Mijas belongs to the region of Costa del Sol Occidental. Its centre is a typical Andalusian white-washed village, located on a mountainside about 430 metres or 1,476 feet above sea level, in the heart of the Costa del Sol region.

Mijas was founded in prehistoric times. The remains of the original fortification are still visible on parts of the exterior wall of the city. The area's mineral wealth attracted ancient Greeks and Phoenicians to the village, as described in the Ptolemy’s Geography of the second century.

The Romans, who kept up a lively commerce with Mijas, knew it as Tamisa. Roman domination was later replaced with the Visigoth's rule after 714. The Visigoths, in turn, were succeeded by the Moors. The Moors allowed the village inhabitants to preserve their property, religion, and customs in exchange for a third of their goods from agriculture, livestock, and farming. It was also the Moors who abbreviated the name of Tamisa to Mixa, which later became modern day Mijas.

During the time of the Emirate of Córdoba, the village was conquered by Umar ibn Hafsun. The village remained under the rule of Bobastro, who was defeated by Abd al-Rahman III in the late 9th century.

In 1487, Mijas resisted the attacks of the Catholic monarchs during the siege of Málaga. After Málaga fell, the inhabitants surrendered and most were sold as slaves. During the Revolt of the Comuneros a few decades later, Mijas remained loyal to the Spanish crown, which granted it the title of Muy Leal ("Very Loyal"). Soon after, Joanna of Castile promoted it to the status of villa (town) and it was exempt from royal taxes.

During this period and into the 19th century, Mijas suffered from intense pirate activity along the coast. It was this pirate activity that motivated the construction of the watchtowers that still stand today.

There is a regular bus service which passes right by Hotel Puerta del Sol and costs 1.55 euro to Mijas centre. Taxis are readily available for about 7.5 euro for the one way journey.