Half-Term Activities on the Costa del Sol — Chocolate Making in Mijas

Half-term on the Costa del Sol usually means pool days, beach time, and maybe a water park. Which is great — until day three, when you need something different. Something that gets the kids engaged, doesn't involve a screen, and ideally doesn't require you to sit in a soft play centre questioning your life choices.

Making chocolate in a real factory tends to do the trick.

What Happens at a Chocolate Workshop

At Mayan Monkey in Mijas Pueblo, children aged 3 and up can make their own chocolate bars and bonbons. It's not a demonstration — they do it themselves, at their own workstation, with real organic chocolate and professional moulds.

Here's a typical session:

1. Choose their moulds and toppings — dried fruit, nuts, sprinkles, edible glitter, marshmallows
2. Work with tempered chocolate — pouring it into professional polycarbonate moulds (the same kind used in chocolate shops)
3. Make bonbons — shell, fill with ganache, seal. Proper luxury chocolates.
4. Experience "Chocolate Rain" — our signature moment. Kids lose their minds over this one.
5. Take everything home — bars, bonbons, and the satisfaction of having made them

The workshop takes about 35 minutes. Long enough to feel substantial, short enough that little ones stay engaged throughout.

Why It Works for Half-Term

Half-term needs activities that work without much planning. This one ticks the boxes:

• No advance booking needed for small groups — just walk in during opening hours
• All ages from 3+ — siblings of different ages can do it together
• Weather-proof — it's indoors, so rain doesn't matter (and yes, it does rain on the Costa del Sol sometimes)
• Combined with Mijas Pueblo — the village itself is worth an hour of wandering: views, ice cream, narrow streets, the quirky miniature museum
• Takes a morning or afternoon — perfect as one activity in a holiday, not a whole-day commitment

February Half-Term

February half-term is when the Costa del Sol shows its off-season charm. It's quieter, cheaper, and the weather is usually mild (15–18°C). Mijas Pueblo is particularly lovely — fewer crowds, easy parking, and the mountain air feels crisp.

The factory is open daily, and February is a great time to visit because you won't be competing with summer crowds. Walk in, make chocolate, have coffee, wander the village. Easy.

May Half-Term

May is warm, sunny, and the village is in full bloom. If you're combining beach days with activities, a morning trip to Mijas fits perfectly — head up the hill, make chocolate, have lunch in the village, back to the pool by afternoon.

October Half-Term

October is still warm enough for the beach (sea temperature around 20°C), but the kids might want a break from sand. A chocolate factory visit hits the sweet spot — literally — between a lazy beach day and a cultural excursion.

For the Parents

While the children are making chocolate, you have two choices: join in (recommended — it's fun), or sit back with a cup of our freshly roasted speciality coffee. We roast on-site using a Typhoon fluid bed roaster, and the coffee is exceptional. Either way, you're not standing around in a car park.

Getting Here

Mijas Pueblo is about 25 minutes from Fuengirola, 35 minutes from Malaga, and 20 minutes from Marbella. The drive up the hill is scenic, the parking is free, and the village is small enough to walk around easily.

We're at Plaza Virgen de la Peña 15, Mijas Pueblo. Open daily 10:30am – 6:00pm (until 9pm in summer).

Half-term doesn't need to be complicated. Sometimes you just need a chocolate factory. For more family inspiration, see our guide to things to do in Mijas with kids.