Best Things To Do In Ronda Spain

The drive from Marbella to Ronda is a journey into Spain’s rich history and culture. The Andalusian countryside is a beautiful and rugged terrain with centuries-old villages and towns. Ronda is one of these towns that has resisted change for centuries. The city was the site of epic battles between King Ferdinand’s Moors and Christian followers. It was also briefly home to the poet Rainer Maria Rilke. Rilke sought to live a rootless, nomadic existence, but he eventually succumbed to the enticements of this hilltop town. Today, Ronda is a popular tourist destination, and its cultural heritage is evident in its architecture, art, and food.

The Best Things to do in Ronda Spain

Ronda’s “New Bridge” Puerto Nuevo

The New Bridge is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city of Ronda.
How tall is Ronda bridge
The bridge spans the El Tajo Gorge and is 66 meters long. The height of the bridge is 98 meters.

The Gorge

Ronda is split in two by a deep gorge. The Puente Nuevo, or New Bridge, spans the gorge and is the subject of many legends. One legend says that the bridge once contained cells for prisoners with windows that opened out to the gorge. Legend has is, that some prisoners attempted to escape by jumping from the window .

Another legend says that priests were forced to jump from the bridge during the Spanish Civil War to their deaths. Indeed, the Ronda Gorge is a deep chasm with a sheer drop of 360 feet. From the top of the gorge, you can see the Río Guadalevín, or Guadal river, winding through the rocks below.

The view from Ronda is truly breathtaking and one that you won’t soon forget.

Fun fact: The New Bridge stands on the site of the old bridge, which collapsed into the abyss after only 5 years.
Anithe fun fact: The New Bridge has a small room inside that used to be a prison for local bandits.

Stepping into the ring, one can almost imagine the clashes of beasts and men that have taken place here for centuries. There is a certain grace to bullfighting, though bloody and brutal. It’s like a dance between life and death that continues to captivate visitors worldwide.

Pedro Romero

Pedro Romero is the most famous bullfighter in the world. He is the grandson of Francisco Romero, who codified the rules and introduced the cape and muleta. Pedro Romero was born in Ronda, as was his grandfather. Pedro Romero founded the Ronda School of bullfighting and perfected its classical style. He is the namesake of the young torero in ''The Sun Also Rises'' by Ernest Hemingway. Across the street from Pedro Romero's restaurant is a statue of him making his last pass. He is a man who has dedicated his life to bullfighting, and he has risked everything to perfect his craft. Pedro Romero is a true artist and is Ronda's proudest son.

Ronda played a huge role in the development of bullfighting. Pedro Romero embodies this spirit.

Ronda’s bullfighting ring

This is the oldest operating bullring in Spain.

Ronda is home to one of the oldest bullrings in the country. For sure, Bullfighting is a centuries-old tradition in Spain, and Ronda has been at the forefront of this sport since its early days.

You enter the ring and visit the bullfighting museum housed beneath the bleachers. The museum pays homage to Ronda’s heritage as the cradle of modern bullfighting. Despite the changes that have taken place in recent decades, such as the introduction of protective padding for horses, Ronda’s bullring remains largely unchanged. This city has a rich history and cultural heritage, and its bullring is just one example.

The museum

The museum (about twice the size of the Rilke museum) pays homage to Ronda’s heritage as the cradle of modern bullfighting. In this picturesque town set atop a rocky outcropping, it was here that toreros first began to fight on foot instead of horseback. It was here, too, that they developed the use of capes and other tools we still associate with bullfighting today.

Stepping into the ring, one can almost imagine the clashes of beasts and men that have taken place here for centuries. Though bloody and brutal, there is a certain grace to bullfighting, a dance between life and death that continues to captivate visitors worldwide.

There are more things to do in Ronda that are cord related.

Bodega Garcia Hidalgo – Winery

Surrounded by picturesque hills, Bodega Garcia Hidalgo is a must-see for any wine gourmet visiting Ronda. This small family farm offers tours in English of their vineyards and tastings of their fine wines and tapas.

If you don’t feel like leaving, you can also overnight on the property, enjoying the peaceful scenery and hospitable hosts. With its convenient location and affordable prices, Bodega Garcia Hidalgo is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the local flavor of Ronda.

Reservatauro park

Reservatauro park
The farm was founded by bullfighter Rafael Tejado and is now a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Reservatauro is a breeding farm where they breed fighting bulls and purebred Andalusian horses.

There are two tours you can take at the park:

The Five Senses tour
The Five Senses tour allows visitors to enter the arena where bulls are trained and taste local wines and tapas.
The tour takes 2 hours
The ticket cost for adults is 40 €
Ticket cost for children – 20 €.

The Exclusive tour
The Exclusive tour includes a personal guide, wine tasting, and tapas. Reservatauro is the perfect place to learn about Andalusian culture and enjoy the company of some of the most beautiful animals in the world.
The exclusive tour takes 2-3 hours

The ticket cost for adults is 90 €
The ticket cost for children is 30 €.

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 18:00.

Booking this activity in Ronda in advance is a good idea.

The House of the Moorish King

The House of the Moorish King is a beautiful restoration of 11th-century Moorish castle in the historic town of Ronda, Spain. At the top, there is a pretty herb garden and terrific views of the town across the gorge . Fabulous! House of the Moorish King is definitely worth a visit if you are looking for cultural things to do in Ronda.

La Mina

La Mina is a part of the guide’s stone steps (365 steps) that lead you to the very base of the gorge. The steps were built by Arab and Christian slaves who carried pitchers of water from the river to the top.
One of the highlights of this ascend is the room of whispers -. It’s created as the name suggests so that you cannot hear people talking by the walls.

Arabian baths – Baños Arabes

Today, the Baños Arabes are a popular tourist destination, and many visitors enjoy soaking in the steam room or taking a swim in the pool. The baths are a beautiful example of Moorish architecture, and a reminder of Ronda’s rich history.

Before visiting the baths, you will see a five-minute film in English that tells about the structure and design functioning of the baths. It gives you a much better understanding of how unique this Ronda’s attraction is.

Where is Ronda located?

Ronda is a city in the province of Málaga, located about 40 miles from Málaga. The Puente Nuevo bridge connects two parts of Ronda known El Mercadillo (the old town)
La Ciudad (the new town)

which are naturally separated by the El Tajo gorge.

When is the best time to visit Ronda?

The weather in Ronda is usually pleasant in April, May, late September and October.

There is a chance of rainstorms, but these are great months for those who want to hit the beach and a bit of culture. March is also a great out-of-season month to visit Andalucia. It is cool but sunny, with few crowds.

Andalusia is one of top places in Europe for winter travel. Winter months- November, December, January and February are still pleasant. If you are lucky, you can experience 20 degrees in Andalusia in winter.No matter what the activities you want to do in Ronda are, winter is a good time to take a trip.
However, do bring warm layers as buildings often lack heating. They are built to withstand the intense heat, not keep out the cold.