Day Trips from Marbella with Kids — Chocolate Factory in Mijas Pueblo

Marbella has the beaches, the old town, the parks. But when you want something different — something where the kids are genuinely engaged and you're not just killing time — you need to go up the hill.

Mijas Pueblo is 35 minutes from Marbella. And inside it, there's a working chocolate factory where families and adults make their own chocolate from scratch.

Marbella to Mijas: The Quick Version

Take the AP-7 east to Fuengirola, then follow the signs up to Mijas Pueblo. It's about 25 km, most of it motorway. The last stretch is a winding road up through pine forests with views back over the coast. Free parking at the top.

The whole trip — factory visit, village wander, lunch — takes about 3 hours. Perfect for a morning or afternoon.

The Chocolate Factory

Mayan Monkey is at Plaza Virgen de la Peña 15, right in the centre of the village. It's a working factory — chocolate being made on one side, coffee being roasted on the other. Not a theme park version of a factory, but the real thing.

For the Kids

Workshops run daily for ages 3 and up. Each child gets their own workstation with professional-grade moulds, real organic chocolate, and a choice of toppings. They make:

• Decorated chocolate bars with their own design
• Luxury bonbons with ganache fillings
• The "Chocolate Rain" experience (trust us, they'll talk about this one)

About 35 minutes, and everything they make goes home in a box. No booking needed for small groups.

For the Parents

Join the workshop (it's fun, honestly) or sit back with a cup of freshly roasted speciality coffee. Mayan Monkey roasts on-site using a Typhoon fluid bed roaster — it's proper third-wave coffee, not a capsule machine. You can also buy bags of beans to take back to the villa.

Mijas Pueblo: What Else to Do

The village is one of Andalucía's classic white towns — compact, walkable, and photogenic from every angle. With kids:

• The miradores — lookout points with views stretching from Fuengirola to Africa on a clear day
• Ice cream — several good spots on the main square
• The miniature museum — unexpectedly fascinating, even for adults
• The streets themselves — narrow, winding, full of flowers and unexpected courtyards
• Lunch — plenty of restaurants with terrace seating and mountain views

The village is small enough that you can't really get lost, which makes it perfect with young children. Let them run ahead, explore, look in shop windows.

On the Way Back

If you want to extend the day, Fuengirola is right at the bottom of the hill. Bioparc (the zoo) is excellent, the beach promenade is long and flat for pushchairs, and there are playgrounds along the seafront.

Practical Info

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

Marbella for the beach. Mijas for the chocolate. It's a 35-minute drive and a completely different world. Staying further along the coast? See our guide to day trips from Málaga with kids too.