Ronda is situated on the west side of the Malaga province, With a population of around 35,000. It is one of the most historical towns in Andalucia, set in the unspoiled rural countryside wrapped around a gorge. Popular for decades with foreign visitors, writer Ernest Hemingway described it as “the most romantic background” walking down the narrow back streets of the old town it’s easy to see why. Many famous people have resided and spent time in the beautiful old hilltop town.

How to get there?
The town is just over an hour inland from Marbella, within an hour and a half from the airports of Malaga, Jerez, Gibraltar and Sevilla, it makes it easily accessible. You can also get the train from, Seville, Malaga (around €13) Antequera, La Linea and Algeciras easily with the fast train from Madrid only being a 3 hour 45 minutes journey for just €25.

The bus journey taking in the local villages on route is lovely as are the train journeys through beautiful countryside. If you prefer to hire a car, the roads are mostly easy to drive along, with plenty of places to overtake lorries, with little villages to pop into and explore along the way!

Where to visit –
a gorgeous gorge?
The first place to visit in Ronda has to beto visit the “Puente Nuevo” Bridge, one of

the most visited cities in Andalucia, this really is a must-see, sitting neatly between the Parador Hotel and the newer part of the city, and the old walls of the old Moorish city. At any time of year it is packed with visitors photographing the “El Tajo gorge” that was completed in 1793 after 40 years in construction. The views from either side of the bridge are beautiful.

There are many beautiful walks in and around Ronda, our favourite being the Cuenca Gardens “Jardines de Cuenca” winding down the gorge “El Taco”looking back up to the magnificent bridgeover the gorge. The gardens lead down to the old Roman quarter with the oldest of the bridges dating back to the 1616, and the Roman bridge is the third bridge at the bottom of the gorge, by the old Roman baths.

Spain’s oldest bullring was completed in 1785, after one of the handmade stone walls collapsed in 1784 closing it for repairs, to this day it famed for being one of the only handmade stone bullrings, and “Plaza de Torros” still attracts a wealth of visitors every year. Twenty kilometres outside Ronda, Acinipo is also worth a visit: a famous old Roman city, with a stunning roman amphitheatre still standing tall.

Fabulous bars and restaurants
There are so many bars and restaurants in Ronda, you will always be able to get quality meals or tapas on every corner.

Five of our favourites to note: Loco de Tapa, set down by the old city walls, an intimate tiny restaurant, with booking advisable. Another favourite is Tragata, in the newer part of the old town, with an Asian twist on Spanish food. Casa Maria in the old town is another great place to eat, again booking is advised, but with no menu and only the freshest dishes served from the morning’s market haul. For traditional Spanish home- cooked food, on their sunny terrace, head to Bodega San Fernando for its excellent well-priced wine collection and friendly staff. AlZahara is wonderful intimate restaurant close to the famous bridge, with traditional spiced Moroccan food, a great option for vegetarians too.

What kind of property
can I buy there?
Most properties in the Old Town don’t come up for sale very often, especially in the oldest parts of Ronda, but you can get a gorgeous traditional 300m2 town house for €300,000. Smaller flats and small townhouses are around €150,000, as are two-bedroom country properties within the local countryside. Country houses go up to €200-300,000 for a nice sized family home on a sizeable plot, or up to €500,000 for a stunning equestrian home.

Find out more: Zoe Males
Z (0044) 7969 450 206 AM (0034) 686131 908 andaluciaolveraproperties.com lemontreepatio.com