Àngels Barceló brings ‘Hoy por Hoy’ to La Cala de Mijas for its traditional welcome to summer

Àngels Barceló, one of Spain’s most respected and popular journalists and presenter of the flagship morning radio programme Hoy por Hoy on Cadena SER, recently took the show on the road to Mijas. The special broadcast of the show which regularly pulls in 3 million listeners,  presented this time from La Cala de Mijas on Friday, June 5, was part of the programme’s traditional welcome to summer from the Costa del Sol.

In the studio, or rather, on location in the coastal heart of the municipality, Barceló was joined by Ana Mata, mayor of Mijas, and two much-loved members of the local expat community who perfectly illustrate the town’s open and multinational character: Dr Sladana Obradovic and Alan Boardman.

Ana Mata introduces Spain to the many colours of Mijas

Speaking with Barceló, mayor Ana Mata described Mijas as the perfect place to lose oneself. The municipality offers three distinct worlds in one: the mountains, the sea, and a lively centre where people live and work. While some destinations are chosen so you can be seen, according to Mata, Mijas draws those who prefer to disappear into one of its 16 beautiful beaches. “Here, we can feel foreign in our own land,” she said with evident fondness. In winter the town may look quiet, she said, but it is far from empty with its 12 golf courses that attract visitors from across Europe. Mata summed up the municipality’s greatest asset simply: “Mijas is nature — an ideal setting to reconnect with oneself.”

When asked how many nationalities call Mijas home, Mata gave the striking figure of 131. “A place where everyone feels at home,” she said. “Here, the rhythm of life is different from that of big cities.”

Dr Sladana Obradovic, earns the trust of El Pueblo

To highlight this rich diversity, Barceló introduced Dr Sladana Obradovic, originally from the former Yugoslavia. Dr Obradovic has run the night shift at the health centre in Mijas Pueblo for many years and has earned the deep trust and affection of all the local community.

Alan Boardman, responsible for shining a light on Mijas culture

Barceló then welcomed Alan Boardman, who has lived in Mijas with his wife Jenny for 21 years. A proud Mancunian and Manchester United supporter (something Barceló wanted to clarify from the outset), Alan explained how he and Jenny swapped their careers in a semi-precious stones shop for a life dedicated to charitable work. Noticing there was no English-language historical tour of the beautiful and historically rich village of Mijas Pueblo, he began offering guided tours. These are run entirely for charity, with all proceeds support local associations and causes on the Costa del Sol. Alan spoke movingly about the joy he feels when he sees the expressions on visitors’ faces as they discover the many fascinating layers of Mijas’s history and culture.

Àngels Barceló then asked Mayor Ana Mata about the deeper importance of initiatives like Alan’s tours. Mata stressed that they help prevent the formation of ghettos by encouraging newcomers to learn about their new home, its history, its present, and its future. “In the end, we’re a big family,” she said.

To close the conversation, Barceló asked each of her three guests to name their favourite place in Mijas. El Pueblo was the resounding answer from each.