Ronda ..
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A visitor on his first trip to this city will approach it with mental postcard images of a few of its monuments or its scenery but none of this will serve as a reference or even be easily recognisable because the reality that he will find is very different. Ronda belongs to that select group of towns that can only be compared to themselves, with no possibility of imitation or resemblance to others. This is something that the traveller can prove to himself the moment he enters the historic quarter and sees the dazzling landscape and architecture appear before him, impregnated with history and legend that blur the line between reality and fantasy but that resoundingly affirms the unique character of Ronda.
The town is located on a plateau some 750 metres above sea level and seems to be divided into two areas by the famous Tajo de Ronda (Ronda Cliff), a gorge 100 metres deep and about 500 metres long with the River Guadalevín running along its floor. The western part of this plateau forms an area of cliffs similar to the one that forms the Tajo itself. Beginning here, an extensive rural landscape opens up that stretches to the mountains that make up the highlands that give the region its name.
The 18th century Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) signals a dramatic entrance to the town. It stands 100m tall and is a crossing point over the Tajo gorge. It is certainly one of the best known and most photographed sites in Southern Spain.
Apart from the Puente Nuevo, the most famous building in the town is the Plaza de Toros, one of the oldest bullrings in the world; the attraction includes a museum of memorabilia. It was built in the memory of Pedro Romero who is thought to be the godfather of bullfighting; rumoured to have killed over 6,000 bulls! Every year the Corrida Goyesca is viewed by millions on television and the lucky or ‘less squeamish' depending on your point of view, watch it live; the Spanish equivalent to soccer's world cup final.
Modern Ronda (largely built in the 18th century) is the quarter to the north of the El Tajo gorge and called El Mercadillo, alongside which is the Plaza de España, the site of Ronda's recently built Parador, offering a spectacular walkway along the river gorge with superb views of the countryside below. This walkway leads to Ronda's lovely ‘Mirador', with colourful flower beds and a railing for sightseers to lean against as they gaze into the distance. You can walk from the Plaza de España and the bullring up the Calle Nueva, Ronda's pedestrian shopping district, where some of the shops still retain their traditional appearance and style.
The decidedly mountain character of Ronda inevitably defines its local cuisine, among whose most traditional dishes are conejo a la rondeña (rabbit Ronda-style), and guisos de pata de cerdo (pig's foot stews). This municipality's cookbook is completed with tasty migas rondeñas (the local variety of a dish made of fried bread crumbs), seasoned with local chorizo sausage and sopas de castañas de la sierra (mountain-style chestnut soups). As for confectionery, yemas del Tajo (a pastry made from egg yolks) occupy first place. Products made in cloistered convents, especially in the Mercedarian and Franciscan convents, are less well known, but no less delicious.
The May fair, which is held in the second fortnight of that month by authority of a Royal Decree of the Catholic Monarchs issued in 1487, is considered one of the most ancient events in Andalucía of its type, which is of agriculture and livestock. The fiesta begins with the opening of the Tapas fair, and every day there are demonstrations of goat milking and exhibitions of different breeds of livestock. There are events to test the fighting qualities of young bulls, olive oil sampling, the annual show dog competition at Llano Margarita, and the ‘Ciudad de Ronda' purebred Spanish horse show followed by a dressage exhibition.
There are several hotels and private accommodation in Ronda, but it is difficult to find a vacancy at the height of tourist season. Book well in advance, as this town is a magnate for visitors and during high season it is sometimes obvious that the town struggles to cope with the influx of many thousands of tourists.
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