Day Trips from Malaga with Kids — Visit a Chocolate Factory in Mijas

Malaga is a fantastic city for families — the Alcazaba, the beach, Calle Larios, the port. But after a few days, you start looking for something different. Somewhere the kids can do something hands-on. Somewhere with a bit of village charm and mountain air. Somewhere that's close enough for a half-day trip but feels like a completely different world.

Mijas Pueblo is 30 minutes from Malaga, up in the hills above the coast. And inside it, there's a chocolate factory where your children can make their own chocolate.

Getting to Mijas from Malaga

The drive is easy — take the AP-7 coastal motorway west and turn up the hill at Fuengirola. It's about 35 km, and the road up to Mijas is scenic rather than stressful. Free parking is available in the village.

If you don't have a car, you can take the Cercanías train from Malaga to Fuengirola (about 45 minutes, runs every 20 minutes) and then a local bus or taxi up to Mijas Pueblo (10 minutes).

The Chocolate Factory

Mayan Monkey sits at Plaza Virgen de la Peña 15, in the heart of the village. It's a working chocolate and coffee factory — not a museum, not a gift shop with a token demo, but a real production space where everything is made on-site.

The children's workshops run daily and are designed for kids aged 3 and up. No booking is required for smaller groups — just turn up during opening hours (10:30am – 6:00pm, until 9pm in summer). For larger groups, it's worth calling ahead.

What the Kids Do

Each child gets their own workstation with professional moulds, real organic chocolate, and a selection of toppings and decorations. They make:

• Chocolate bars with their choice of toppings — dried fruit, nuts, edible glitter, sprinkles
• Bonbons with soft ganache centres — proper luxury chocolates
• The "Chocolate Rain" experience — a signature Mayan Monkey moment that kids talk about for weeks

Everything they make goes home with them in a box. The workshops run about 35 minutes, and there's no rushing — the guides work at the children's pace.

What the Parents Get

While the kids are absorbed in chocolate making, you can watch, help, or — and this is the underrated part — sit down with a cup of speciality coffee. Mayan Monkey roasts coffee on-site using a Typhoon fluid bed roaster, and it's genuinely excellent. Not tourist coffee. Proper, freshly-roasted speciality coffee.

You can also join the workshop yourself. Plenty of parents make their own bars alongside the kids. It's more fun than you'd expect.

Before and After: Mijas Pueblo

The factory visit is usually 30–60 minutes, which leaves plenty of time to explore the village. Mijas Pueblo is one of the classic white villages of Andalucía — whitewashed houses, narrow streets, bougainvillea, and views down to the Mediterranean that stop you in your tracks.

With kids, highlights include:

• The viewpoints — there are several miradores with panoramic views of the coast
• The miniature museum — oddly compelling collection of tiny objects
• Ice cream and churros — multiple spots in the village centre
• Donkey rides — the traditional Mijas experience (though opinions on this vary)
• The bullring — one of the few oval bullrings in Spain, interesting architecturally even if you skip the museum

Most families spend 2–3 hours in total: workshop, wander, lunch, and drive back. It's the perfect length for a morning or afternoon trip.

Combining with Other Stops

Mijas is on the way to (or from) several other family-friendly stops:

• Fuengirola: Bioparc zoo is excellent for kids
• Benalmádena: Tivoli World amusement park, Sea Life aquarium, cable car
• Marbella: Old town, beaches, parks

You could easily combine a morning in Mijas with an afternoon at the beach or one of these attractions.

Practical Info

• Drive from Malaga: ~35 minutes via AP-7
• Workshop ages: 3+ (Masterclass 12+)
• Prices: From €19.95 per person
• Opening hours: Daily 10:30 – 18:00 (21:00 in summer)
• Parking: Free in Mijas Pueblo

Malaga has the city. The coast has the beach. Mijas has a chocolate factory. It's a good day out.