Malag to Mijas

[rettie]

Docking in Malaga at 9am, ship leaves at 7pm.

Has anyone ever gone to Mijas or Benalmadena by public transport? Have looked at various bus/train timetables & seems duable to me but would like to here from people who have actually done it.

My desire to go to the area is sentimental, have never been but my parents loved it. To walk in a place my mother had liked so much would mean a lot.

We don't like taking the ships tours as having done organised tours elsewhere have found that the content did not actually suit what we hoped to achieve & we were always running to a very tight schedule.

Thanks

[LondonTowner]

Yes, it would be doable in the time you have in port. I understand your reasons for going there, because of your Mum. I know Mijas from many years ago. Unfortunately, these days it is rather over commercialised and I would, personally, go to other places if docking in Malaga. It is pretty, though and you will be glad you satisfied your sentimental journey.

[Hlitner]

We were recently in Mijas (our 2nd visit) and it was easy to access via our rental car. If there is a public bus out to Mijas you can assume it will not run very frequently.

And by the way, our stop in Mijas was quite brief (just for some Capuccino) since we were on our way to Ronda (still a neat city).

Hank

[John Bull]

Mijas (Mijas Pueblo) is a little awkward by public transport, you need a train to Fuengirola then a bus. But it can be done.

 

Don't know how long back your parents were in the area, but Benalmadena has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades or more, in character & in size & even most of the buildings. Two-storey buildings have been demolished to make way for four-storeys, they've been demolished to make way for eight storeys etc. Ever since the beginnings of package holidays back in the 1960s/70s it's always been all hotels & apartment blocks & bars, but nowadays much much more heavily-developed. The old village (Benalmadena Pueblo) is no more, all gone to make space for developments. The marina & paseo maritimo (in Belalmadena Costa) are quite new & very pleasant for those staying in the area, but unworthy of your limited time.

 

Mijas - yes, it's more commercialised than it was, but still has charm & character and the little whitewashed streets behind & above the shops in the main square are still much as they've been for decades.

For holidaymakers on the Costa del Sol, Mijas was a day-trip into "the real Spain". As Mijas has developed for the tourist, Ronda has taken over the mantle of "the real Spain". And now Ronda is going the same way.

Regardless of any sentimentality, both Mijas & Ronda are well-worth a visit.

 

Mijas is a great deal closer (about 35 minutes) & possible by taxi, rented car, ship's excursion or public transport. If by taxi or rented car you could go via Benalmadena - but you might get lost ;)

 

Ronda is much more worthwhile but about 90 minutes away. A circular route, out cross-country & back down the valley to the coast & along the main coastal highway, is very rewarding. I believe it's now possible to visit Ronda by train during a port-of-call visit due to timetabling changes. But whether by train or by rented car it needs a deal of research & planning - and deeper pockets.

 

A lot of new developments have played on the name of Mijas. Mijas Golf, Mijas Costa, etc, even though they're some distance away. What you want is Mijas Pueblo, though just the word Mijas should be good enough.

 

JB :)

[rettie]

Thank you all for your replies.

Unfortunately, Ronda will have to wait for another visit. I am hoping this wee day out will whet my husband's appetite to see more of the area. My sister visits some of the smaller less touristy places & loves it.

Mum & dad always spent 1/2 holidays a year in Benalmadena staying at the Jupiter in a friends apartment. My sister in law actually ran a bar there for a year & another lived in the area for a year but we were never able to visit. Mum passed away 4 yrs ago, the last video we have of her is walking up in Mijas Pueblo.

I have looked at timetables & there is more choice of buses from either Benalmadena & Fuengirola that would connect with the train. We might go up on the direct bus & comeback down to the coast by bus & take the train. I believe we can get a train from Benalmadena (Arroya de la Miel I think), so maybe we can have an hour wandering around there before catching a mid afternoon train back. Or do train/bus both ways. We don't want to hire a car as it would be nice to have one holiday without any driving, we have touring holidays in the States every year.

Rettie

[John Bull]

Thank you all for your replies.

 

Mum & dad always spent 1/2 holidays a year in Benalmadena staying at the Jupiter in a friends apartment.

 

Last time I was there, a couple of years back, Jupiter was still there, together with its other celestial neighbours.

Looking very dated now.

 

JB :)

[VMax1700]

have you checked out the Mijas Pueblo website

http://www.mijas-pueblo.es/yes/index.php

 

there is a Transportation page.

The website doesn't seem to have been updated in a time.