Ronda Travel Guide
Introduction
Ronda is a city that evokes romantic sentimentality. And for a reason. It enjoys one of the most spectacular settings of any city in Spain. It sits in the middle of a serrania – a mountainous area – creeping up to the very edge of a limestone crag that drops some 328 feet (100 meters) in a precipitous, vertical fall to the valley floor, where the River Guadalevin cuts through the stunning Tajo Gorge. Austro-German poet Rainier Maria Rilke touted Ronda as "the town of your dreams," while American realist Ernest Hemingway called it the perfect place "if you ever go to Spain on a honeymoon or if you ever bolt with anyone." And it should come as no surprise that for centuries this was a refuge of thieving bandoleros – bandits – whose place in the city's history is well preserved at the Bandit Museum in town.
Location
Ronda is located in the southern Spanish province of Andalucía, approximately 62 miles (100 km) northwest of Málaga.
Ronda is essentially divided in two by the gorge of El Tajo, which literally means "the steep cliff." The old, whitewashed Arabic quarter, with its narrow cobblestone streets and Moorish treasures, sits on one side of it; while the newer segment of town, El Mercadillo, centered on Carrera Espinel, a busy pedestrian lane lined with restaurants and shops, occupies the other side. There are three bridges that traverse the Tajo canyon to connect the two city halves: Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), Puente Romano (Roman Bridge) and Puente Viejo (Old Bridge). These lofty bridges, by the way, are also the principal attractions here.
Trivia
Ronda has yet another claim to fame: It's the birthplace of modern-day bullfighting, home to one of Spain's oldest and most famous bullrings, Plaza de Toros. It was here that the Romeros of Ronda reinterpreted the sport of bullfighting in the 19th century, and later on, in the 20th century, the Ordóñez brothers reestablished the city's reputation for the sport.
© Indian Chief Travel Guides
Ronda Travel Guide
Introduction
Ronda is a city that evokes romantic sentimentality. And for a reason. It enjoys one of the most spectacular settings of any city in Spain. It sits in the middle of a serrania – a mountainous area – creeping up to the very edge of a limestone crag that drops some 328 feet (100 meters) in a precipitous, vertical fall to the valley floor, where the River Guadalevin cuts through the stunning Tajo Gorge. Austro-German poet Rainier Maria Rilke touted Ronda as "the town of your dreams," while American realist Ernest Hemingway called it the perfect place "if you ever go to Spain on a honeymoon or if you ever bolt with anyone." And it should come as no surprise that for centuries this was a refuge of thieving bandoleros – bandits – whose place in the city's history is well preserved at the Bandit Museum in town.
The Andalucían Destinations of Spain
Ronda Highlights
Main Sights and Attractions
Ronda is essentially divided in two by the gorge of El Tajo, which literally means "the steep cliff." The old, whitewashed Arabic quarter, with its narrow cobblestone streets and Moorish treasures, sits on one side of it; while the newer segment of town, El Mercadillo, centered on Carrera Espinel, a busy pedestrian lane lined with restaurants and shops, occupies the other side. There are three bridges that traverse the Tajo canyon to connect the two city halves: Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), Puente Romano (Roman Bridge) and Puente Viejo (Old Bridge). These lofty bridges, by the way, are also the principal attractions here.
Famous Bullfighters
Ronda has yet another claim to fame. It is the birthplace of modern-day bullfighting, home to one of Spain's oldest and most famous bullrings, Plaza de Toros. It was here that the Romeros of Ronda reinterpreted the sport of bullfighting in the 19th century, and later on, in the 20th century, the Ordóñez brothers reestablished the city's reputation for the sport.
Ronda Basics
Location
Ronda is located in the southern Spanish province of Andalucía, approximately 62 miles (100 km) northwest of Málaga.
Population
Ronda has a population of about 35,000.
© Indian Chief Travel Guides
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