Tourist Information

Ronda is a city in the Spanish province of Málaga. It is located on the southern Costa del Sol roughly 100 km from the city of Málaga. Ronda lies within the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is 33,570.

Ronda is situated in a very mountainous area about 750 m above mean sea level. The Rio Guadalevín runs through the city, dividing it in two and carving out the steep El Tajo canyon upon which the city is perched. Ronda was first settled by the early Celts, but its Roman and then Moorish owners are reflected most prominently in its architecture. The forces of Catholic Spain took control of the town in 1485.

It is steeped in history and one of Andalusias loveliest towns. It stands on a towering plateau in the mountains, and is famous throughout Spain for its plunging river gorge, which divides the medieval from the 18th century parts of the town.

Its origins go back to the Celts who called this spot Arunda; some historians situate the city in Acinipo, and both populations were passed to the Romans; later on it was Muslim and in the XV century, conquered by the Catholic Kings. It was also occupied by Napoleanic troops and defend themselves from them, they organized centers of banditry.

The historic city is divided into three zones: the neighborhood of San Francisco (XV century), Puerta de Almocábar (XIII century) and Puerta de Carlos I (XVI century).

There are a lot of monumental spaces in this city; among the main ones are the Mondragón Palace, the headquarters of the kings from Muslims to the Christians, with Mudejar, Gothic, and Baroque elements; La Casa del Gigante, of Arab origin (XV century); the Palaca of Salvatierra (XVII-XVIII centuries) with a Renaissance facade and the very interesting House of the Moorish King, poorly named, given that it is already the XVIII century; through its gardens you can access the descent to the Mine that goes down to the bottom of the Tagus.

The Arab baths are interesting from the XIII or XIV century, and the famous Puente Nuevo of the XVIII century, work of Martín de Aldehuela, with superimposed arches. The bull ring is the oldest in Spain from XVIII, and Martín de Aldehuela also intervened in this work. The Collegiate Chuch Santa María la Mayor (Century XV to XVIII) is the primitive mosque. The fountain of the Ocho Caños, from the period of Carlos III, is close to the old Arabic bridge over the Tagus.

The minaret of San Sebastian is a Nazarí construction of the XVI century, not far from the Convento del Espíritu Santo, of Gothic-Renaissance transition. El Templete (Small temple) de los Dolores is a votive chapel in the street from the XVIII century. The chuch of father Jesus, of Gothic-Renaissance style, is from the XVI century. Santo Domingo and the Convent of San Francisco were founded by the Catholic kings in 1485. El Santuario Nuestra Señora de la Paz is from the XVI and XVIII centuries.

Three bridges, Puente Romano ("Roman Bridge", also known as the Puente San Miguel), Puente Viejo ("Old Bridge", also known as the Puente Arabe or "Arab Bridge") and Puente Nuevo ("New Bridge"), span the canyon; the Puente Nuevo crosses at 120 meters above the canyon floor, and all three serve as some of the city's most impressive features.

The popular grove of San Carlos or of Tagus is a beautiful garden from the XVIII century with a large row of balconies with views of the Guadalevin valley. In the Roman ruins of Acinipo, about 20 km in the direction of Setenil, the Roman theatre is preserved (stage, wall, orchestra, and tiers). Benaoján is 15 km away, with the Knows caves of Gato and La Pileta. In the direction towards the coast, the access to the Natural park of the Sierra de las Nieves is located, and the connection to the incomparable Valle del Genal, whose town and chestnut groves, both of which are beautiful, are essential to see.