The enchanting village of Mijas is situated in the lowlands of the Sierra de Mijas Mountain range and is surrounded by pine forest. The village nestles in the mountainside at 428 metres above sea level and has a population of 7,500. The nearest main town is the Spanish sea-side resort Fuengirola (8km), Malaga airport is 25 minutes by car. Mijas has managed to retain much of its "white village" charm, with cobbled, narrow winding streets, dazzling whitewashed walls and breath-taking views. A settlement is known to have existed in Mijas for many centuries. This has been confirmed by archaeological findings near the 'Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepcion'. This church in the village was completed in the early 18th century and covers the ruins of a Moorish castle that stood from the 8th until the late 15th century. Prior to this the Romans used Mijas, known then as ‘Tamisa’ or ‘Jamisa’ as an important commercial and trading centre as it was close to the road linking Malaga and Cadiz.