by Travis Gill
Ronda, Spain is a town in the province of Málaga that is best known for its strikingly beautiful Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) that spans the 120-metre-deep (390 ft) chasm created by the Guadalevín River.
The old part of the town is small enough that it is best appreciated by walking. We recommend starting this 3.7 meter route about 1.5 hours before sunset so you can enjoy the views at each of the landmarks before ending the evening by watching the sunset at landmark “J”.
On a wall, near the Puente Nuevo, is a large tile painting of the white-washed homes of Ronda sitting proudly on the high cliffs. On the left you can see the circular bull ring.
Nearly every home or building in this section of the town is white with brown ceramic tiled roofing. I wonder if there is a law against painting your home any other color than white?
The coat of arms of the town – Oronda Fidelis et Fortis (Ronda – Sure and Robust)
Since much of the ancient city is situated on the cliff side, there are wonderful elevated views of the countryside in nearly all directions.
I love the fresh look of white-washed buildings contrasted against the surrounding trees and countryside.
Looking west from the Alameda del tajo. This is a nice park full of trees, statues, and great views of the countryside.
This park also had its fair share of feral cats. This one almost seemed to pose elegantly for my picture.
Looking back at the gazebo at Mirador de Ronda. It was nice and relaxing to see other people relishing in the moment like we were.
Enjoying the layers of colors of this stunning countryside.
The most beautiful pictures of Ronda show the village on top of the massive 120-metre-deep (390 ft) cliffs that were carved by the Guadalevín River.
This is southern Spain, so bullfighting is very much a part of their traditions. To read more about Spanish-style bull fighting, check out our blog titled “Spanish Bull Fighting – History, Tradition, and Controversy”.
Matadors are national heros here in Spain. They are idolized in statues, imagery, and paintings. There is even a “walkway of fame” here in Ronda.
The Bullring of the Royal Cavalry of Ronda was closed due to COVID-19, but we saw flyers being put up to announce the first event scheduled for August 1st.
While in Ronda we enjoyed some of the local food to include the Spanish favorite of tapas.
These appetizers originated in southern Spain and often include some form of meat or seafood, cheese, and bread. We enjoyed chorizo and ham with a selection of local cheeses. These meals tend to be light but are full of flavor.
The sun slowly descending towards the horizon of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
The hiking trail down to the Mirador Puente Nuevo de Ronda provides some of the best views of the surrounding town.
At the bottom of the steep walkway is the Cañón de El Tajo waterfall.
There is a reason why photographers call the time just before sunset the “magic hour”. The range of colors is pure beauty.
I recently saw a NASA release a time-lapse video of the Sun that I through would be fun to share with Chantil. The Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded 425 million high-resolution images over the last 10 years. The video is quite magical to watch and reminds us of this amazing universe!
Buenas noches Sol. Thanks for another wonderful day of exploring southern Spain. Nos vemos mañana…
Next Blog Post
Join us next week as we continue our tour of southwestern Spain by riding from Ronda to Seville enjoying the towns of Setenil de las Bodegas and Olvera along the way.
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Probably in the regulations of the municipality it is indicated that the houses must be white so as not to break the aesthetics of the whole town. The origin of white paint is due to three factors: the abundance of lime in the area, the disinfectant effect of lime, and the fact that the white color reflects the sun’s rays making the houses cooler in summer. At present few already use lime, but in the poorest areas it is still used because it is very cheaper, although it requires doing it every year.
I ALWAYS appreciate your insight and expertise on Spain. Thanks for the interesting information.
This place looks unreal that first photo its amazing. I will certainly be putting this on a list of places to go one day.
Definitely worth visiting and spending an evening to enjoy the sunset.
magnificent !
Anyone know if this gaff is full of mozzies mid September? My lad suggested we go but am a mozzy target
We’re not sure. It wasn’t bad at all when we visited in early July.