A town on the Costa, picked as one of the 15 'most extraordinary' places in Spain

Just 15 have been chosen and only one is in Malaga; it also happens to be the only one in Andalucía. Amid a selection of impressive green landscapes, beaches and caves that one can find in Spain is a small place in the province of Malaga, famous for its donkey-taxis but which can boast many more charms. It is Mijas, which is now on the list of “our country’s most extraordinary places,” a campaign with which chocolate spread manufacturer Nutella is launching a special collection of jars showing some of the loveliest places in Spain.

The firm, which is Italian in origin, refers to Mijas as a “beautiful village with a layout consisting of winding slopes that go up and down, filled with colourful pots of geraniums that contrast with the white fronts of the houses”. And among the things that visitors should not miss, it says, are “its typical Andalusian architecture and magnificent views of the Mediterranean”.

The description also refers to the shrine of the Virgen de la Peña, as “one of the most characteristic places in the village” and describes its history, saying that according to legend, “some children were guided to a small image of the Virgin that was hidden in the undergrowth. This was believed to be a miracle and a monk from Mijas spent 30 years excavating the rock so the statue could be placed there, and that is where it remains today”.

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Also on the list of 15 beautiful places drawn up by the company that makes this popular chocolate spread are El Teide (Tenerife), Cala Macarelleta (Balearics), Montserrat (Barcelona), El Templo de Debod (Madrid), Haro (La Rioja), Consuegra (Toledo), Picos de Europa (Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla y León), Playa de las Catedrales (Lugo), Selva de Irati (Navarra), Cieza (Murcia), Hondarribia (Guipúzcoa), La Albufera (Valencia), La rambla de Barrachina (Teruel) and Meandro de Melero (Cáceres).

Each one is represented in the limited collection of jars which is now on sale. In the case of Mijas, Nutella chose a photo of Calle El Muro, decorated with blue-painted flowerpots, filled with red geraniums.

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