RONDA
Last year while in Seville, we’d talked about a day trip to Ronda but gave upon the idea when we had a couple of difficulties.....we seemed to have trouble figuring out which of the 3 bus stations we would use - and to be truthful - we really didn’t want to leave the beautiful city of Seville! As Ronda is only about 70km from Estepona, we decided that this would be the time to visit.
After grabbing a couple of early morning chocolate croissants from our favourite patisserie in town, Honoré Panaderia, we took that infamous #79 bus to San Pedro......the first of 2 buses needed to get there. Having previously visited San Pedro we knew that we needed to buy the ticket to Ronda from a kiosk across the street. Simple - we even had time for a coffee...lots of time as it turned out - the bus not only arrived late, but was overbooked! We were lucky enough to get on and find a seat, but unfortunately others were not....leaving a large group with no alternative but to get off and wait for the next one - a wait of over an hour. At this point the frustrated bus driver came around and checked everyone’s ticket. He also made a couple of other people, who were willing to stand for the journey, get off....a wise decision as we were about to find out!
Although geography has never being my strong point, I’d figured out that we’d be going into the mountains to visit this “Pueblo Blanca”.....what I didn’t realize was that we’d be going up and over the top of the mountains, in order to reach this largest of Andalucia’s “white towns” - and It was quite the journey! For over an hour we went around and around on a road that climbed ever steeper....and although there were some guard rails along the tightest of the bends, that was not always true! The beginning of the climb took us through a dense forest of pine trees which barely clung to the rock face. Further up, when the vegetation thinned out, it was mostly scrub on the rocky surface, which allowed views that were both spectacular and scary....and then we went down the other side...was I mad? Suffering from travel sickness since birth, was I actually the one who suggested this?.....after just over an hour, we (thankfully) reached Ronda.
At a height of about 2500 feet above sea level, Ronda sits dramatically above a 300 foot deep gorge, which separates the city’s “new town” (dating back to the 15th century) from its old - which dates back to its Islamic period. With a dramatic history of warriors, outlaws and bandits, modern bullfighting was said to be invented here. In the “new” part of town, a legendary 18th century bullring is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
During the late 18th century the town’s fame grew when writers and famous Europhiles spent time living there. Ernest Hemingway is said to have based “For Whom The Bell Tolls” on events that occurred in Ronda during the Spanish Civil War.
Now it’s a popular tourist spot, featured in many a bus tour. At this time of year it’s still very busy, but manageable. I’m sure that it must be quite frantic during the heat of the summer months....especially as everyone heads towards the 18th century Puente Nuevo - the “new” bridge - which straddles the gorge way below (which is exactly what we did!)
The views from this stone bridge are breathtaking - with dramatic escarpments, the deep El Tajo gorge far below carries the Guadalevin River through its centre. With the Serrania de Ronda mountains all around, Ronda truly deserves its fame.
The building of this bridge, completed in 1793, took 40 years - and the lives of 50 of its workers. It was built to replace the 16th century bridge - which was built to replace an even older one built by the Moors during the 12th century.
After quite a lot of time admiring the views from various look out points, we crossed over the gorge into Ronda’s old town - La Ciudad - which surprisingly retains a lot of its historic charm. This original Moorish area weaves around one central street, Calle Armiñon, and we spent most of our time in this small area of cobbled streets....making our way down to Puerta de Almocábar - one of the most important gates in the city walls. Built in the 13th century it’s close to a former cemetery, just outside the city walls. This gate was also one of the main entrances to the Muslim medina.
Just beyond the gate, while sitting at an outside café, we did what I suspect many visitors do....we studied a tourist map and had to make some decisions on how we’d spend the rest of our day in Ronda. The day was sunny and hot, and as is usual for us, we decided to spend it mostly wandering outside.....and so we continued our walk around - and back up - through the old town.
Close to the outer city gate we passed the Iglesia Del Espíritu Santo, a fortress-like church built in 1485, which graces the bottom part of La Ciudad. Throughout the winding streets we saw handsome town houses - mansions actually - many of which are still occupied by Ronda’s titled families. Other town houses are now museums and galleries...a cloistered 16th century convent is one of the more elegant of the art museums.
The most beautiful public space in all of this town has to be the Plaza Duquesa de Parcent....all of the winding streets in the old town seem to lead there. This leafy plaza boasts another convent, a handsome municipal building plus two churches - one of which has a lovely bell tower. One of the most outstanding buildings is the Palacio Mondragón which now houses a museum. In order to see the building, we visited the museum itself - which was ok - certainly worth the 3 euros it cost to enter. With a collection of pottery through the ages, it also traced the area’s population and its movements....an interesting “mock up” of a shelter shows that until recently the construction of the dwellings in nearby local villages differed very little through the ages.
The palace, which over the years has been remodelled, is a combination of Mudejar and Castilian style. Once a 12th century Moorish Palace, the small miniature water garden there is nothing short of exquisite. It was for us, one if the highlights of the day. Thanks to the location of the building, the small, peaceful garden has panoramic views over the amazing landscapes which surround it.
We would have lingered longer in the Mondragón garden, but having already done many steps, with only a single chocolate croissant in our stomachs, we needed a little sustenance. Forgoing a café or restaurant, we bought a baguette filled with local cheese, generously smeared with local olive oil. Purchased from a local shop, we ate this overpriced - but delicious - sandwich while sitting on the steps in the square of the 16th century Convento de Santa Domingo. Our meal was accompanied by music - compliments of a classical guitarist who sat on some adjacent steps......I can’t remember a time when a sandwich ever tasted so good!
I could finish the story of our day in Ronda here - it was one of those perfect moments - but it would be wrong to leave out the “new” town, of which we admittedly saw too little. It has a great “high street,” Calle Espinel, which starts at the bullring and is full of charming old fashioned shops that sell virtually everything, including high-end clothes and leather goods. Both here and the surrounding streets are a vibrant place to walk, shop and eat - with a choice of lots of cafés and restaurants - and yes a shop that sold delicious sandwiches that were much cheaper than the one that we bought! Palaces, museums and the remains of Arab Baths are also to be found in this newer part of town. For anyone who is both fit and adventurous (and has enough time) there are two different routes that can be taken down into the gorge. One way down to the bottom is through the gardens of the Casa del Rey Moro, where there is an old old water mine - and 300 steps!
The new part of town is also filled with attractive parks and promenades, one of which - the Paseo de Los Ingleses - was recently remodelled. Originally built in the late 19th century as a pleasant walk for the use of visitors staying at the Victoria Hotel, it’s been restored and lengthened. Using local rock, it has new lighting and plenty of benches. Although previously vandalized, this walkway is now a quiet and peaceful place that allows all pedestrians to walk along the top of the gorge, with frequent “lookout balconies” along the way. Before heading back home we strolled along it - with frequent stops at the balconies that literally hang out right over the edge.
Ronda is a town with lots to see, and time is short for a day trip. If on a group tour, only a certain number of hours in a location may be allotted. If travelling independently on local transportation, as we did, time spent there is determined by bus schedules...so...
****my tourist tip would be - if possible - spend at least one night there. Tour buses and day-trippers leave at the end of the day, and apparently Ronda becomes a more peaceful and quieter place.....evening views are said to be far more spectacular.****
This town is where Orson Welles chose to have his ashes buried....he said:-
“A man does not belong to the place where he was born, but where he chooses to die.” I prefer a different quote (seen on painted tiles here and attributed to Tennyson) ... “Ronda, is indeed, one of those places that stand alone. I know of nothing to which it can be compared.”