Águilas beaches: Cueva de las Palomas (Cala Mijo): Dog friendly beach

A sheltered cove on the headland between Matalentisco and Calarreona

The Cueva de las Palomas, also known as Cala Mijo, is a small curving beach which nestles on the eastern side of the headland separating the beach of Calarreona from the one at Matalentisco, and is between the Cala de las Tortugas and the small cove known as La Herredura.  

This is the sixth beach of 36 in the municipality of Águilas along 28 kilometres of coastline, counting from the boundary with Almería, and is a wild, rocky cove. Like Cala de las Tortugas, it is only 60 metres long and 10 metres wide, but it is rarely crowded, even in peak summer.

This is mainly due to the access being either from the sea or via rocky paths from Calarreona or Matalentisco. It is easier to get close by car than Cala de las Tortugas, as long as you have a certain amount of fortune negotiating the tracks through the shrubs and bushes on top of the headland: the cove lies between large abandoned houses on the promontories which stand either side of it, and these provide useful visible landmarks.

Even so, many will prefer to leave their vehicles in more conventional areas a little further away and find their way to the sand on foot. 

Although the water is clear, and bathing conditions are as attractive as at any of the beaches of Águilas, there are no facilities for visitors, and for this reason the beach has been designated a dog friendly beach for the use of dog owners throughout the year.

It is illegal to take dogs onto beaches in most coastal municipalities and in Águilas this beach is designated for dog use 12 months of the year and a second beach, Playa Cañada del Negro is provided for dog use between September and June.

Dog owners are requested to clean up after their dogs and ensure that their dogs are not a nuisance to other dog owners.

The sand here is yellow but not as pristine as at other beaches in this part of Águilas, and so it is only to be expected that there may be deposits of posidonia sea grass washed on to the shore.

The nearest restaurant and services are 500 metres to the west in Calarreona, which can be reached on foot fairly easily along the coastal path, while the western end of Águilas itself is under five minutes away by car. 

For information concerning all of the beaches in Águilas visit the summary of all the beaches in Águilas.

More information about Águilas including beaches, what to see, what's on and tourist information can be found on ÁGUILAS TODAY