Gibraltar and Mijas White Village Day Trip from Malaga

Gibraltar town centre, Casemates Square and Main Street

Unlike many tours, the coach drops you in Gibraltar town centre rather than at the border, so your free time starts straight away. Casemates Square, a former barracks square now lined with cafés, is the natural starting point; from here Main Street runs through the old walled town with its shops selling VAT-free goods, historic buildings and red post boxes that recall the territory's British status since 1713.

With 5 hours 30 minutes on your own, you can mix sightseeing with lunch and shopping without rushing. The name Gibraltar comes from the Arabic Jabal Tariq, after Tariq ibn Ziyad, who landed here in 711. Pounds are the local currency, though euros are widely accepted. The digital guide included in this trip suggests walking routes and places of interest around the centre.

The Rock of Gibraltar and the Upper Rock Nature Reserve

Most visitors want to go up the 426-metre Rock, and the guide helps you choose the best way: a taxi or shuttle tour, which stops at the main viewpoints, or walking up into the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, with directions to the entrance. Rock tours and nature reserve tickets are not included, so you pay only for what you choose on the day.

Up top you find the Barbary macaques, the only wild monkeys in Europe, and sights such as St Michael's Cave with its illuminated stalactites, the historic military tunnels and sweeping views over the strait to Africa. Remember that the monkeys are wild: never feed them and keep bags closed. A Rock tour usually takes about 1.5 hours, leaving plenty of time for the town afterwards.

Europa Point, the southern tip of Gibraltar

At the southern end of the peninsula, Europa Point looks straight across the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco. On a clear day the mountains of Africa appear close enough to touch, and you understand why the ancients saw the Rock and Jebel Musa on the African side as the Pillars of Hercules, the gateway to the Atlantic.

The headland has the red-and-white Trinity Lighthouse, in service since 1841, and a large white mosque opened in 1997, whose minaret stands out against the sea. Many Rock taxi tours include a stop here, and it can also be reached by local bus from the town centre. It is one of the best places for photos of two continents in a single view.

Mijas Pueblo, a white village above the coast

After Gibraltar, the coach climbs to Mijas Pueblo, one of the most charming white villages of Andalusia, set about 430 metres up on the slopes of the Sierra de Mijas. Its whitewashed houses with flower pots on the walls, steep cobbled lanes and small squares overlook the coast from Fuengirola to Malaga. You have about 1.5 hours of free time here.

A short walk from the main square leads to the Hermitage of the Virgen de la Peña, a tiny chapel carved into the rock and dedicated to the village's patron saint, with a viewpoint over the sea. Many travellers ask whether Mijas is worth visiting on a day trip: its views, quiet lanes and craft shops make it the perfect gentle end to a busy day.

Mijas viewpoints, Muralla Gardens and village life

Above the village centre, the Muralla Gardens follow the remains of the old Moorish walls and offer one of the finest panoramic views of the Costa del Sol. Nearby stands the Church of the Immaculate Conception, built in the 16th century on the site of the old fortress, its bell tower rising over the rooftops.

Wander the lanes for local crafts such as ceramics, leather goods and esparto weaving, or stop at a café on the main square for something sweet; almonds and honey are traditional local products. The best time to visit Mijas is late afternoon, when the light softens over the white walls, exactly when this tour arrives. The coach then takes about 40 minutes back to Malaga.