Want to visit the most beautiful, photogenic and Instagrammable destination in Spain? Well, I’ve found it. And no, it’s not Barcelona, Granada or Seville. Those places are great but they do not have the magic of (drum roll, please…) Mijas Pueblo. This quaint, white little village in the Andalusia region is on the hills of the Serria de Slopes. The panoramic views consist of the lush mountain above, the blue sea below and the vista of white houses in between.
Walking up and down the narrow streets, you’ll find they all have something in common. All the streets are lined with greenery and flowers. It makes the white houses pop with colour and vibrancy. Mijas looks very similar to Santorini in Greece and perhaps that’s why I fell in love with it so much. The sea of white houses and beautiful view reminds me of my favourite place on earth.
What To See At The Most Photogenic Destination In Spain:
Step Inside the Virgin of the Rock
Also known as Virgen de la Peña, this chapel is made out of rock (if you haven’t already guessed by the name). A short walk from the Mijas car park, the chapel is conveniently placed on top of a hill with fantastic views. The spot where the statue of Jesus is placed is called El Compas. It offers some of the most sensational views of the area. But the real beauty is found when you step inside the church. Your eyes will be drawn to the golden shrine up in front. The shrine is filled with candles, plants and fresh flowers. It’s so unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. There is no charge to enter the chapel.
The cave chapel is super cosy as it can only hold 12 seated people at a time. I walked in and immediately felt immense peace wash over me. There were no other tourists inside the chapel, so it was really an intimate moment to be there. To explore the cave, view the costumes and have a calm moment to myself.
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- I did not take too many pictures of the church but the room I was standing in while taking this photo had many traditional costumes.
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- The inside of the church is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before!
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- A bright flower growing outside of the cave chapel. The mountains can be seen from behind it.
Explore The Streets Of Mijas
The rest of this blog post will mainly be pictures as I want to show you that Mijas is the most photogenic destination in Spain and not just explain it.
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- Mijas sign by the tourism building
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- The view of Mijas and the nature that surrounds it.
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- Staircase to Mijas from the car park. Every building looks so magical.
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- Colorful flowers surrounding the shops in Mijas
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- The shops and walls are decorated with flower ornaments. Lots of colour fills up the streets of Mijas.
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- Visit the Mango Cafe and Tea Room. This spot claims to make the best coffee in all of Mijas.
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- The white streets of Mijas
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- The gorgeous and inviting houses in Mijas.
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- Most houses in Mijas have flowers and plant decor
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- Gorgeous street lined up with flowers
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- It’s not hard to see why Mijas is the most photogenic destination in Spain.
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- My favourite photo from Mijas. I love the plants lined up on a quant little street. The Mediterranean sea can be seen in the horizon.
Pro Tip: Do Not Ride The Donkeys
Even though Mijas is a beautiful village with lots to offer, I do have one qualm with it. The donkeys in Mijas, which are better known as the Burro Taxis, are mistreated, unloved and uncared for. The carry heavy tourists around the village in the sweltering heat and they are whipped if they don’t comply. I was there during the July summer and saw no food and water for the animals. They are tied up directly under the scorching sun.
It is unethical to make money from the cruelty of animals so if you want to support the locals, rather buy from the local shops that sell ethically produced items. Do not fall into the tourist trap of riding donkeys (or horses) around the town. You’ll see a lot more walking around instead of riding a donkey, anyway.
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- Up close shot of a donkey taxi
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- The Burro Taxis, which are the donkeys, are directly under the hot sun.
