Pearl of Andalusia - Ronda

Tobias Heller
7. Juli 2017
4 Min. Lesezeit

During my stay and works in Marbella, once the kids I take care of are gone to a friends house luckily I am free for the day, so I take the car to go to Ronda. The road from the coastal area leads continuously upwards on a steep unclear roadway that winds it's way through the first hilly later on mountainous landscape, going past steeper rock formations that stick out of the dark green of tree-covered slopes. The sun is high above the sky and the car's windows are all widely open, the warm wind makes a mess out of my hair but the sensation of that warm breeze combined with the incoming rays of sunlight is reviving and lifts up my mood while I sway left and right to Ronda.

Sightseeing & Architecture

The Bridge of Ronda - Jutting out of the Rocks

Once the car is parked a little off the center in order to get a free space, I walk onto the main road where loads of small shops, souvenir boutiques with their postcard stands in the front as well as smaller restaurants can be found. I don't know exactly where the main element of Ronda, the famous bridge, is situated as I forgot to download an offline map, but anyways I find a tourist information with a bunch of tourists huddled together at the square in the front - can't be too far then. And indeed, it is just around the corner from here, the way leads through a garden to a pavilion in a rounded square which offers a terrific view right into the landscape that opens up miraculously in front of my eyes. To the left there is the bridge, a flow of water splashing far underneath and disemboguing into a river. Small say pathways are crossing each other and going in various directions, leftover bricks of ruins are to be spotted and the all is rounded up by the mountains that are far in the back of the scenery. An old woman in a white dress is singing songs and playing the harp simultaneously, adding to the harmonic peacefulness of the place.

Pathways & Sightseeing

Below the Bridge - Downstairs

I follow the way over the bridge, looking left and right into the green valley that seems like having been thrust into the former whole block formation and afterwards been overgrown by bushes, mosses and ferns. Restaurants and Cafes have been hampered into the steep rocks, which welcome people to linger here, taking a coffee while situated in a gorgeous and precious surrounding, admiring the steep depths of the valley and the bridge connecting both sides of the city. The old and more interesting part to visit is located across the bridge, as well as a pathway that leads down into the valley and offers a view back up to Ronda. The houses here in Ronda are kept in the typical style that can be seen in many 'pueblos blanks' around Andalusia, plain white with patchy roofs sunbathed and thereby deprived of colors.

From here a pathway leads steeply down, instead of taking this one I proceed to the end of the city thereby making a long bow circling in a half bow around Ronda, with the intent of taking the steep pathway to go back up. The way down is highly enjoyable, as through bypassing the elongated cliff with the city crowning it on top, the view changes quickly and offers new perspectives.

Strolling

Lost in the Canals - Down in the Valley

Would you like to have pictures with you and yours husband or wife in front of the Ronda bridge? Certainly, it makes up for quite a good location for a photo shooting, and assuming that's one of the reasons why I find a freshly married couple all dressed up and with two photographers to their service. Admittedly, the view is really nice and the bridge that creates the connection for both city parts is prominently dominating the scene. I sit down out off the way of the ongoing shooting, taking in the gorgeous view and surrounding.

I am not sure if there are paths leading closer to the bridge, so I follow one that seems to go promisingly into the right direction and keep following the pathway, which is overgrown by various plants and grasses. I am not encountering any other person here, and soon the pathway finds an abrupt end. Assuming that this is not going any further, I am about to turn around but then spot a little landing, which demands jumping onto it without falling in the water that splutters past by in a little canal. I heave myself up and I find myself standing in the middle of old ruins, trees appearing to grab them from all sides, having a from grip on the remnants of these buildings. It feels adventurous to go around here, off the beaten track loaded with tourists. Walking and climbing around, I encounter several small caves which indicate to have been shelter for homeless people or some local juveniles, as filthy clothes and broken bikes lying around. Accidentally, while following the more or less existing path, I somehow then end up in the canals, where the water is conducted through. From there I find no way to go on further, because of that I try to find the common way to get back up to the city center.

Mountains

Sierra de Las Nieves - Around and about Ronda

Finally the sun is about to set, I am thirsty and my throat is dry, but I am on my way back to Marbella and there won't be any shop to fetch a drink. Despite that, I enjoy the ride home, mostly downhill, putting out the gear letting the car roll through the curvy mountain streets right into the sunset, heading back down to the coastline.