A trip to Ronda is a 'must' if you're looking for exceptional views and scenery!

Being approximately two hours inland we initially thought about hiring a car but given that public transport in Spain is cost effective, reliable and relatively stress free we decided that this was a better option. The only real stress involved was making sure that we were in the right place at the right time! To take full advantage of the day we caught the early morning (7am) bus from La Linea to Algeciras then crossed the road to catch the commuter train to Madrid.

The train was an experience in its own right. We were asked to remove our jackets and place them in a tray together with our bags which were security checked before boarding just like you would at the airport. Once we were settled into our allocated seats we were given a set of headphones before the TV monitor came to life showing the latest 'Mission Impossible' movie, "Rogue Nation". Shortly afterwards a hostess arrived with a selection of food and drink for consideration all reasonably priced. As for our seats, they could be both angled and rotated 180 degrees and included a drop down table as well as USB and 240v outlets. All very impressive!

We headed off in the countryside through forests, deep ravines, small villages and fields with horses, sheep and cows eventually emerging onto a high plateau in the Serrania de Ronda mountains. The scenery was superb.

A 15 minute walk from the station took us straight into the centre of Ronda which sits astride a spectacular gorge some 120m deep with the rio Guadalevin passing through. Tall, whitewashed houses sit perilously close to the edge and spanning the gorge is an impressive bridge, the 'Puente Nuevo' - probably the most photographed bridge in the whole world! There are some great walks along the terraces and several viewpoints overlooking the gorge and around in order to capture the grandeur of the place.


Puente Nuevo


Puente Nuevo - from the bottom


on the cliff edge


more edgy photos


panoramic views

From the main square, there are many narrow streets with tall 18th century houses, churches, plazas and squares with beautiful gardens to walk around plus no shortage of bars and restaurants all offering traditional Spanish foods like churros and hot chocolate and tapas, all at varying prices.


bars and restaurants


alfresco eating

For us Ronda certainly lived up to all our expectations and will undoubtedly be one of our highlights in 2016!