Calahonda, also known as Sitio de Calahonda, is a locality situated in the municipality of Mijas, located halfway between the well-known municipalities of Marbella and Fuengirola.
Being within the municipality, its jurisdiction falls under Mijas, although not entirely, as Cabopino Beach, along with its port, which originally belonged to Calahonda, is now one of the beaches of Marbella.
The majority of the land in Calahonda, with slightly over four million square meters, is dedicated to residential areas where standout the Urbanization Sitio de Calahonda and the Calypso Urbanization, as well as its renowned golf courses.
In summary, about seven thousand homes, connected to over 600,000 square meters of green areas through 27 kilometers of streets, where British nationality predominates, followed by various Scandinavian and German nationalities.
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History of Calahonda
Its history is unique, curious, and, although short, unique. It doesn’t follow the same pattern as other towns in southern Andalusia, where there are remains of ancient civilizations, attracted by the climate and the abundance of the Mediterranean Sea.
Perhaps, underneath the surface layer, there are remnants of stories with hundreds of years, but for now and today, Sitio de Calahonda is the realization of a dream come true.
Don Juan de Orbaneja y Desvalls began to implement the great idea of making a unique place, an urbanization with its own life, which ended up becoming a town; Calahonda.
From this mix of urbanization and municipality, its administration was born, the E.U.C., that is, the Collaborative Urban Entity, Sitio de Calahonda. In other words, although the jurisdiction is in Mijas, the administration is in the hands of the residents.
The developer Juan de Orbaneja y Desvalls, founder and creator, used the name of the beach, Calahonda, to name his urbanization. And so it has come down to us to this day.
The last plot of the urbanization was sold in 2002, and it is the residents themselves who have limited the urban development, which has been, and continues to be, stable, continuous, and without bubbles.
A proof of their good work came in 2001, when they received the Jaguar Award, from the British Parliament of the United Kingdom, recognizing Calahonda as the best urban development in Spain.
What to See and Do in Calahonda
Although it may seem that in this small town we can only find houses and villas, within its streets are hidden scraps of history and anecdotes, as well as natural landscapes, worth visiting.
What to See in Calahonda
San Miguel Church
The base of this church is exactly where masses were celebrated before any holy temple existed. The merit of this construction is due, in equal parts, to the parish priest Don Rodrigo Cabeza, who united the municipalities of La Cala and Calahonda with processions and pilgrimages, and to the half dozen neighbors who financed the project.
The initial project was for a hermitage, which became too small due to the large influx of parishioners, leading to what is now known as San Miguel Church. This remodeling was possible, from Hermitage to Church, thanks to the parish priest Don Ramón Tejero in 2003. In honor of this Hermitage, the facade of the Church is exactly the same as that of its predecessor.
Calahonda or Rocío Hermitage
This Hermitage has a very curious origin. A British film crew arrived in the town of Sitio de Calahonda intending to shoot several scenes for a movie. Upon completion, they left behind an arch-shaped structure.
This gave the neighbors the idea to undertake an ambitious project; the creation of a hermitage with a mirror that would reflect the sunset light and thus be visible from much of the coast.
The idea of the mirror didn’t work, but the creation of a hermitage in such a privileged place, on the slope of the Las Cascadas area, with breathtaking views of the coast and its sunsets, was indeed a success.
Parks
Spain Park and Europe Park
Spain Park is a rest area with swings and exercise machines located on Avenida de España. It features a red perennial leaf tree, called the fire tree.
While the latter has a children’s area, exercise machines, a wide variety of plants, and, almost certainly, the ping-pong table with the best views of the entire Mediterranean.
Calahonda Park
Also known as Vivero Park, as it is located next to the Calahonda Gardening Center, the park is shaded by pine trees where, in addition, a beautiful natural trail full of local flora and fauna begins.
This is the place where the local Calahonda Day celebration takes place every year.
What to Do in Calahonda
La Siesta Golf Club
In addition to visiting green and natural areas, whether you are a golf enthusiast or not, a visit to La Siesta Golf Club is a must. It caters to both beginners and experts in the sport.
