This little town situated high in the Serranía de Ronda Mountains is
698m above sea level and is one of the oldest and most aristocratic
places in Spain. Its near impregnable position kept the Catholic troops
at bay until 1485, and its main attraction is the deep Tagus Gorge
which is spanned by three bridges over the Guadelevín River. On both
sides of it you can see houses clinging to the cliffs that look as
though they might fall into the chasm at any time.
The town of Ronda and its surrounding mountains were legendary hideouts
for bandits and smugglers. The El Tajo, a 100m ravine divides Ronda
into two distinct parts: La Ciudad is to the south and is the Moorish
Old Town with a labyrinth of streets and alleyways which are flanked by
attractive whitewashed houses with wrought iron balconies. The newer
town of El Mercadillo is to the north. This sprang up after the
Christian Reconquest and is filled with a number of attractions,
including the Plaza de Toros.
It takes about half a day at most to see Ronda, and the best time to
visit is in the spring when the orange and almond trees are in full
bloom.
The historical town of Ronda lies on a plateau surrounded by the
Serranía de Ronda, which are the southern foothills of the Andalusian
range of mountains. A charming mountain road with dramatic views links
Ronda with the city of Marbella, only 60 km away and Málaga, 116 km
distant.
Since prehistoric times, there is evidence of men living in caves in
and around Ronda and the Arab Baths are a fine example of the
flourishing Muslim culture that was established in the town until the
Christian conquest. However, the most important feature in Ronda is the
adaptation of its inhabitants to the amazing nature of the site. The
spectacular 100 metres-deep gorge that divides the town in two parts is
spanned by the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge). The bridge, which was
completed in 1751 after 42 to years of work, is itself one of the most
depicted images of Andalusia. To the East, the Moorish side of Ronda is
full of monuments and buildings of great architectural and cultural
value, including the House of the Moorish King, the Mondragón Palace
and the Don Bosco House. To the West, the San Francisco quarter was the
expanding area of the town after the bridge was built, today with
plenty of bars offering delicious examples of traditional tapas.
Ronda is also famous for being the birthplace of modern bullfighting,
boasting to have the oldest bullring in the world. This emblematic
bullring houses the spectacular bullfight of the Goyesca Fair in
September when the whole town recalls the 18th Century days when Ronda
was the lead of bullfighting in Spain.
Kings, artists, bandits or bullfighters have impregnated with their
legends the rich history of the beautiful city of Ronda. Today, the
town of Ronda has become the third most visited place in Andalusia,
after Seville and Granada.
Places of Interest
From the Costa del Sol, the main road leading to Ronda starts in San
Pedro, within the Marbella Council, and the alternative and longer one
will take you there from Manilva and through Gaucín. Both ways are
scenic and can be really interesting to note the dramatic changes in
landscapes and even in weather as you go deep in the hills.
Once in Ronda, across the bridge that enjoys spectacular views of the
gorge you arrive at the old part of the town. To the right of the main
road is the old quarter full of palaces and noble residences such as
the Palacio de Mondragón or the Duquesa de Parcent House. At the square
you will see confirmation of the former religious splendour of Ronda
with three churches, one of them, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la
Encarnación featuring a tall bell tower.
The organised tours around Ronda have become the best and easier ways
to see the town. Sightseeing Ronda can be done with a few hours stroll
around the bridge area, where the majority of the main sites of
interest are located. The tourist office recommends visitors to follow
a tour which turns out to be very close to the one we take in our visit.
There are plenty of museums and galleries in Ronda as well as civil and
religious monuments that can be visited. The gates of El Almocábar and
Carlos V, the Town Hall and the Salvatierra Palace are some of the
sites you can enter in Ronda. The Armiñan Street houses a good range of
museums on local arts and traditions including the Hunting Museum, the
“Lara” Museum and the Bandit Museum.
The House of the Moorish Kings date back from the 18th century and its
beautiful gardens can be visited. Inside the house, 200 steps
(originally 365) lead down to the bottom of the gorge, where an
underground mine was built by the king Abomlik in the 14th century.
Several rooms were used as dungeons and store rooms.
The town offers a huge variety of bars and restaurants serving
wonderful local cuisine, Ronda also has excellent shopping facilities,
with pottery, leather work and wrought-iron products as the particular
attractions for buyers.
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