Local area
Mijas Costa (La Cala)
Mijas Costa, or La Cala, as it is affectionately known by locals, was once a bustling fishing town. The small town still retains an authenticity that is hard to come by in many parts of the Costa del Sol.
La Cala's blue flag beach
The long sandy blue flag beach, Las Dorados , is the closest beach to the apartment; a 10 minute drive away. A variety of rustic beach bars ‘chiringuitos', line the beach selling tasty home-made chips, fresh seafood and drinks. Other local beaches include Chaparral, Calahlonda, La Butibamba, El Charcon, and El Faro.
La Cala town has everything you should need: two supermarkets; Mercadona and Super Sol, a post office ‘correos'; health centre; the new Costa del Sol Hospital is no more than 15 minutes in the direction of Marbella; banks and a tourist information point in the Watch Tower Museum overlooking the sea at Calle Torreau (opens Wed-Sun www.mijas.es).
Seafront restaurants at La Cala beach
Eating in La Cala
The closest spot to eat is on the La Cala Hills complex itself. ‘Someplace Else' is a café bar serving an English menu, breakfast, light lunches and snacks. Lots of useful golf and local advice can be found here. It makes a convenient lunch stop when lazing by the pool for the day. An Indian restaurant is soon to be opened on the complex.
Seafood dining at El Pescaito
La Cala town has many good restaurants. Ranging from the most simple to the most expensive, they include Italian, Indian, Chinese, Thai, French, plus of course a wide choice of Spanish restaurants anxious to display their culinary talents.
Restaurant prices are very low in this part of Spain when compared with the cities of Northern Europe but the standard is very high. As you would expect there is some fantastic seafood to be eaten in the town and a surprising variety of restaurants and bars are to be found both on the seafront and tucked away in the narrow streets behind the beach.
We would personally recommend ‘El Pescaito' on the corner of Calle Ronda , very close to the beach, for the freshest local catch served within a very Spanish ambiance at a great price. Cheap tapas can be found at ‘La Cala Chica' and ‘Butibamba'. ‘La Luna' serves wonderful Italian food and takeaway pizza in its beautiful open garden near the beach..
Or enjoy a morning coffee and a tasty local honey cake ‘bunuelos' at ‘ La Canasta' opposite the children's playground and gardens at Calle Fuengirola. Pick up some fresh local cheeses, Serrano hams and fine wines at the delicatessen 'La Despensa de Jofran' on Calle Fuengirola.