{"id":28464,"date":"2014-01-08T14:25:56","date_gmt":"2014-01-08T14:25:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.fuertehoteles.com\/?p=28464"},"modified":"2018-10-04T10:15:28","modified_gmt":"2018-10-04T10:15:28","slug":"mijas-donkey-taxi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.fuertehoteles.com\/en\/activities\/mijas-donkey-taxi\/","title":{"rendered":"Original Villages Of Andalucia: Taking A \u201cDonkey Ride\u201d In Mijas"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Costa del Sol<\/strong><\/a> offers endless choices for visiting tourists, including places only found in this area of Southern Europe, combining the charm of its Moorish past with gorgeous weather throughout the year.<\/p>\n

One of these special sites is the narrow streets and whitewashed houses of Mijas<\/strong><\/a>, located just 35km and 20 minutes drive away from the tourist epicentre of Marbella<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

From its perch, one can see one of the most beautiful views of Malaga<\/strong> towards the sea, with the Sierra de Mijas<\/strong> behind and the Mediterranean ahead. While the village of Mijas alone is worth a visit, its donkey taxis<\/strong> are what really sets it apart.<\/p>\n

The Origin Of The \u201cDonkey Taxis\u201d<\/h2>\n

Below, we\u2019ve gathered the funny origins of the donkey-taxis in Andalucia<\/a>.<\/strong> In the 1960s, area farmers returned to town with their donkeys only to be stopped by German, French and English tourists who wanted to be photographed with them, or taken for a ride. As the story goes, business for the donkey visits became so strong that tips given by tourists outpaced wages the donkeys could earn by working in the fields. Thus, the inhabitants of Mijas decided to make donkeys their new business, which is why they have become one of the town\u2019s main tourist attractions today. Currently there are 52 licensees and 17 donkey carts<\/strong> running along the most scenic routes of the town\u2019s white walled streets, nestled between the mountains and the coastline.<\/p>\n

Additionally, animal lovers should know that this activity works in support of the species\u2019 preservation and maintenance.<\/strong> After forty years of a shrinking population, with almost a million disappearing due to a slowing agricultural industry, the local donkey population has stabilised around 75,000.<\/p>\n