Discovering the adorable La Cala de Mijas
La Cala de Mijas is special. It is an adorable part of the town of Mijas, right by the coast, but different from most of the Costa del Sol, because it really has managed to preserve the fishing village feel of its origins; it’s calm and reserved, but at the same time, has plenty of restaurants and beautiful beaches and promenade. Come see this interesting part of the Costa del Sol!
Getting there
To go to La Cala de Mijas, I took the train to Fuengirola and then the bus M-220 to the bus stop called… La Cala de Mijas. It was an easy and pleasant journey, especially the bus part, by the sea. Check on the map below the best way to get there from where you are. 😉
What La Cala de Mijas is famous for
The most famous monument of La Cala de Mijas is the Torreón de la Cala, shown on the top of this post. It is one of the many watchtowers spread around the Costa del Sol, used in the past as part of the defense system. This tower is right by La Cala Beach and is the symbol of this part of Mijas. It is possible to visit the tower all year long.
The Torreon de La Cala is very close to the beach, by a large square, the promenade and the beach.
Above: La Cala de Mijas Watchtower seen from Calle Reina Fabiola and the cover of 2024’s Feria de La Cala de Mijas, figuring the village’s Watchtower.
But La Cala is more than it’s watchtower. It is essentially a residential and touristic part of Mijas that is not as built up as the neighboring towns; a little village within the town, with a bit of a Pueblo feel and a large shore, where you can still see the fishing boats. It is not your usual bubbly Costa del Sol town; it is more discreet and very laid back. It has houses up to the promenade, flowers on the streets, a big hotel by the shore and plenty of restaurants.
La Cala de Mijas restaurants
La Cala de Mijas has many restaurant options – Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean, Indian – and several options of pubs as well. These facilities are distributed throughout the town, but there is a great concentration of restaurants in the center of La Cala, the area close to the main access to the village. Look for restaurants along the Boulevard de La Cala, Calle Torrox and Calle Marbella, which connects the center to the Watchtower of La Cala, and you’ll find plenty!
Promenade and beaches of La Cala de Mijas
The beaches of La Cala de Mijas – Playa La Cala, Playa de la Butibamba and Playa El Bombo – all form one large stretch of sand. The first one, closest to the center (Playa la Cala) is the most developed of the 3 and probably the most touristic. This is the beach by the Watchtower; it has a tiled promenade, with several public bathrooms, areas for yoga sessions, playgrounds, chiringuitos (seaside restaurants) and workout equipment.
La Cala is true to its origins, with a still-active fishing community and whitewashed houses along the shore, mixed with tourism-related facilities. Going south from La Cal Beach, the next two beaches have a more rustic or natural feel, with a smaller number of Chiringuitos, less facilities and a wooden promenade.
Inner streets of La Cala de Mijas
La Cala de Mijas is built mostly of houses or small buildings. There are lines of houses along La Butibamba Beach (shown below) that feel a bit dreamy, so close to the sea and so private at the same time.
The region closer to La Cala Beach has small buildings, larger houses and commerce along the streets.
Getting close to the Boulevard de La Cala, the center area, there are also buildings and more local commerce.
Parque La Butibamba
La Cala de Mijas has a cute green park with a large playground and a coffee shop area where parents can rest while their kids have fun or have a snack or an ice cream in between plays. It’s the Parque La Butibamba, a cute and convenient green area in La Cala.
A bit more about La Cala de Mijas
There are few connections to the rest of the Costa del Sol; a car, here, is probably a need. In terms of public transportation, one can get to or from Fuengirola, by bus, in about 40 to 50 min. The bus line M-220 runs about every half an hour during daytime; there is no train in Mijas. This relative remoteness is probably part of the reason why La Cala de Mijas has managed to stay as preserved as it is.
La Cala de Mijas is part of Mijas; more specifically, it is a part of Mijas Costa, one of the three main parts of the town of Mijas – the other two being Las Lagunas (right by Fuengirola) and Mijas Pueblo, by the mountains.
La Cala de Mijas has a bit less than 5.000 inhabitants – as a comparison, Fuengirola has a bit more than 80.000, and Malaga, around half a million. La Cala has a gas station, a supermarket (Carrefour), a sports court, a school for kids up to 12 years old (CEIP García del Olmo) and a secondary school (IES La Cala de Mijas), this last one a bit inland, close to the one health center of La Cala. There are no hospitals in La Cala de Mijas, as far as I know.
La Cala de Mijas also has a Tenencia de la Alcadia, which is sort of an advanced post of Mijas Town Hall. This is a plus, as it makes dealing with documents – padrón comes to mind – a lot easier for residents.
The main event in La Cala de Mijas is its Feria, that happens in the end of July and lasts about a week. La Cala also celebrates Carnival, Halloween and, of course, Christmas, as the decorative lights you see spread on the images above show – I visited in December!
Overall, though Mijas celebrates the same festivities as the other towns of the Costa del Sol, I have this impression (and this may be just my opinion) that Mijas is a bit more discreet in its celebrations; their events tend to last fewer days and to be less publicized than those of the nearby towns, which makes Mijas – and La Cala – a bit more reserved.
Conclusion
La Cala de Mijas is a very nice part of Mijas – and of the Costa del Sol. It’s a favorite area among many, particularly those that want to rest along the beach and enjoy a peaceful stay (or life) without the stress of a large city, the multitude of neighbors and traffic. It’s also a calm area, with relative few events during the year, with the charm of a small fishing village by the Mediterranean shore. It is adorable and visitors inevitably fall in love.
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