Brief history of Ronda

Ronda is one of the oldest towns in Spain along with nearby Córdoba and the magnificent Antequera (one of my personal favourite small towns in Spain). Remains have been found that date back to the Neolithic period but it’s believed that humans were living in the area even earlier than this. 

Ronda rose to importance during the Middle Ages after the fall of the Roman Empire when it was the capital of Takurunna, one of the provinces of Al-Andalus. It was an important border area and was conquered by the Catholic Castilians from the Moors in 1485. It was at this point that the blending of the two cultures in Ronda, began and the incredible city beloved by visitors began to take shape. 

What to do with 1 day in Ronda

Ronda is a deliciously small place so you can definitely see the main sites in one day (although, as ever, I’m a proponent of slow-travel so if you can take longer for Ronda, I highly recommend it).

​Puente Nuevo 

This is the most famous bridge in Ronda. It’s big, it’s impressive and you’ll come home with dozens of photos of it from various angles.

This ‘new’ bridge was built in the 18th century to span the deep gorge and the Guadalevín River. It is not only a tourist attraction (and believe me, it is), it’s also a working bridge so ensure you’re on the pavement/sidewalk at all times. Do not wander into the road without looking as there’s a constant stream of cars and other vehicles.

Be sure to check out the incredible views on both sides of the road. Once you’ve walked over the bridge in both directions, I recommend considering a viewpoint or two.

If you want to learn more about this bridge, visit the Centro de Interpretación del Nuevo, housed inside the bridge itself.

Viewpoints / miradors in Ronda

Puente Viejo & the Jardines de Cuenca

It’s a delightful walk down to the Puente Viejo (Old Bridge) through the beautiful small park, the Jardines de Cuenca (photo above). As you walk, be sure to pay attention to the incredible views of town and the bridges. The Puente Viejo was built in the 16th century to ease access into the city as horses and carts couldn’t fit over the lower Puente Arabe.

Puente Arabe / Romano

If you keep going down you’ll come to the Puente Arabe / Romano (Arab / Roman Bridge). You’ll actually see it marked as Puente San Miguel on many maps. This is the oldest of the bridges, having been built in the 13th century when Ronda was firmly a Muslim city. It stands just 12 m above the river

​If you do make it all the way down to the Arab Bridge then you could now either visit the 

Arab Baths (Baños Arabes)

This is not a working bath but a 13th century bathhouse with a small museum. 

La Casa del Rey Moro

Here you can explore the gardens and then walk all the way down to the bottom of the gorge via the steps in the mine. The steps are perfectly safe to descend and at the bottom is a platform on the river on which you can sit and paddle your feet / take lots of photos. My recommendation is to go late in the day as the way the light reflects on the water and the rock is absolutely magical and make this well worth the trip down (and up again!).

→ Read more about La Casa de Rey Moro museum and mine

Plaza de Toros de Ronda and the Alameda del Tajo

Whether you choose to visit Ronda’s ancient bull ring (it’s one of the oldest bullrings in Spain) or not, you will definitely want to head to the Plaza de Toros as you’ll find a lot going on here. The tourist tourist office is on this plaza, you’ll often find musicians and there’s a park full of beautiful trees, a small playground, and, of course, great views of the valley and the Puente Nuevo Bridge. 

La Ciudad

This is the oldest part of Ronda, and here you’ll find Moorish buildings from the 9th – 15th centuries. It’s a really cool place to explore and get yourself lost. Don’t miss

La Casa del Gigante – a private home built during the Nasrid period (13-14th centuries) that is a small museum today

Museo Lara – a fascinating private collection of historic weapons, items relating to ‘witchcraft’, torture & more (this is a great place to stop with or without kids).

Palacio de Mondragón – a small & interesting museum housed in a 14th century building.

El Mercadillo

This is the ‘newer’ part of Old Ronda. The bull ring is here, the main plazas are here. And if you’re interested in shopping, you’ll find Carrera Espinel, the 1km long shopping street, here as well as other fun shopping areas.

Literature

Be sure to look out for both the statues of, and streets named after, Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles as you explore. Both writers were inspired by Ronda.

What else to do near Ronda

→ Learn about the incredible olive oil and its history on this MexicoCassie recommended olive oil tour

→ Have a via ferrata adventure in Ronda

→ Check out the nearby towns of Osuna, Olvera, Antequera, and Setenil de las Bodegas (You can read more about tall of them in the MexicoCassie guide to day trips from Sevilla)

→ In the summer months, take a dip in the nearby waters of Cueva del Gato