Located in the province of Malaga and still part of the Costa del Sol, Ronda is a magnificent place swathed in history dating back to the Roman times. Ronda is a very popular tourist destination with spectacular scenery and historic buildings.

It is certainly a place to visit in Spring and Summer as it is located high up in the mountains and has regular snow falls during some weeks in winter.

Ronda is home to a river gorge called El Tajo, which seperates to two main historical parts of the city. At the top of this gorge is a bridge made out of stone which many years ago housed a prison. The view from the bridge is one of the many reasons Ronda attracts so many visitors every year.

Walking around the Spanish city of Ronda is quite breathtaking with it’s different styles of buildings and architecture. There is a heavy Moorish influence in the city and the oldest bull ring in Spain is also located in Ronda. This alone is a huge tourist attraction as it is well known for being one of the most beautiful in the country. Being so popular, there is a museum at the bull ring depicting some of the best bull fights and bull fighters through history (not everyones cup of tea).

The elevated position of Ronda and the difficulty to approach the city by foot made it virtually invincible to the Christians who tried in vane to take back the city from the Moors. It did eventually fall but was one of the last cities to be taken in the re-conquest of Spain by the Christians.

There are many walks and things to do around Ronda but the views have to be seen to be believed. The river Guadalevin lies way below the bridge and it is possible to take the many steps down the mountainside to the viewing platform below overlooking the river.

Even shopping in Ronda is a delight as many of the shops have managed to retain their original appearence and stlye so it looks like you are shopping in medieval Spain. The shopping area is now pedestrianised, which makes the whole experience even more enjoyable.

Getting to Ronda from the coast is actually fairly straight forward and will take about an hour to get there, although it is only about 45kms away. The road is good but very steep and windy. If you have passengers they will certainly enjoy the drive as the scenery, countryside and views back to the coast are some of the best in Andalucia. The “Ronda road” is accessed just by San Pedro de Alcantara, which is beween Estepona and Marbella. Once you are on the road you just keep going until you reach the city of Ronda, one of Andalucia’s best kept secrets.

If you are planning to stay for a few days there are many rural hotels in Ronda or just outside the village which add to the ambiance of a trip to the city.