Ronda, Spain

Today we are leaving the Mediterranean (Malaga area) and heading north…up into the mountains.

Soon after turning off the A7 highway at San Pedro de Alcantara, we find ourselves on a paved road that goes up and up and up…winding back and forth and back and forth and up and up. The valleys get deeper and deeper as we climb higher and higher. (I wish we had packed a picnic lunch as there are some lovely view points complete with a picnic table.) The vegetation changes from deciduous to evergreen and then becomes almost nonexistent. The terrain changes from grass to rock. These are the Sierra Bermeja (mountains) and they are breath taking…but I would not like to be driving through them in the winter time! At this altitude I suspect they could get a lot a snow and that would make driving hazardous.

 (Hint: Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

As we cross over the highest pass and start heading down again the terrain becomes greener. There are fields in the valley and on some of the slopes. A few houses dot the area. Signs on the highway caution us to watch for cattle and we do see a herd of dark, dark brown (well fed) cattle. I wonder what breed they are.

Then, on the horizon, a white town appears. That must be Ronda…today’s destination.

We find an underground parking arcade…very modern with little lights on the ceiling above each stall…green indicating stall is empty, red indicating stall is occupied. This was very helpful as one glances down long aisles. (We had never seen this feature before and were suitably impressed.)

It is lunch time. A pretty tapas bar named Las Caballerieas looks inviting. So in we go, order 4 delicious tapas plates and two mineral waters for only 13 euros.

Fully refreshed, we set off exploring Ronda. The pedestrian street Espinel has many clothing and jewelry shops and a wonderful quality toy and souvenir shop that I fell in love with. At street level everything seemed quite ordinary until one looked up a bit and realized the colours and architectural details on the buildings were really quite lovely.

We came to Ronda because of Ernest Hemingway. I am serious. (You did not think I saw your eyes roll, did you!) Ernest Hemingway’s classic story For Whom the Bell Tolls features a bridge, a bridge that sees horrific events during the Spanish Civil War…a bridge that is here in Ronda. So naturally I had to come and stand on the same bridge, looking down into The Gorge…lost in the emotion of remembering what happened on this very bridge.

Puente Neuvo is the dividing line between the new town of Ronda and the Old Ronda (La Cuidad) of Morrish times when Ronda was the capital of a Berber taifa (principality). Crossing over the bridge we spent an enjoyable hour or so wandering the streets and exploring the shops of La Cuidad.

Spain is known for the beautiful tiles created by its artisans. Ronda is no exception. Here we discovered a huge mural of Ronda… done entirely in tiles.

(Remember…click on the photo to enlarge it so you can see the details.)

 

An unexpected bonus in Ronda was the bullring. Please read my next posting about our visit to Spain’s oldest bullring.

How to Get to Ronda

• Self Drive: Take Hwy A7 to San Pedro de Alcantara. From there take A-397 over the San Bermeja mountains to Ronda.
• Book a tour and let someone else do the driving.

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Happy travels!