Ronda, the city of dreams in Andalucia

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Welcome to Ronda the “city of dreams” in Andalucia! One of Spain’s most visited white towns of Andalucia. Ronda is very compact and easy to navigate whilst walking the cobbled streets  visiting the Real Maestranza bullring, the Puente Nuevo or El Tajo gorge There are many beautiful churches, museums, and wonderful coffee shops and tapas bars.

Thinking of staying in Ronda? Find a hotel

As well as being blessed with some of Spain’s most impressive natural and historic monuments, the accommodation options in Ronda are excellent because many offer views of the Tajo gorge from their windows and balconies plus the stunning views of the mountains surrounding the city.

Four star hotels in Ronda include the Parador, Molino del Arco, Reina Victoria, Montelirio, Maestranza, Acinipo, Don Benito, and Hotel San Gabriel.

Want to learn a bit of Spanish on the way? Read some of the text in this article in the Spanish version here….

How to get to Ronda? See here: https://www.rondatoday.com/getting-here/

In Ronda for a day trip?

If you’re only in Ronda for one day be sure to read our Michelle Obama tour of Ronda, but if you’re likely to be here for two days or more, then maybe you could enjoy some of our most popular walks including the walk to the Virgen de la Cabeza, or Mr Henderson’s Railway Walk.

The VoiceMap GPS Audio Guide for Ronda

Creating the VoiceMap GPS Audio Guide for Ronda from the content here at Ronda Today has been a real pleasure and I hope that you enjoy walking the tour as much I did making it. VoiceMap GPS Audio Guide for Ronda.

Ronda Audio Guide QR code
Scan the QR code to go directly to the Audio guide at VoiceMap

For quite a few years now, the A4 printable guide has been downloading steadily directly from Ronda Today and I have received many hundreds of emails from visitors, who have discovered the very best of a visit to Ronda, using the indepth information made up from the top 20 articles published here at Ronda Today.

But what better way to improve the guide? An audio guide of course! Have a look here to find out more: https://voicemap.me/tour/ronda/ronda-andalucia-s-city-of-dreams-a-walking-tour

Short clip by the Ronda Tourist board showing some popular places in Ronda the “City of Dreams”
Famous people in Ronda.

Join great names like Orson Welles, Earnest Hemingway, Rainer Rilke, James Joyce, Jorge Luis Borges, Madonna, or Jamie Oliver who have enjoyed their time in Ronda.

Why Visit Ronda?

Ronda the “city of dreams” in Andalucia! is a small city perched on a seemingly precarious platform of rock, it was at one time an impregnable fortress only defeated in battle through trickery, and during the reconquest with modern (for the era) rock blasting cannons.

The population of Ronda is around 34,000 so it is big enough to offer all the essential services of a large town but still small enough to retain it’s authentic charm as one of the white villages (pueblos blancos) of andalucia. At a height of 723m in the Ronda mountains, the city has a cooler year round temperature than the coast, making life in Ronda altogether more agreeable than other Andalucían cities.

Ronda is also the perfect base to explore other cities such as Sevilla, Granada, Córdoba, Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, Antequera, or Malaga.

Guided tours and activities in Ronda

The Serranía de Ronda

Ronda is the biggest city in northern Malaga province, and the closest city to many of the smaller villages in Cadiz province, making Ronda an ideal base for exploring the Serrania.

Within a few kilometres of Ronda are some of the most visited Pueblos Blancos, the famous white villages of Andalucia, Setenil de las Bodegas, Grazalema, Gaucín, Juzcar, Benalauria, Montejaque, Teba, Cortes de la Frontera, Igualeja, the list goes on…

As well, Ronda is close to three natural parks, the Grazalema natural park, Alcornocales natural park, and the Sierra de las Nieves national park. The Serranía is also home to pre-historic cave paintings at Benaojan, Neolithic dolmens at Montecorto, and of course, the Roman city of Acinipo.

The countryside of the Serranía is described as unique, in fact universally important. Many endemic species make their home here, including the pre ice age Pinsapa pine tree, and numerous orchids only found on our mountains.


Ronda Today

Everything you need to know before you visit Ronda “The city of dreams” in Andalucia. https://www.rondatoday.com/

Visit Cádiz

Planning on visiting Cádiz? Tourist information. Monuments. Hotels. Activities. City guides: https://visitingcadiz.com/

The Caminito del Rey

Find tickets for the Caminito del Rey: https://www.caminodelrey.es/

Wildside Holidays – Spain

Take a trip on the Wildside! Discover the wildlife and nature of Spain, its Natural and National Parks and find the top wildlife, activity and walking holiday companies.

