SPAIN – Sierra de Mijas, Alhaurín de la Torre in Andalusia // You Only Live Twice (1967)

The Little Nellie fight is a great part of “You Only Live Twice”. But when the stunts turned bloody, the crew had to move from Japan to Andalusia. This is how to get to the right mountains.

Why Bond was here
Rockets disappear from space – and the trace leads all the way to Japan. So James Bond (Sean Connery) travels from Tokyo to Osaka and all the way to southern Japanese prefecture Kagoshima. There, Bond boards “Little Nellie”, a one-man gyrocopter built by Q, to look for the missing rockets. He soon gets company: A squadron of helicopters under the command of Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) start a fullscale airborne battle.

How you gonna get there
Some parts of the huge air fight take place in the real Japan. But many additional scenes have a slightly different origin: the sky over Torremolinos in Andalusia. To be precise: It’s the Sierra de Mijas mountain range southeast of Andalusias harbor town Málaga.
To get to the filming location, you have to rely on a car. Get from Málaga to the little plateau town Alhaurín de la Torre and drive along main Avenida Reyes Católicos. Then turn left onto Calle El Arroyo and follow the street all the way up the mountain, passing under a bridge. When we visited, it was closed due to construction. So you may also find your way through the narrow streets next to the park of San Juan Pablo II. Then follow the road through the pine forest, till you reach a quarry. Keep to the right and follow up the winding road for some hundred meters, get the geolocation right here. You are now at the heart of Torremolinos. Now, you’ll have a good view at the Sierre de Mijas to the west and will recognize the mountain range from the Little Nellie fight.

Good to know
Torremolinos is an odd Bond location, based on additional shots only, set deep in the Spanish mountains. But the backstory is quite interesting – and worth a visit to Andalusia.
During filming in Japan the authorities were very strict. They allowed helicopter stunts above the nature reserve of Kagoshima. But when a crew member lost a foot after two helicopters crashed and when the stunt crew wanted to bring out the explosives, the Japanese drew a line. So the crew looked for a surrogate location. Since a filming unit already went to Gibraltar to film Bond’s sea funeral, they looked closer: The mountains south of Málaga looked promising, one could confuse them with Japan in a fast cut fight scene. Said and done, Andalusia became “Japan”.

Andalusia in Action: See impressions from Málaga, Granada and Córdoba

When you can spare some time, come to visit Málaga, Granada and Córdoba. The first city is a vibrant clash of posh yacht harbor and artistic medieval town. First stroll along Muello Uno for ice cream, sea food, a glimpse on expensive ships – and maybe a visit to the Parisian outpost of famous Centre Pompidou for a little Bond flavor. Then have a timeout at the tranquill Parque de Málaga, watching parrots flock the palm trees. In the Centro, there is time to visit the cathedrale, the old fort and for the Picasso museum.
About two hours away is Granada, home to the world-famous Alhambra. The city was the center of Moorish Spain for a long time, the Arabic influence is still palable. The narrow alleys of the once Muslim and Jewish ghetto Albaicin have strong Tunis, Damascus or Tangier vibes. Just enter somewhere and discover, where the alleys will lead you to. When you visit the Alhambra, come early. The Nasrid citadel and palace is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture, rich with ornaments, fountains, inlaid works. Thus it is one of the most famous tourist spots in Spain. We came at sunrise to avoid the crowds and have time for some pictures in a golden morning sun. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Nikschick/Marc Röhlig (@huntingbond)

Another two hour drive north from Granada is tranquill Córdoba, once a famous merchant city under Muslim rule. Compared to Málaga and Granada it has an even more beautiful city center to offer – with narrow streets, small backyards, tea houses and flower-filled alleys. The most famous attraction of Córdoba is probably the Mezquita, a former mosque forcibly turned into a Catholic church. Luckily, the iconic columns with the red-white arches are still preserved – paving the way for a mezmerizing experience.

We came to Andalusia during the Semana Santa – the Holy Week leading up to Easter. In Andalusia this week is celebrated with Brotherhoods marching through the streets, making their way towards the cathedrals in the city centers. Some participants, the “nazarenos”, wear the typical cone-shaped “caroza”. Others, the “penitentes” and “costaleros”, have the task to carry Jesus statues and crosses. All big towns celebrate Semana Santa, with Málaga and Granada hosting the most popular ones. Come early to claim a good spot and save some stamina: Some parades carry on till late after midnight.

© 2024 Huntingbond (1,3, gallery), © 1967 Danjaq S.A. & United Artists Corporation (2)