Where is Ronda?
At a distance of around 100 kilometres and to the west of Malaga Airport, Ronda is situated high in the mountains and inland from the famous resort of Marbella, which itself sits on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
What kind of place is Ronda?
Ronda is a town which numbers around 35,000 inhabitants and tips atop a towering rocky plateau. With the appearance of a ‘town in the sky’, it is divided down the centre by the El Tajo river gorge, through which the Rio Guadalevin runs. Access from one side of the town to the other is enabled by no less than three bridges and will take you from the old Moorish quarter to the El Mercadillo area, which is home to the more ‘recent’ development. The now inappropriately named Puente Nuevo, or New Bridge, straddles the 100 metre chasm below and affords spectacular views towards the Serrania de Ronda mountains.
What is there to do and see in Ronda?
You could spend a week just taking a leisurely stroll through the two parts of Ronda without ever leaving the ‘rock’, and still not get bored. Wherever you go, the views of the surrounding countryside are stunning and the town itself has so much to explore amongst its cobbled streets, where some of the buildings seem as though they are growing out of the rock itself.
From the church of Espiritu Santo, built in the Gothic-Renaissance style, to the main mosque of the town, parts of which date back to the 13th century, you will find much in the older part of the town to see. The palaces of Mondragon and the Marquis of Salvatierra and the House of the Moor, La Casa del Rey Moro, are also located on this side of the gorge, as are the Bandit Museum, the Hunting Museum and the Lara Museum. The town’s Archaeological Museum is housed within the palace of Mondragon.
The lovely Plaza Duquesa de Parcent, located very close to Mondragon, is surrounded by two churches, a convent and the magnificent council building with its long series of arches.
As well as all the archaeological and architectural delights that Ronda has to offer, you will also find all the facilities that you need to make your stay here an extremely enjoyable one. The town offers many hotels, bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as a delightful shopping experience. Whether you are looking for antiques, paintings, handmade cloth, wickerwork items or brightly-coloured ceramics and pottery, you will find it here.
What is there to do and see in the area generally?
The local train service from Ronda will take you to a variety of the neighbouring resorts of the Malaga province and represents a relaxing way to travel and enjoy the stunning scenery. You could either take a trip to Algeciras, from where you can hop on a ferry for a day trip to Morocco, or change at Bobadilla and make your way to Malaga city, Granada or Sevilla.