Why Honeymoon in Ronda
Few places in Spain give you this much drama for so little effort. The Puente Nuevo, finished in 1793, rises about 320 feet from the river below. The old town on the south side, La Ciudad, is a quiet maze of whitewashed streets, palaces and churches. The Mercadillo on the north side has the shops, tapas bars and one of the oldest bullrings in Spain.
The pace is slow. You walk, stop at viewpoints, eat a long lunch and come back for the light at sunset. Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles both loved the town. The poet Rilke stayed at the Hotel Reina Victoria, which still has a cliff-edge garden.
It is also more affordable than the coast. A room with a gorge view costs less here than a sea view in Marbella.
When to Go
March through June and September through November are the best months. Days are warm and dry, wildflowers cover the hillsides in spring and the grape harvest runs in early fall.
Ronda sits about 2,400 feet above sea level, so it is cooler than Seville or Córdoba. That helps in summer, but July and August afternoons can still pass 95°F. Plan walks for the morning and evening.
Winter is quiet and can be chilly, with nights near freezing and occasional rain. Some couples like it for log fires and empty viewpoints. If you come between December and February, pick a hotel with good heating. Early September brings the Feria Goyesca, when the town fills up and hotel prices jump, so check the dates before booking.
Where to Stay
Stay within a few minutes' walk of the bridge so you can enjoy the town after the day-trippers leave. The Parador de Ronda sits right beside the Puente Nuevo in the old town hall, with rooms and a pool looking over the gorge. Ask for a gorge-view room when you book, since it makes the stay.
The Hotel Reina Victoria, on the cliff at the edge of the Mercadillo, has gardens facing the mountains. Several small boutique hotels in La Ciudad occupy restored mansions with terraces above the gorge.
For a more rural stay, look at the country hotels and cortijos (farmhouses) in the valleys around town. Many have pools and vineyard views, though you will need a car. Approximate rates run from about $120 a night for a simple town hotel to $350 or more for the best view rooms in high season.
Romantic Things to Do
Walk down the path from Plaza de María Auxiliadora to the viewpoints below the Puente Nuevo. From there the bridge fills the whole sky. The walk back up is steep, so take water.
Tour the Casa del Rey Moro gardens and climb down the stairway carved inside the rock to the river. Visit the Arab Baths, a 13th-century bathhouse at the bottom of the old town. Stroll the Alameda del Tajo park at sunset, where the balconies look straight down the cliff.
Spend an afternoon at a winery. The Serranía de Ronda has dozens of small bodegas, many family run, making red wines from grapes like Tempranillo and Petit Verdot. Book tastings ahead and choose a designated driver or a tour. Spend another day driving the white villages, such as Grazalema, Zahara de la Sierra and Setenil de las Bodegas, where houses are tucked under overhanging rock.
Getting There and Around
United has flown seasonal summer nonstops from Newark to Málaga, so check current schedules. Otherwise most couples fly into Madrid or Málaga (AGP). From Málaga Airport, Ronda is about 90 minutes by car on mountain roads. Buses take about two hours.
Ronda has a train station on the line to Algeciras. Trains run from Madrid, with some services needing a change, so check Renfe for current routes. From Seville, the drive takes about one hour 45 minutes.
You do not need a car in town, since everything is walkable. A car is worth renting for the white villages and wineries, however. Parking in the old town is very limited, so ask your hotel about the nearest garage. Mountain roads are well paved but twisty, so allow extra time and avoid driving after wine tastings.
Food and Drink
Ronda's food leans toward the mountains. Rabo de toro (slow-cooked oxtail) is the classic dish. You will also see stews of game, lamb, chorizo and local goat cheese, plus migas (fried breadcrumbs with pork) on cold days.
Tapas bars along the streets near Plaza del Socorro are livelier and cheaper than the restaurants with gorge views. Eat there some nights and save the view terraces for lunch or a sunset drink.
Order local wine. Many Ronda bodegas are tiny, so restaurants are often the easiest place to try several. A good waiter will suggest a red from the Serranía. Finish with a glass of anís or a coffee. For a splurge, book one of the town's tasting-menu restaurants a few weeks ahead.
Honeymoon Tips
- Do the bridge viewpoints in the early morning or after 6 p.m. to avoid coach groups from the coast.
- Wear shoes with grip. Cobblestones and gorge paths are steep and slippery when wet.
- Pack a warm layer even in May or October, since evenings cool fast at this elevation.
- Book the Parador or any gorge-view room well ahead for spring and fall weekends.
- Two nights covers the town. Add a third if you want a winery day and a white villages day.
- Combine Ronda with Seville and Granada for a classic Andalusia loop, or with a few beach days on the Costa del Sol.
- Cash is handy at small village bars, though cards work almost everywhere in town.
