In our "Spotlight on ..." series we taken an in-depth look at some of the most popular areas of the Costa del Sol. This time we focus on Mijas Costa.
Mijas Costa refers to the 12km stretch of coastline of the Costa del Sol between Fuengirola to the east and Marbella to the west and is comprised of various independent destinations, each of which are almost a village in their own right nowadays, with their own full range of amenities.
Situated only 20 minutes from Malaga airport by car, Mijas Costa is a typically Andalusian area of the Costa del Sol, distinguished by its low-rise whitewashed buildings which seems a world away from the high-rise metropolises of Fuengirola, Benalmadena and Torremolinos.
Full of life all year round, as opposed to some of the more seasonal areas of the Costa del Sol, the local population was once dominated by British and Spanish home owners but in recent years has diluted into a melting pot of many different nationalities.
From blue-flag beaches to golf courses, and a varied selection of amenities, Mijas Costa pretty much has it all and remains a firm favourite amongst foreign holiday home owners.
La Cala de Mijas is probably the most popular destination in Mijas Costa and once you visit this charismatic village it is easy to understand why.
A former fishing village, La Cala has retained much of its Andalucian charm with a restored Moorish tower, wide sandy beaches and a friendly village atmosphere.
Whilst the village itself is beachside, La Cala actually stretches all the way back to La Cala Golf and La Cala Hills. The village has all the amenities you would expect including supermarkets, a swathe of bars and restaurants to accommodate all tastes and budgets, a great selection of shops as well as a traditional market twice a week.
La Cala is also where the famous beach boardwalk or "Senda Litoral" begins and currently stretches almost to Cabopino in East Marbella. The projected plan is for the boardwalk to run an amazing 160km following the entire coast of Malaga province from Nerja to Manilva.
Calahonda is a popular choice with both holiday makers and permanent residents looking to buy a property in a location where you can enjoy the traditional Spanish lifestyle with everything you need right on your doorstep.
Calahonda offers a selection of blue-flag beaches complete with traditional beach bars or “chiringuitos”, where you can enjoy a paella and a drink or two.
If shopping is your thing then you won’t be disappointed either by the varied selection of shops, boutiques and retail outlets, not to mention the copious amount of bars and restaurants…..you’ll never go hungry or thirsty in Calahonda!
Starting at the beach where you find most of the amenities, properties extend up the mountain, giving sensational panoramic views all the way to Africa ... and the higher you go, the more breathtaking the views!
Calahonda is home to a variety of nationalities including British, Scandinavian, Belgians, Dutch and many more which means a great selection of international style bars and restaurants, catering for tourists and residents who like to have the comforts of home nearby.
The Costa del Sol’s award winning area of Miraflores is found in Mijas Costa sandwiched between La Cala de Mijas to the east and Riviera del Sol to the west. Established over 30 years ago, it's home to a wide selection of apartments, houses and villas.
Properties in Miraflores are all renowned for their lush tropical gardens and spectacular swimming pools complete with pool-side bar restaurants.
The resort boasts a number of entertainment facilities including an 18-hole golf course, tennis academy, gymnasium, lawn bowls and social club. If you didn’t leave the urbanisation for a week you wouldn’t be bored, the facilities are endless.
The golf course has a fabulous restaurant where you can enjoy views of the golf course and the sea whilst you eat and they also offer live entertainment many nights of the week.
El Faro translates as "lighthouse" and is located on the peninsular between Fuengirola and La Cala de Mijas. El Faro is home to the iconic lighthouse which towers over this 1km stretch of beach.
Properties in El Faro benefit from impressive sea views of the Mediterranean and no matter where you are located in El Faro, you are never very far away from the beach or amenities. El Faro boats a great selection of local bars and restaurants but if you fancy a livelier night out then Fuengirola is reachable by foot in no time at all.
