Hiking La Concha from Juanar

Hiking La Concha, Marbella's most famous mountain, can be started from Juanar just 25 minutes from central Marbella.

You were there? Please send us your review and grade. We would love to hear from your family!

At 1200 meters above sea level, the mountain of La Concha is one of Marbella's most recognized landmarks with its chiseled shape and deep grooves. The hike starts at the natural park and resort hotel Juanar and continues 8 km to the top. You can see olive groves, pine trees, berry bushes and walnut trees along the trek as well as Spanish goats, eagles and owls.

How to get there: Take highway A-7 direction Benalmadena-Algeciras. Exit "Centro Comercial La Caņada - Ojen" (A-355). Continue 11 km along road and turn left at sign indicating "Refugio de Juanar". Continue another 5km. May park at hotel or continue further 0.5km to entrance gates.
Website: Refugio de Juanar is the website of the hotel where the hike starts.

MarbellaFamilyFun grade: 10

---

Son's evaluation: Hiking La Concha with my friends was so fun. We had a great time climbing up trees and passing through little paths. The best parts were looking at the beautiful view from the top and having a hot chocolate when we came back to the bottom. (March 2009) Grade: 10

---

Daughter's evaluation: I think it is really fun hiking La Concha. As you walk, there are so many trees to climb and that is fun. It is also tiring. You will need a lot of water and food. (March 2009) Grade: 10

---

Mom's evaluation: We really had a great day hiking La Concha with the kids and some of our friends. We didn't make it to the top as we got to a point that was unfamiliar and we had already been walking for 2 hours. The children begged to continue, but we were afraid they would be too tired for the return trip. So we promised we would get up earlier and continue to the top next time. I suggest you start as early as possible. Park your car as far up as you can. You'll get to a gate where you can no longer drive and have to start walking. Choose a day that's not too hot and not too cold. Spring and Fall are probably the best times to walk up. Look out for posts indicating the way as it's not always clear, however the path is pretty straightforward. Our group consisted of children from 6 yrs - 10 yrs and we hiked a total of 4 hours. They all surprised us with their stamina although I have doubts my own kids could hike without complaining if they didn't have friends to keep them occupied. So go with friends if you can. We took our dog with us and he thoroughly enjoyed the freedom. After about an hour and a half we took a break along a rock to eat the picnic we brought along with us. There are no trash cans around, so you'll have to pick up your waste and take it back with you. All the children have after-school sport activities, but are used to traveling around by car, so we were all surprised at how long they could walk. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen. Get the kids to go to the toilet right before you go as there are no facilities around other than the hotel. After our hike we had a coffee and hot chocolate at the hotel, which has a cozy atmosphere, but the lack of friendly service left a bad taste in our mouths. If you have really small kids or babies, you can still visit Juanar and have a nice stroll even with strollers until you get to a rocky point where you need to somewhat climb. You can then turnback and still count in an hour or two of walking. You must absolutely wear comfortable shoes and maybe even bring along blister pads or band-aids in case you reach this point. Overall, it's a wonderful place to go as a family that includes exercise, nature and it's free! (March 2009)
Grade: 10

---

Dad's evaluation: Hiking la Concha from Juanar with children should take about 6 hours up and down (with a snack break). This hike is easier than the one starting from Istan as the path at the beginning is very wide, well marked and does not offer much difficulty for about two hours (there are only 2-3 steep, not too long segments). After that, the path gets narrower and requires much more attention. If you are walking with younger children, it is a good time to turn back. If you keep going, watch for loose stones and admire the view as you reach the top. It is worth the effort as you will dominate the entire Costa del Sol and clearly see Gibraltar and Morocco across the stretch. Don't forget to take a snack and enough water. (November 2009) Grade: 10