What Is Mijas?

Mijas is a Spanish municipality that can be found in the autonomous Spanish community of Andalusia. Its economy is centered on tourism, which is helped by its local cultural institutions as well as its location on the Mediterranean coast.

What Are Some Interesting Facts about Mijas?

Here are some interesting facts about Mijas:

It Has Three Nuclei

Oftentimes, municipalities have a single nucleus. However, there are some that have more than one. For instance, Mijas has three nuclei, which include the hillside village called Mijas Pueblo, the coastal village called La Cala de Mijas, and the suburban area called Las Lagunas. Out of these, Mijas Pueblo is the most important because of its status as the administrative center.

Both La Cala de Mijas and Las Lagunas Are Late Bloomers

One could make the argument that both La Cala de Mijas and Las Lagunas are late bloomers. Both existed to an extent before the 1950s. However, it was the tourism boom that spurred their transformation into their modern selves.

Its Name Can Trace Its Roots to Roman Times

The municipality existed in ancient times. Under the Romans, it was called Tamisa. Later, Roman control was replaced by Visigothic control, which in turn, was replaced by Moorish control. It was the Moors who shortened Tamisa to Mixa, something that would eventually lead to the modern name of Mijas.

It Was Once a Target of Pirates

Spain’s southern coast was a popular target for pirates from the medieval period to the late modern period. For instance, Mijas was at risk of being attacked by pirates into the 19th century. This is the reason that the local inhabitants raised watchtowers, which still stand in the present time.