Ronda
A small guide to Ronda
Ronda is a city in the Spanish province of Málaga. It is located about 100 km from the city of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is 35.512. It is also accessible by rail from Algeciras and from Cordoba.
Ronda is situated in a very mountainous area about 750 m above mean sea level. The Rio Guadalevín runs through the city, dividing it in two and carving out the steep El Tajo canyon upon which the city is perched. Ronda was first settled by the early Celts, but its Roman and then Moorish rulers are reflected most prominently in its architecture. The forces of Catholic Spain took control of the town in 1485.
Three bridges, Puente Romano ("Roman Bridge", also known as the Puente San Miguel), Puente Viejo ("Old Bridge", also known as the Puente Arabe or "Arab Bridge") and Puente Nuevo ("New Bridge"), span the canyon. The term "nuevo" is a bit of a misnomer, since this bridge was completed in 1793. The Puente Nuevo is the tallest of the bridges, towering 120 meters above the canyon floor, and all three serve as some of the city's most impressive features. Another important site in Ronda is the Plaza de Toros, the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain that is still used, albeit infrequently. It was built in 1784 in the Neoclassical style by the architect José Martin de Aldehuela, who also designed Puente Nuevo. The partially intact baños árabes ("arab baths") are found below the city and date back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Both Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles resided in Ronda for many years, and both wrote about its beauty, contributing to its popularity. Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls describes the murder of loyalists early in the Spanish Civil War by being thrown from the cliffs of El Tajo by Franco's forces.
Most of the important sights in Ronda can be seen in a few hours as most are located around the new bridge area and within the old part of the town. The route we walked took in most of them and turned out to be close to that suggested by the tourist office. We very quickly learned that driving through Ronda's backstreets is a bad idea. Drive through the centre, past the bullring and park in one of the two underground car parks. Start your walk at the Alameda Gardens and the Convent of la Merced. From here walk down Calle Virgen de la Paz towards the bridge. The famous bullring is located on your right. It is one of the oldest in Spain, built in 1785 and now houses a museum, a shrine to the sport. It is possible to hop on a horse carriage here that tours the town. Next to the bullring you will find a very helpful tourist office and public toilets, quite a rarity in Spain but they were in a disgusting state when we visited them. Before you head for the bridge take in the gardens behind the bullring, along Paseo Blas Infante. From here are the best panoramic views over the mountains. You then come out at the side of the parador. In front of the parador is Plaza de Espana with it's statue and orange trees.
The Spanish Fir (Abies pinsapo) is endemic to the mountains surrounding Ronda.
Where is Ronda?
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