Why Did We Choose Mijas la Nueva?
/We first visited Spain in 2001 - a celebratory trip that included “must see” stops in Madrid and Barcelona. With three weeks to spend, and one each planned in Spain’s largest cities, we wanted to see another part of the country to get a balanced sense of the culture. A good friend recommended Andalucia. An internet search and pure chance landed us at a villa in Mijas la Nueva for a week - one that we wouldn’t be able to forget. We vowed to return the next year, hoping to spend an entire three weeks, and again in Mijas la Nueva. The mixture of easy access to the village of Mijas, and the peace and relaxation of the Mijas la Nueva urbanization was what brought us back. Along with our luggage, we brought some dreams. What if….What if we could have our own place in Mijas la Nueva?
A view of Mijas la Nueva from a nearby hill
What started as a fun thought transformed into reality, almost too quickly. During that second trip to Mijas la Nueva in 2002, we thought we’d tour some villas to get a sense for what was available - make some notes about what we liked, what would be possible to maintain from afar, and if we could make it work. We toured several of the villas. We also looked at some properties in other urbanizations. The more we saw, the more we knew that Mijas la Nueva was where we wanted to be. And then, it happened. We received a call from one of the local estate agents to let us know that a semi-detached villa was about to go on the market, that their agent was there to take photos in anticipation of the new offering. Would we be interested in walking over to take a look? With our now well developed checklist in hand, we walked over to meet the estate agent, expecting that we’d be able to further refine our “wish list”. However, what we found was that the villa we were there to see, just out of interest, ticked every box on our list. Every one of the “must haves”, and every one of the “nice to haves”. There were none of the “don’t wants”. We walked away, somewhat shell-shocked. Had we found what we were looking for? A sleepless night was filled with thoughts, doubts, and excitement. When we woke in the morning, we looked at each other and said, “Are we really doing this?”. And indeed, we were, and we did.
The larger of two community pools for residents and guests in Mijas la Nueva
A place in Spain is a relatively common desire. The Costa del Sol is full of people from all over Europe searching for a warm, sunny, Mediterranean lifestyle. As Americans, we’re somewhat less present due to the distance, but we’ve met more than we thought we would who have come to the same conclusion as we reached.
There is no lack of rental or property opportunities along the coast. Why did we pick Mijas la Nueva? After nearly 20 years, would we make the same decision if given the chance to do it all over again?
The community tennis court available for use by residents and guests in Mijas la Nueva
One key reason for our choice of Mijas la Nueva is the amenities. There are two community pools, a larger one near The Carob Bar, and a smaller pool near the top of the community that is a bit more cozy. What is less common in local urbanizations is access to a community tennis court. We enjoy playing tennis, and this was a distinct benefit in Mijas la Nueva.
Having mentioned The Carob Bar, it’s good to know that there is a bar/restaurant within the community. The current owners have gone to great lengths to make it an inviting place for residents, guests, and locals.
Location is another greatly appreciated benefit. Mijas la Nueva is located just west of Mijas pueblo. It’s location lends itself to a quieter atmosphere - just outside the village, but close enough to walk (but know that is a good uphill stroll). The proximity makes is simple to spend the day enjoying a swim, some tennis, or just relaxing with a good book while soaking in the incredible views to the mountains or the coast, and then head to the village for shops and restaurants. And Mijas has plenty of activities planned, particularly during holidays, festivals, and the peak summer season.
The sun rises in Mijas la Nueva
You can’t talk about Mijas la Nueva without mentioning the views. Located halfway up the mountains that frame Mijas, there are incredible views to the coast below, and the mountains behind. It is a privilege to just sit and enjoy the views, and the changes throughout the day. On clear days, it’s possible to see across the Mediterranean all the way to the coast of Morocco and North Atlas Mountains in Africa. Incredibly, it was even possible to make out lights along the shore of Africa this past week.
As the sun sets in Mijas la Nueva, the skies provide a stunning backdrop for the North Atlas Mountains in Africa
Another aspect that sets Mijas la Nueva apart from other urbanizations is the level of care and maintenance. The staff work tirelessly, but are so unintrusive that most don’t even realize the efforts that they put it. Pepito, Issac, Juan, and Moises are some of the most dedicated and hardest working people we’ve met. Always helpful, we’ve been lucky enough to get to know them, and we greatly appreciate all that they do for us and the community at large.
A reader recently sent a question - why were our posts rarely about Mijas la Nueva? It’s a good question, and one that deserves a response. Mijas la Nueva is where we want to be. It provides us ready access to the many wonderful sites and attractions in Spain. We choose to live an active lifestyle, and Mijas la Nueva provides the opportunity to do that within the community as well as in the local region. We can enjoy a quiet morning, afternoon, or evening on the patio with a view that can’t be beat. We come home to a place that we love.
So the question remains: after nearly 20 years, and much more local knowledge, would we make the same decision if we had to do it all over again? The answer is an unqualified “YES!” We haven’t seen any other community that has more to offer, a better location to balance solitude and access, or is in better state. What started as almost a whim became our chosen holiday location, and has now become our retirement home. It just doesn’t get any better!