To drive from the bustle of Seville to the quiet countryside near Ronda takes just a couple of hours but in passing from flat plains to windy mountain roads, it’s not just the scenery that transforms. After a whirlwind few days on our Andalucian Road Trip, it was time to kick back at a farmstay and enjoy the serenity. The one place that demanded attention however, was the beautiful village of Ronda. Perched high on a hill that is riven in two by a ginormous gorge (hence my blog title… anyone out there giggling with me?!), we spent a morning wandering its sun-soaked streets and marveling at the drop.
I knew from the Wanderblogger’s posts that Ronda was picturesque, but I hadn’t fully appreciated its long history before our visit. Originally settled in the sixth century BC, the present town’s origins date right back to the Romans! It doesn’t take long to walk the old town, but there are enough side streets to lose yourself in to make the trip a delight.
The first focus for almost all visitors however, is the gorge. The Guadalevín River winds its way through the bottom of the 100m steep ravine, cast in shadow for much of the day. Most make their way to the Puente Nuevo – the new bridge (relatively speaking) built in the late 18th century to gaze down to the bottom.
But it would be a shame to only admire the view from one angle, so we made our way down to the Puente Viejo – the old bridge – and then looped around and into the gorgeous Cuenca gardens. I was hard-pressed to decide whether I preferred the view looking into the town and the gorge, or out into the rolling hills that surround the town.
The Arab gate, marking the town’s Moorish history
The New Bridge in all its glory
Gorge duly marvelled at, we followed our noses through the old town. My sister and I became mildly obsessed on this trip with the colours of the peeling plaster-work we saw throughout southern Spain, and Ronda had some particularly gorgeous walls.
We finished our short time in Ronda gazing out from the Mirador, suspended high above the river. The elderly men chatting in the sunshine were in sharp contrast with the bus loads of tourists and their selfie sticks, who we had been shielded from up to that point. Nonetheless, it was extraordinarily peaceful looking out into the countryside – a mini mediation!
Zoe at the mirador
Ronda is not only gorgeous, but a real contrast to Seville, Granada, and the other cities we visited in the South. I loved our visit and highly recommend a short sojourn in the area to appreciate the peaceful nature and the beauty of the town.
Have you visited Ronda?
For more of our road-trip around Southern Spain, click here!
