Ronda Travel Guide: Serrania de Ronda, Ronda City, the Pueblos Blancos, and Grazalema Natural Park

Ronda is the largest town in the Serrania de Ronda mountain range, and is home to nearly 40,000 people who are known locally as Rondeños. Founded by the celts in pre-Roman times, Ronda is one of Spain's oldest cities and was one of the last Moorish cities to fall in the Spanish reconquest.

The city of Ronda is well worth a visit, although to get the most from your Ronda holiday you could easily spend a week or more here. Situated at the top of the towering 100meter high El Tajo gorge in the rio Guadalevin, Ronda spans both sides and is connected by bridges, the most spectacular of which is the New Bridge (Puente Nuevo) which you can see in the image above.

The old town of Ronda is most well known for the Moorish influence in its architecture although much was destroyed after the reconquest. The original Moorish baths (Baos Arabes) have been lovingly restored and are well worth a visit, along with the Mondragon Palace, home to many of Ronda's Moorish Kings.

The modern form of bullfighting where matadors face the bull on foot has its origins in Ronda, and the Plaza de Toros built in 1785 is the oldest arena in Spain. It's a magnificent looking building, white with orange highlights, with a magnificent statue of a bull standing proudly outside the main entrance.

From the Plaze del Toro all of the main attractions are no more than a few minutes walk, with almost all being less than 500m from the central tourist office.

A favorite walk takes you from the bullring across the Puente Nuevo and into the old town and then toward the Town Hall and the Iglesia Santa Maria la Mayor. From here, continue on to the Mondragon Palace before making your way back to the Moorish King's Palace, the Palacio de Salvatierra, and then down to the Arab Baths and the Roman Bridge.

A short walk further on takes you to the Eight Spout Fountain and the Church of Nuestre Padre Jesus. The city gardens alongside the El Tajo gorge are must see before finally arriving back in the main pedestrian shopping arcade.

As many as 25,000 years ago paleolithic people of the Serrania de Ronda lived in the limestone caves for which Benaojan and Montejaque are famous. These days a modern road passes by the Cueva de la Pileta and a short but steep walk takes you to the entrance.

Discovered in 1905, Cueva de la Pileta is one of the few caves in Europe where tourists are able to visit and see ancient cave art with their own eyes. More importantly, visitors of many fitness levels and ages are able to participate in this wonderful experience since the cave is more accessible than many. Just make sure you bring sturdy shoes.

Cueva de le Pileta offered Andalucia's ancient residents a dry home and protection from wild animals around them, and includes some stunning examples of prehistoric cave art. The caves are believed to have been almost continuously used for nearly 20,000 years before the invention of the first houses, though nothing of this period remains.

It wasn't until the arrival of the Celts, Phoenicians and Greeks that organized towns were developed in the Serrania de Ronda, with Acinipo becoming the biggest, although it was the Romans who were most responsible for Acinipo becoming a city. It was in these times that Ronda (then known as Arunda) was founded.

Acinipo in the 1st century was such an important trading city that Emperor Hadrian granted it the right to mint it's own coins. An ampitheater capable of seating 3,000 people was also built.

Getting to Acinipo to see the ampitheater, which is sadly the last suriving structure in the city, is no more than a 15 minute drive from Ronda, and is free to enter and walk around. Several active archeological digs are onsite.

The fascinating Andalucian Pueblos Blancos (white towns) of the Serrania de Ronda nestled between the mountains are a must see stop for any tourist, although which to choose, they each have their own reason for visiting.

The villages are almost evenly split between Malaga and Cadiz provinces and were founded or colonised by Moorish settlers from Morocco who painted them white with a limestone wash since this was known to help cool the houses in the harsh heat of the summer sun.

Every springtime the village women women make up fresh batches of limestone paint and give their houses a fresh coat of white wash.

The history of the little villages of the Serrania de Ronda is a little different from other Spanish villages, for hundreds of years these villages lay on the frontier between Christian Spain and the Moorish Kingdoms. Whilst the mosques are gone, Moorish artistic styles remain.

My favorite Pueblos Blancos
Grazalema
High up in he mountains, Grazalema sits just beneath the Sierra del Pinar mountains giving it slightly milder summers than surrounding villages. The town is one of Andalucia's most visited, and lunch or tapas in the town square is a great way to relax and ease the kinks out of muscles not used to walking the local mountain tracks. The tourist office in Grazalema has a permanent display of photography of local birds, flowers, and insects endemic to the local area.

Zahara de la Sierra
The enchanting Zahara has everything, a Moorish castle on the hill above, beautiful white washed houses, attractive flowers in windows, well kept cobblestone roads, and of course the view down to the dam with its Olive groves give Zahara a timeless charm. The castle keep is open to the public and is free to enter, and is a great place to take photographs of the surrounding area. One of our favorite places to relax is the Al Lago restaurant and tapas bar which overlooks the tranquility of the lake.

Setenil de las Bodegas
Setenil is one of those villages you just have to see and photograph. In truth Setenil is a small town these days but the old town down near the river is where you'll find houses built under the rocky overhang, it really is a must-see Pueblo Blanco in the Serrania de Ronda

One of the truly great experiences of visiting the Serrania de Ronda is the range of Jamon Serrano and Chorizo that are available, many cured and prepared right here in the area.

In fact just outside Ronda at Benaojan are several factories that produce these special meats for the local and national market in Spain, but you don't need to make a special trip to find the factory, all of the supermarkets in Ronda carry an extensive range.

For lunch try a bocadillo de jamon serrano, a locally produced fresh bread roll with ham and cheese. It sounds plain but add a sprinkle of Olive oil as the locals do, and with great ingredients like these it's a not to be missed treat that will fill your stomach.

Ronda is famous the world over for the gorge that runs through the middle of the city cutting it in two. Many of the houses on either side seem to precariously balanced as if at any moment they could slide off, they are Ronda's hanging houses.

Houses Perched on Cliffs, Ronda, Andalucia, Spain Photographic Print
9 in. x 12 in.
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Framed   Mounted

Every year during Saint's Week, or Semana Santa in Spanish, expect to see hundreds of people parading through the streets of every city or village, with thousands more watching and making the sign of the cross as the huge several ton pasos pass them.

Semana Santa is a tradition in Spain that for many people is no longer religious, instead it is a beautiful symbol of the uniqueness of Spanish culture. Cities such as Malaga, Sevilla, or further afield Madrid draw the largest processions and crowds, but in Ronda the processions can be appreciated more without those large crowds. Local processions take place almost every night or day of the holy week, sometimes as many as 4 or 5 processions because the various religious fraternities often compete with each other.

Penitents can often be seen walking alongside the paso whipping themselves with palm fronds, though not too hard, their private torment is more than sufficient and after the procession is complete they will enter the church and have their sins absolved in the company of loved ones or in the privacy of the confessional.

The biggest processions in Ronda are those that leave from the Iglesia de la Santa Maria la Mayor, which is Ronda's largest church. However the processions that often draw the biggest crowds depart from the parish churches in the suburbs. My favourite is the procession that takes place late at night in complete silence. Even the street lights are turned off. During this procession penitents will walk barefoot through the city carrying large wooden crosses on their shoulders.

The gorge in Ronda produces some spectacular views, especially as the sun travels across the sky. This is one of my favourites.

Ronda, Andalucia, Spain Framed Art Print
30.875 in. x 38.875 in.
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