June 20-22, 2011 Costa del Sol Part I

After saying our farewells to the lovely La Alhambra in Granada, we began our picturesque tour of La Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun)—famous for its beach resorts and delicious seafood. The plan was that we would stay over at the Melía Costa del Sol resort in Torremolinos for 3 nights (June 20-22, 2011). During these 3 nights, we had a few options: to tour Mijas, a nearby fishing village; and Málaga, or to enjoy the beach at Torremolinos.

Torremolinos is a resort that was the first touristic site open to visitors. Many Europeans buy villas and apartments as their vacation homes. In the past, this resort was a fishing village. The upper cliff of the city is the newer part of the community, while the lower part is the resort.

Origin of the Name:
“Torre” refers to “towers” or “watchtowers”
“Molinos” refers to “windmills,” which represents the industry

After checking in and refreshing ourselves at the resort, we took a side trip to Mijas in the afternoon.

Mijas

Visited June 20, 2011. Located in Malaga province in the Andalucía.

Attraction Checklist:

• Plaza del Toros
  

Mijas is a white-washed village located in the nearby mountains about 41 miles away from Torremolinos. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by several donkey taxis waiting for adventurous tourists. Our tour guide, George, guided us towards the heart of the village and explained that the village’s major commercial industries are tourism and handicrafts. We were given plenty of free time to stroll around the village.

To cool down, we went to a chic café at the lower level of one of the joined commercial buildings to enjoy chocolate ice cream drinks and fruit smoothies. How refreshing! Next, we walked up the slope to the Plaza del Toros, where brightly colored posters of local, renowned matadors were plastered on the walls, and the nearby municipal park with unique colored stone designs on the ground. The view up here was incredible and refreshing thanks to the breeze and the view of the residential homes below. Afterwards we made our way slowly back to the village and checked out a few of the unique handicraft shops selling pottery, ceramics, candles, and leather wares before it was time to go.

We returned to Torremolinos. This evening we enjoyed a local seafood dinner of grilled and fried fish; clams, calamari, and salad.

After dinner, we walked along the boardwalk overseeing the beach to enjoy the nightlife—people enjoying tapas and drinks.

→ Proceed to Part II

Acknowledgments

• Part of Trafalgar’s Best of Spain 2011 tour.

Resources

Ayuntamiento de Mijas. (2012). Official government website (look under “Turismo” and “Guías Turísticas de Mijas”). Retrieved from http://www.mijas.es/