The first real country town of any size that you come to when you venture up-country from Marbella is Ronda. A long and eventful history has left it with a handsome old centre studded with impressive Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque-style buildings.
Ronda is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful towns in Spain. The town is perched dramatically on a flat rocky outcrop split in two by a deep gorge. From this high vantage point, magnificent views stretch away in every direction from the surrounding rolling plains and mountains, to where the sun dips into the horizon.
Spanning the gorge is the iconic Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), which is said to be among the most photographed sites in the world. Taking 42 years to complete and dating from 1751, this landmark connects the Old Town (known as La Ciudad) with the newer parts of Ronda, while affording breathtaking views to the Tajo Canyon, deep down below.
From this central point you can explore the striking classical buildings that house public offices, museums and stately homes as well as fine restaurants and shops. Among these are the famous Parador, Ronda’s Municipal Museum in the elegant Palacio de Mondragon, the Lara Museum, the Hunting Museum, the historic Arab Baths and the fascinating Museo del Bandolero, which depicts the lives of the famous bandits that once roamed these parts.
Ronda is also home to Spain’s oldest bullring (built in 1784), now also home to the Real Maestranza Bullfighting and Cavalry Museum, which traces the rich equestrian tradition of this region.