Ronda is built astride a gorge in the mountains carved out by the Rio Guadalevin, with the old town on the left and the new town on the right. Many tourists visit Ronda as a day trip from Malaga or Seville. We spent three days there and thoroughly enjoyed walking around the maze of streets. It is known as the largest of Andalucia's white towns. The Puento Nuevo bridge dates from 1759 and one can walk bellow in the gorge to experience the magnitude of the building operation. The bridge and a viewing platform around the corner provide a perfect location to watch the sun set over the distant hills.
The small bridge in the right of the photo below is the Puente Viejo (Old Bridge), built before the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge).
The Old Town largely dates from Islamic times when it was an important cultural centre. Today we find palaces and gardens used now as museums, and an impressive church built on the site of a mosque. Below is the Iglesia de Santa Maria La Mayor. Its interior may not be as tall as the cathedrals of Andalucia, but its internal decoration is no less spectacular. Apparently it was destined to be grander but the local chiefs thought it would be too expensive and ostentatious.
The domed brickwork ceiling at the entrance to the church is the only remaining piece of the original Islamic mosque here, and its simplicity of design is in marked contrast to the flamboyant decoration of the Catholic church which now dominates this location.
A tight staircase takes you up to the roof and a great view of the surrounding town.
Walking down hill from the church you pass the Puerto de Almocabar, and then to the end of the Old Town to an area known as Barrio de San Francisco. Here there are lots more narrow cobbled streets lined with white houses.
The 14th century Mondragon Palace in Ronda has been turned into a museum. Its origins as a Moorish palace can still be seen, especially by the beautiful gardens at the rear looking out over the gorge, and the orange trees an the front.
In another Moorish palace, Casa Museo Don Bosco, we attended an evening recital by the flamenco guitarist Emilio Caracafe. He is a self-taught musician and tried to teach us a 'simple' tapping rhythm for which flamenco is well known. I think the whole audience pretty much failed at this! His skill on the guitar was exceptional.
In Ronda one can find one of Spain's oldest bullrings, the Plaza de Toros. It is the largest, and therefore the most dangerous of bullrings in Spain, but today serves as only as a museum. They say that modern bullfighting was practically invented here in the late 18th century.
Dotted around the outside of the bull ring are statues of famous bullfighters.
Ronda was a charming place to explore with plenty of outdoor cafes where you could sit for hours watching the world go by. We understand that the hills behind the town are well worth a visit, but that would have required a car. So maybe we will be back?
