Ronda is a town split in two by a gorge more than 100 metres deep, and nearly everything worth seeing sits on its edge. It works perfectly as a day trip; you only need to sleep there if you want the streets to yourself after dark. This guide covers what to do once you are in Ronda and in what order. For transport, tours and prices from the coast, see Ronda from Málaga.
Getting there, briefly
- From Málaga: 1 hr 30 to 1 hr 45 by car (about 100 km), around 2 hours by bus. The train means changing at Antequera-Santa Ana and is not worth it.
- From Seville: about 2 hours by car; there is also a direct bus.
- By car: use one of the car parks in the Mercadillo, the newer part of town, and walk. The old town is not built for cars.
- Without a car: the Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas day trip€34 · 4.7 from Málaga starts at €34; for your own schedule, the private Ronda day trip from Málaga€580.
Ronda day trip itinerary
| Time | What | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | Bullring of the Real Maestranza | €10 (€12 with audio guide) |
| 11:00 | Alameda del Tajo and the cliff-edge balconies | Free |
| 11:30 | Puente Nuevo and Mirador de Aldehuela | Free |
| 12:00 | Old town: Mondragón Palace and Santa María la Mayor | Santa María, €4 |
| 13:00 | Casa del Rey Moro: gardens and water mine | Pay at the door |
| 14:00 | Lunch | |
| 15:30 | Puente Viejo, Puente Árabe and the Arab Baths | €4.50 |
| 16:30 | Walk down to see the Puente Nuevo from below | Free |
| 18:00 | Head back |
The best things to do in Ronda
The Puente Nuevo. The 18th-century bridge joining the Mercadillo to the old town, La Ciudad. Walking across it is a bit of an anticlimax: it takes a minute and the parapet blocks the view. The views are from the sides. Mirador de Aldehuela, next to the bridge opposite the Santo Domingo convent, looks straight down the drop; the balconies of the Alameda del Tajo look out over the mountains. There is a small interpretation centre inside the bridge itself: a nice extra, not a reason to come.
The bullring (1 hr). Built in the late 18th century and one of the oldest in Spain, with a stone ring and double arcade. Even if bullfighting is not your thing, the building is worth the visit, and there is a museum inside. €10, or €12 with audio guide (Real Maestranza); open daily from 10:00. If you want someone to explain Ronda's bullfighting history, the private walking tour of the bullring and Puente Nuevo€200 lasts 2 hours and costs €200 for 1 or 2 people.
La Ciudad, the old town (1 hr). Cross the bridge and the noise halves. The two visits are the Mondragón Palace, now the town museum, with Mudéjar courtyards, and Santa María la Mayor (€4), built over the old mosque. The rest is wandering: Plaza Duquesa de Parcent and the lanes running down towards the lower bridges.
Casa del Rey Moro (1 hr). The house itself is still closed; what you visit are the gardens and the water mine, a staircase of around 200 steps cut through the rock down to the river. Going down is easy; coming up is a workout. Open daily, 10:00 to 20:00 from October to April; its website says tickets are sold at the door only.
The Arab Baths (30 min). Among the best preserved in Spain, down by the Puente Árabe. €4.50, free for under-14s. Watch the hours: in winter they close at 15:00 on Sundays, and on Mondays and Saturdays they shut from 14:00 to 15:00.
The Puente Nuevo from below. From Plaza del Campillo, a path drops towards the Arco del Cristo and the viewpoints at the bottom of the gorge. This is the Ronda you have seen in photos, and this is the only place you see it from. If your legs allow, it matters more than any museum on the list.
With time to spare: Setenil de las Bodegas, the village built under the rock, is about 20 minutes away by car.
Where to eat
Ronda's food is mountain food, not seaside food: oxtail stew (rabo de toro), lamb, cured meats and wines from the Serranía de Ronda, which has its own wineries. Skip the terraces with a bridge view and a menu in five languages: you pay for the view and eat average food. The streets around Plaza del Socorro and the Mercadillo have tapas bars with local customers and normal prices.
Common mistakes
- Arriving at midday. Coaches arrive between 11:00 and 16:00 and the bridge gets crowded.
- Staying at the top. If you have not been down into the gorge, you have not really seen the Puente Nuevo.
- Leaving the Arab Baths for a Sunday afternoon. They close at 15:00.
- Bringing a pushchair or flip-flops. Slopes, steps and dirt paths.
- Driving into the old town. Narrow streets, nowhere to park: leave the car in the Mercadillo.
Still choosing between Ronda and another trip? Compare them in day trips from Málaga.
In one sentence
Ronda in one day means the bullring in the morning, the old town at midday and the Puente Nuevo from below in the afternoon: arrive early, wear good shoes and do not stay on the rim.
