Current Time in Ronda, Spain

Ronda is a historic city in the Province of Málaga, Andalusia, southern Spain, dramatically perched on a plateau divided by the deep El Tajo gorge carved by the Guadalevín River, approximately 750 meters above sea level in the Serranía de Ronda mountains. One of Spain's most strikingly situated cities, Ronda has been attracting travelers for centuries with its sheer cliff-edge location, its handsome historic center, and its claim to be the birthplace of modern bullfighting.

With a population of approximately 35,000, Ronda is a relatively small city that exercises a cultural influence and international recognition far beyond its size. It was a favorite destination of the Romantic movement in the 19th century, drawing artists and writers including Rilke, Hemingway, and Orson Welles, who asked for his ashes to be scattered on his friend Antonio Ordóñez's farm outside the city. This literary and artistic association adds to the city's mystique and has made it one of the most visited towns in Andalusia.

The Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), built between 1751 and 1793, spans the 120-meter-deep El Tajo gorge in three arches and is the most emblematic image of Ronda. Walking across the bridge and looking down into the gorge to the river far below, or seeing the bridge itself from the walkway that descends into the gorge, is one of the most memorable experiences in southern Spain. The bridge connects the old Moorish city (La Ciudad) with the 18th-century new town (El Mercadillo).

La Ciudad, the old town, contains the ruins of the Moorish Alcázar, the Church of Santa María la Mayor (built on the site of the Great Mosque, with the original minaret converted into a bell tower), and the remarkably intact medieval baths — among the best-preserved Moorish bathhouses in Andalusia. The Mondragón Palace houses the local municipal museum. The streets of the Jewish Quarter below the main square retain their medieval feel.

Ronda's Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda, built in 1785, is one of the oldest and most architecturally handsome bullrings in Spain. The bullfighting historian and aficionado will find in Ronda the Bullfighting Museum (Museo Taurino) and the traditions associated with the Romero family, who in the late 18th century codified modern bullfighting technique. The annual Corrida Goyesca in September, in which participants wear 18th-century Goyesque costumes, is one of the most prestigious and elegant events in the bullfighting calendar.

Ronda is accessible by road from Málaga (about 100 kilometers via the A-357 motorway) and by rail from Algeciras and Málaga — the scenic mountain railway from Algeciras passes through dramatic gorges and is one of the most beautiful train journeys in Spain. The surrounding Serranía de Ronda offers hiking, bird watching, and visits to White Villages (Pueblos Blancos).

Ronda is a city that combines natural drama, historical depth, and a distinctive Andalusian character in one of the most spectacular settings in Spain.