Iberia Nature Forum

Struggling with identifying those bugs and beasties? Why not check out the Iberia nature Forum! https://iberianatureforum.com/

Guided Tours around Ronda

Guided tours around Ronda - Ronda Today

There are some excellent guided tours around Ronda and the white villages (Pueblos Blancos) of Malaga and Cádiz. Day trips start from from many of the nearby cities such as Seville, Málaga and the Costa del Sol area of Andalucia.

Going it alone? Check out Ronda Todays very own VoiceMap GPS Audio Guide for Ronda here: https://www.rondatoday.com/the-voicemap-gps-audio-guide-for-ronda/ Written and recorded by Clive the author of Ronda Today. :)

Continue reading Guided Tours around Ronda

Ronda Romántica celebration 2024

The Ronda Romántica celebration takes place this year during the second weekend of June from the 6th to the 9th. Get ready to step into a world of enchantment! As you stroll through the streets adorned with embroidered shawls and encounter people dressed as peasants, gypsies, bandits, and characters from the Napoleonic War era. Ronda is in the midst of its illustrious Royal May Fair Festival, “Ronda Romántica”.

Continue reading Ronda Romántica celebration 2024

Cycling from Ronda and around the Serrania

The Ronda area is, without doubt, a cyclists delight and can be challenging at times! In fact the areas around Ronda and the sierra de Grazalema  are well known and a popular training destination for professional cyclist winter camps preparing for long distance road races and triathlons. So, lets take a look at Cycling from Ronda and around the Serranía.

Where to get more information, hire your bikes or book a cycling tour?

White Village Tours Cycling and the Via Verde close to Ronda

Experience a leisurely self-guided cycling excursion over at Viator, With Ronda based White Village Tours Cycling, pedalling through the picturesque countryside north of Ronda. Journey through tunnels and across bridges, passing by olive groves and farmland, while traversing the mountains along one of Spain’s most exquisite Via Verdes.

Cycling the Via Verde with White Village Tours Cycling
The journey begins at an elevation of 450 meters above sea level, gradually descending to approximately 150 meters. You’ll ride on high-quality, well-maintained bicycles provided by the White Village Tours Cycling team, with the assurance of a support network as you navigate this scenic greenway at your own pace.

Book your cycling tour on the Via Verde over at Get Your Guide here.

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Cycling on the Via Verde

What a fantastic trip report about an adventure cycling on the Via Verde de la Sierra not far from Ronda.

Book your cycling tour on the Via Verde over at Get Your Guide here.

What is the Via Verde de la Sierra?

The Via Verde de la Sierra is one of 135 ‘green routes’ that chart a trail of disused railway lines across Spain. Here in Ronda, “our Via Verde” is part of a proposed rail route across the province of Cadiz between Almargen and Jerez de la Frontera.

Cycling the Via Verde with White Village Tours Cycling
Cycling the Via Verde not far from Ronda

Its final plan was to connect the cities of Cádiz, Malaga and Granada but, although much of the groundwork, including tunnels, viaducts, and railway stations, was completed in the early 1930s, the project was never finished and lay neglected until 1993 when the line was renovated for use as a walking and cycling route.

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Ventas in Spain – El Tropezon in the village of Montecorto

A “venta” is a road side cafeteria, bar and restaurant and you should look out for them on the larger country roads between towns and villages. Visiting a venta in Spain is an excellent way to see and sample the local, traditional gastronomy and way of life in Spain. These Ventas in Spain almost always have a friendly, family atmosphere and some even have hostel or hotel type accomodation.

The simplest ventas consist of a bar and tables in one room. The larger ones have a separate dining room away from the noise of the bar and perhaps an outdoor terrace. Often on display is a selection of local produce and crafts to admire and, of course, to buy.

Non smoking laws are enforced in Spain in public areas. Smoking is not allowed inside and the owner of the establishment will be fined if people are caught breaking this law.

An excellent example of a traditional venta (in Andalucia) is “Venta El Tropezon“. Situated on the main road between Ronda and Arcos de la Frontera, at the junction to a village named Montecorto. The word “tropezon” describes a nice, unexpected surprise. For example, if you trip over but on the floor you find a coin or something else valuable.

You can follow the facebook page of El Tropezon here.

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Hotel Aire de Ronda

The Aire De Ronda is located in the popular and historic Padre Jesus district of Ronda, and is only a short walk up to the Puente Nuevo or down to the Arab Baths. The hotel is designed on bespoke lines, and is more reminiscent of a Bed and Breakfast than a hotel with only four rooms, assuring peace and quiet during your stay.

All rooms are decorated individually and with elegance in mind, and are all equipped with air-conditioning, Wi-Fi internet access, en suite bathroom, bathrobes, and comfortable furnishings.

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Planning on visiting Ronda, Spain? English tourist Information – Hotel booking – Activities – Events . Guided tours in Ronda, Spain