Ronda, Andalucia, Spain

One of the must see locations on a visit to the Costa del Sol, Ronda is a beautiful, well preserved historic town just 30 minutes from Marbella with a population of 36,000.

It is one of the most visited places in Andalucia and attracts thousands of visitors each week. The town is steeped in history and is dominated by the fact that the town is split in two sections by a 100m deep gorge (El Tajo canyon). This spectacular gorge is bridged by the New Bridge built in 1751 which took 42 years to build. This magnificent structure is one of the most photographed in Spain. Orson Welles and Ernest Hemingway resided in Ronda for many years, and both wrote about its beauty, adding to the areas fame.

The road to Ronda from Marbella is one of the best drives in Andalucia. The very well surfaced mountain road goes on and on as you climb relentlessly 3000 feet above sea level and the view along the way is simply stunning. The surrounding countryside looks especially impressive in winter and spring and the journey to Ronda is scenic from any direction, not just from Marbella. There are main routes into Ronda from the North, West and East sides of Andalucia.

Those who enjoy looking at historic buildings and traditional Spanish architecture will not be disappointed though photographing them can be problem due to the people parking their cars in front the buildings in the squares and courtyards. Most of the important historical sights in Ronda can be seen in a few hours as most are located around the new bridge area and within the old part of the town but if you take in the museum, bullring and art galleries, you cold easily spend a couple of days there. The whole area is of great interest and, surprisingly, has sacrificed little of its character to tourism.