Holiday in Ronda

What makes Ronda special as a destination?

Ronda is the city that balances on a cliff above the abyss — dramatically located on a rock plateau divided by the 100-meter-deep El Tajo gorge, connected by the legendary Puente Nuevo, one of the boldest bridge constructions of the 18th century. Ernest Hemingway and Rainer Maria Rilke loved this city, and anyone standing at the railing looking into the abyss immediately understands why. The Puente Nuevo is Ronda's landmark and architectural masterpiece: 98 meters high, the stone bridge spans the Tajo gorge and connects the Moorish old town (La Ciudad) with the newer district (El Mercadillo). The construction took 42 years (1751-1793), and the architect José Martín de Aldehüla allegedly fell to his death while trying to attach the year of construction to the bridge. Inside the bridge, there is a small museum documenting the construction history. The Plaza de Toros, built in 1785, is one of the oldest bullfighting arenas in Spain and is considered the cradle of modern bullfighting: Here, the Romero dynasty developed foot bullfighting (previously, fighting was done from horseback). Pedro Romero is said to have killed over 5,600 bulls without ever being injured. Today, historical bullfights in traditional costumes only take place in September during the Corrida Goyesca. The attached museum displays Hemingway's personal bullfighting collection. The Moorish old town La Ciudad preserves centuries of Islamic architecture: The Baños Árabes (Arab baths) from the 13th century with their star-shaped light openings in the dome are among the best-preserved in all of Spain. The Palacio de Mondragón, once the residence of the Moorish king Abomelic, offers gardens with views of the gorge. Ronda is the heart of the Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos — the route of the white villages that winds through the Andalusian hinterland: Setenil de las Bodegas (with houses under overhanging rocks), Zahara de la Sierra (perched above a reservoir), and Grazalema (the rainiest place in Spain) are all within an hour's drive.