s easy to tell that locals and visitors thoroughly enjoy it. It’s surrounded by beautiful cobble-stoned streets to explore including one of my favourite lookout spots along Callé Muros (this is also one of the best Instagram picture spots in Mijas Pueblo).
Walk Along Muros Street
As I mentioned above, Muros Street (Callé Muros) is a beautiful street to stroll and enjoy the views. It has gorgeous flower pots on every pillar along the walkway. Stunning!
Visit La Puente On Coin St.
After walking along Muros Street and as you make your way back to Constitution Plaza, you’ll see a bridge (La puente) on Coin St. It’s such a beautiful stone bridge that makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time.
Mijas Bullring
From the Constitution Plaza you can take the ‘Cta. de la Villa’ towards the Mijas Pueblo Bullring. If you’d like to learn more about the history of the bullring and see the inside, the entry fee is 3 Euros. This is no longer an active bullring so it is only used as a historical and educational landmark. The building itself is quite interesting.
Climb Torre de la Muralla & Visit Fortress Walls
Right across from the bullring you’ll see a spiral staircase and the old fortress walls that are still standing. It’s completely free climb the stairs and enjoy the view from up top.
Parque La Muralla – Botanical Gardens
As you walk from the bullring towards the Church Of Immaculate Conception, you’ll begin to see the beautiful Parque La Muralla and the botanical gardens.
I’m a huge lover of all things mosaic so the colourful mosaic fountains were great to see. If you look at one of the fountains you can see they’ve created the church in mosaics. If you’re not looking for it, you’ll miss it! I only just discovered it on my most recent visit even though I’ve been to Mijas Pueblo many times.
Church Of Immaculate Conception
There are many churches and chapels in Mijas Pueblo full of history, and the Church Of Immaculate Conception is no different. This church was finished being built in 1631 and has had many additions since then. On the most recent construction project in 1992, they discovered 8 paintings dating back to 1632 on the church pillars. It really is full of history.
If you happen to be at the church or in the park surrounding it when the bells start ringing, you’re in for a treat – especially if you’re there on the hour. There is more than one bell on this church so when they both get swinging it can sound a little chaotic, if I’m being honest. I’m happy I got to hear them though because it was a unique experience that isn’t common back home.
Visit Local Shops Along Calle Málaga
Another one of my recommended activities and things to do in Mijas Pueblo is to do some local shopping. It’s actually one of my favourite places for local shopping in the Costa del Sol because the shops within the village seem less touristy and souvenir focused and more ‘local’ which I love. A great street for local shopping is Calle Málaga. I recently found a great pair of earrings at Munna which is along Calle Málaga. There are so many shops along this street that I could’ve spent hours in.
Walk Calle San Sebastián
One of the most popular and beautiful streets in Mijas Pueblo is Calle San Sebastián. It’s a lovely street to walk on and take in the beautiful village of Mijas. It is uphill so if you don’t feel like making the trek, you can enjoy it from below at a local cafe or visit the San Sebastián Chapel right at the base of the street.
Enjoy Some Gelato
I always recommend grabbing gelato and heading to one of the plaza benches or wandering the beautiful cobblestone streets while you enjoy it. There are some great places to grab some gelato around Mijas Pueblo including Heladería Casa Esteban.
Visit Local Cafés
One of my favourite things to do in any new town I visit is find a local café to sit and enjoy a coffee and take in my surroundings. On my latest visit to Mijas Pueblo, I discovered the local café called Coffee Art. It’s a great spot with unique options like a pink latte which I thoroughly enjoyed. If you take the bus to Mijas Pueblo, you’ll find this coffee shop right when you get off the bus.
Playground For Kids
If you’re travelling with kids, there is a great playground right across from the bullring. It even has a zipline for older kids.
Visit Museums & Art Galleries
There are many museums in Mijas Pueblo to explore depending on your interests. Some of them include:
Centro de Arte Contemporáneo (CAC Mijas)
The CAC Mijas is a contemporary art museum that showcases hundreds of pieces of artwork, including some by famous artist Picasso.
Ethnological Museum
The Ethnological Museum allows you to see what life was like in Mijas years ago, including the different rooms in a home. It’s a great way to learn more about the history of Mijas. Make sure you ask about the “El Topo de Mijas” (the mole of Mijas).
Is Mijas Pubelo worth visiting?
Yes, Mijas Pueblo is absolutely worth visiting. Mijas Pueblo is full of stunning cobblestone ‘white-washed’ streets, amazing views of the Mediterranean, history and culture. It’s a must-visit Spanish town on the Costa del Sol.
How long do you need in Mijas Pueblo?
You can easily spend a day in Mijas, Pueblo if you’d like to enjoy a meal, explore the local shops, museums, art galleries and wander slowly. A half day is plenty of time if you don’t intend on shopping lots or having a lengthly meal. It still gives you enough time to see everything and really take in the beauty of Mijas, Pueblo.
What’s the difference between Mijas Costa and Mijas Pueblo?
Mijas Costa refers to the coastline of Mijas and is located right next to the Mediterranean Sea. Mijas Pueblo refers to the village further up in the mountains. They’re about 20 minutes from each other.
