Ronda

The cliff-hanging town

When approaching Ronda from afar, one cannot help but think as to how this small city almost dangerously perched a hundred meter gorge was ever built over 30000 years ago. The town has often been described as one of the most beautiful places in the world or in Spanish as ‘Cuidad soñada’ meaning city of dreams. Ronda is practical in terms of access as almost everything is within a 500-meter radius from the Puento Nuevo Bridge. The main sights in town are the Plaza de Toros bullring, the Arab Baths, the Mondragon Palace, the medieval walls, the Water Mines and the Santa Maria church. Historically speaking, the bullring in Ronda is considered to be the most important one in Spain containing the largest central sand surface. It is entirely built of stone, all of the seating is under cover and the entrance is large enough for a horse carriage. The Puento Nuevo crossing itself is an interesting piece of artwork as it stands 98 meters tall and is still one of Spain’s most photographed bridges. The Medieval Walls served as protection when the city was under attack, which allowed Ronda to be independent. The gateway ‘Puerta de la Cijara’ is a must-see during your visit. One of the wall entrances leads to the Arab Baths. Although in ruins, the washrooms symbolize the Moorish influences from historical times and remain one of the main attractions of this town. The Mondragon Palace combines an interesting museum and Moorish gardens. The patio construction still contains Arabic script and tiling, in a similar style to Granada’s Alhambra Palace. All in all, Ronda is a photographic jewel so get snapping!