Something my wife and I have in common is that we love animation movies. One of our favorite animation movies is “Ferdinand”. It is a meaningful movie based on a small town called “Ronda”. If you have not watched this movie, I think you will really want to watch it once you finish reading this post.
Ronda is a farming town with a strategic position on top of a hill and surrounded by farms and vineyards, making Ronda the best place to get a good wine and beautiful goat cheese. Welcome to Ronda and hope you enjoyed this article.
Recommended Trip
- Time of the year: Apr - June or Sept - Nov
- Duration: 1 Full Day
- Approx. Expenses: 25 euros per person
- Recommended food: “Rabo de Toro”, Goat Cheese and Wine.
Recommended Route
The first thing you need to take into consideration when you come into Ronda is that Ronda is not a small town anymore and you will need to drive to the “Casco Antiguo” or old town where you will find most of the most beautiful views in Ronda.
A good parking spot not too far from the initial point would be the “Poeta Rilke” Parking with very good prices for parking. Believe me, you would spend more money on fuel looking for a free parking spot.
Once you have your car “safe and sound”, walk towards the initial spot in the “Plaza de la Merced”, one of the most iconic buildings in Ronda, “ La iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Merced”, for its history and the important part that that church had towards the development of Ronda as it is now.
Make your own trip: You can visit “la iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Merced”, to appreciate the art and architecture of the building and one of the most unique pieces of history in Spain with “La Mano de Santa Teresa”.
Once you are in the Plaza de la Merced, we start the trip by walking towards the main park of Ronda, Almeda del Tajo. Take your time in this beautiful and relaxing park, but once you are ready, walk towards the end of the park where you will have one of the main lookouts in Ronda, “el Balcon del Coño”. This lookout is located on the top of a hill where you can see the valley of the river Guadalevin.
Once you have taken enough photos, keep enjoying the view by walking through the “Paseo de Blas Infantes”, where you will end the Paseo with some markets and a beautiful lookout. But the best of all is that if you turn around, you will see another of the most iconic buildings in Ronda, “La Plaza de Toros”, since Ronda has had a big influence on history in Spain in the practice of bull fighting. Nowadays, it has been on hold since the pandemic, but the building still is worth visiting.
Make your own trip: In that “plaza”, there is a very famous hotel “Hotel Catalonia Ronda” that has beautiful views on its terrace where you can have a coffee or alcoholic beverage while enjoying the views.
Once you are ready to continue, we can keep walking through “Calle Virgen de la Paz” until you reach the “Plaza de España”, where every year they have a flower market around spring season. There are a few important buildings here that you can pay the entrance to observe, but probably what you want to do here is to have some lunch.
Lunch Time
The most iconic location in Ronda is “El Puente Nuevo” and therefore the place we went to have lunch was “el Restaurante de Don Miguel”, while it may not be the cheapest option, it is located right next to the bridge on the hill and with the best views you can imagine. But it also offers in its menu the most traditional meals of Ronda including: “Rabo de Toro” and “Conejo de la Rodeña” with some local wines.
We were able to enjoy both meals and a rose and red wine local from Ronda. This was one of the best meals I have ever had in my life, and although I am Spanish, I am not exaggerating. This place is worth the money and the time. So enjoy your lunch, have a break and let us continue with the oldest part of Ronda.
Across the Bridge
Once you cross the bridge you can take some photos on the “Mirador de los Viajeros Románticos” and once you have enjoyed the views and taken photos we will walk towards the “Calle Tenorio”.
Make your own trip: You can also visit two great places if you want to pay the tickets for the entrance. One of the recommended places is “Los Jardines de Cuenca” where you will be able to see beautiful gardens next to the hill and with excellent views of the bridge. But another good option with some history is also “La Casa del Rey Moro”, where you will find more of an arabic architecture while enjoying the views of the castle.
You will be noticing that the vibe is changing, you are traveling in time a bit more to a much older time. Enjoy the streets, the old houses and please pay the ticket to enjoy the museum “Casa Museo Don Bosco” where you will see one of the most beautiful traditional houses in Ronda with the most amazing views. If you arrive early enough the café at the balcony may be open, or there may have been some live music.
After enjoying the gardens, the culture, and history of the museum, keep walking towards “Plaza de María Auxiliadora”. Here you will have another amazing lookout, seat there, enjoy the breeze, and when ready, we are going to start going through small streets. This is difficult for me to explain, but just make sure you follow these streets:
- Go into “Calle Sir Ángela de la Cruz”.
- Take the first street right towards “Plaza Mondragon”.
- And then turn left towards the street “Calle Rueda Alonso Gamero”.
You will know if you did it correctly if in front of you is the “Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor with a huge door and some Gothic themes and details on the walls. Keep walking through “Calle San Juan Bosco” and you will arrive at the beautiful “Plaza Duquesa de Parcent” where you will see located the “Ayuntamiento de Roda” and some good cafes to have some beverages.
Coming Back To The Beginning
Now you have been able to enjoy most of Ronda, so you can start walking to do some shopping and maybe get some local wine and cheese. The best way to come back is through Calle Armiñán and going all straight up towards “El Puente Viejo”. Through the street, you will find leather shops and local markets. Enjoy shopping, enjoy the town, and when you are ready to go back home, follow “Calle Virgen de la Paz” to go back to the beginning “Plaza de la Merced”.
Make your own trip: On your way back, take your time, revisit places you were not able to visit before, and it may call your attention or go shopping. The truth is that Ronda is perfect to spend some time chilling and enjoying the shops and streets.
Hope you visit Ronda, and as always, if you enjoyed the trip, please leave a comment to let me know.
