Mijas Campo

Mijas
Mijas, known as the White Village, is situated at the foothills of the Cordón Montañoso del Litoral (Coastal Mountain Range), one of the most typical examples of the pretty mountain town in Andalucía, with views over much of the Costa del Sol. The municipal area covers almost 140 square kilometres, from the mountains down to the sea, surrounding the municipality of Fuengirola. This small white village set amid the pine-covered slopes of the Sierra de Mijas offers incredible views of the countryside and coastline below. Traditional steep, narrow streets are flanked by pristine white houses and colourful flowers. In spite of its small size, Mijas offers a good selection of services and amenities, and the laid-back atmosphere belies a thriving cultural calendar and arts scene.

The urban areas of Mijas are Mijas Pueblo, Las Lagunas and La Cala de Mijas. In the first we find the old part of the town with its Town Hall, its historic buildings and its whitewashed houses. Las Lagunas is where most of the services and housing developments are situated, as in La Cala de Mijas. The Fuengirola River flows through the centre of the municipality, where there are large agricultural areas being gradually taken over by golf courses and luxury housing estates. The coastal area is highly developed for tourism, even in the small coves where the mountains reach down to the sea. But the four Vigilance Towers dating from centuries back are still there, these being the Calaburras, the Torre Vieja, the Torre Nueva (this built in the 19th century) and the Torre de Calahonda, built in the 16th century.

Mijas is a village seeped in serenity, tradition and culture. A popular choice amongst many individuals, couples and families buying property in southern Spain, it is now home to almost 60 nationalities! Its web of cobbled streets and whitewashed buildings provide the inspiration for a thriving art scene, and it is a must on many tourists' itineraries, who arrive in their droves during the summer months, keen both to sample some traditional Andalucian charm and to take a ride in one of the town's famous donkey taxis.

Alhaurin el Grande
Alhaurin el Grande is situated at the foot of the northern slope of the Sierra de Mijas. The town opens up to the green valley of the Gaudalhorce, where the landscape surrounding Alhuarin el Grande is rich with citrus plots, fruits, vegetables, olive fields and cereals. A busy, friendly Spanish town nestling into the north side of Mijas Sierra, Alhaurín el Grande is not overrun by tourists. The top end of town has steep streets lined with traditional Spanish homes, while the lower part is more modern. The traditional and well-maintained streets, pretty squares and pristine white and blue church of San Sebastián are framed by stunning views over the mountains and Guadalhorce Valley and dramatic mountains beyond.

The name Alhaurin el Grande dates back to the Moors, who originally named it Alhaurein (Garden of Allah). Like the Romans before them they divided the area into two valleys, that of Alhaurin el Grande and Alhaurin de le Torre. The location of Alhuarin el Grande underpins its enriched heritage. Artefacts of the Neolithic age such as axes and cave drawings have been discovered there. The Iberians, the Phoenicians, the Greeks and the Romans have all left their mark on Alhaurin el Grande in some way however, it was the Moors who formed the town as it is today. They built an important fort named Torres de Fahala, based on stations and defence towers, of which only a few fragments are left today. They also generated great prosperity, which the residents of Alhuarin el Grande enjoyed, until Christians conquered it in the fifteenth century.