Designed by Enrique Canales Busquet, it features 9 holes and 953 yards, as well as complete facilities with everything a professional golfer may need, from modern locker rooms to equipment rental and incredible panoramic views from its restaurant and holes one and nine.
Nature and Hiking in Calahonda
Located in such a natural enclave, it’s no wonder that it boasts some of the best hiking routes on the Costa del Sol. It takes advantage of its proximity to the mountains and the Mediterranean coastline to create an unparalleled landscape.
Walking Route through Calahonda
The best way to explore Calahonda, walking among villas and trails, where nature and human touch merge, is from Conde de Jordana Street. From this point, head south and then take the north again, meandering between houses and trees until you reach the well-known Calahonda Park.
Coastal Pathway
The pathway along the Mediterranean coast, connecting La Cala with Calahonda, is one of the major infrastructures of the regional government. Thus, with the construction of a wooden boardwalk, with zero environmental impact, you can stroll almost at the edge of the Mediterranean to change location in a matter of minutes.
From Torreón de la Cala, the trail begins on a section of the promenade that leads us to Bombo Beach. And it is here where the ground beneath our feet changes, from here on we will walk on a wooden boardwalk that will take us to Riviera, a residential area.
It’s a trail full of life, with the Mediterranean sea at your feet. The route holds great biological value, both in flora and fauna. You’ll see cork oaks, dwarf palms, as well as a large number of aquatic animals such as octopuses and mussels among others in rocky areas and intertidal pools.
Route of Unique Trees
A beautiful route with a very original idea, to observe and discover trees that, due to some of their characteristics, are unique. In the document published by the Department of Environment, eight routes full of unique trees are highlighted.
The first of these routes takes place in Calahonda, where you can observe 7 trees of certain singularity. It has a distance of 3.12 km, a moderate difficulty, a positive slope of 25 meters, and a negative one of 78 meters. Some of the trees you’ll see on this route are cork oaks, pines, walnut trees, and cypresses.
Sun and Beach in Calahonda
It’s impossible not to mention or try to avoid a visit to Calahonda beach. Despite being a small town, almost a hamlet, Calahonda boasts an extensive beach of great beauty.
Calahonda Beach is one of the so-called semi-urban beaches, located between the Cabopino marina and El Bombo Beach. It has an approximate length of four kilometers and a width that varies depending on the point where we are, but it averages about 20 meters.
It features different types of sand grains including rocky areas. Along its coastline, we find a great wealth of native biological and plant life.
Popular Festivals and Gastronomy
On June 25th each year, the traditional Sitio de Calahonda festival is celebrated. It takes place in Calahonda Park and is attended by a large number of residents from the urbanizations that make up the population of Calahonda.
Regarding gastronomy, it’s a small oasis within the Mediterranean. Something very striking happens, as it’s not influenced by the geographical environment but by the origin of its small population. Thus, we find a blend of local foods with dishes exported from English, German, and Scandinavian gastronomy.
How to Get to Calahonda
Calahonda is very well connected via the A7 motorway that runs along the Mediterranean coast.
How to Get to Calahonda by Public Transport
The most convenient way to get there by public transport is to use both the train and the bus. First, take the train from Malaga Airport to Fuengirola. Once there, just a few steps from the train station is the bus terminal.
Take the M-220 towards Marbella and it will drop you off at Sitio de Calahonda, if you want to go a little further, you can get off at the next stop “Leila Playa” and walk a few meters to reach Calahonda.
How to Get to Calahonda by Car
Exit the Airport onto Avenida del Comandante García Morato, leave the roundabout onto N-348, and use the right lanes to merge onto N-340/MA-21 towards Torremolinos/Cádiz.
Depending on the time of day, there may be heavy traffic, so we recommend staying in the right lanes to facilitate future merges. Continue on the highway until you reach exit 1028B, the exit to Calahonda.
Due to the characteristics of the road, with its frequent changes in maximum speed from 120 km/h to 100 km/h, and then down to 80 km/h once past Fuengirola, we recommend hiring an automatic car at Malaga Airport, which will make driving a real pleasure.
Calahonda Map
To ensure you don’t miss a single detail on your getaway to Calahonda, we’ve marked on a map all the points of interest and must-see stops.
