Ronda: The Jewel of the White Villages

Ronda, situated between two mountain ranges and almost on the border between Cádiz and Málaga provinces, is perhaps the finest example of Spain's white villages. Rick Steeves even visited the city for his series, and it can be seen on Youtube.

Most tourists make day trips from nearby Málaga, Granada, or Sevilla. In the evenings and off season, the city becomes a more authentic Spanish experience. I was fortunate to have been able to live in Ronda for a time, while working as an Auxiliar de Conversación in the Profesor Gonzalo Huesa public high school. This gave me plenty of time to explore and photograph the breathtaking views!

The "old city" as seen from the New Bridge

The city sits on top of a sort of mesa, which is surrounded by a low valley. Two mountain ranges join to form a ring around the valley. It gets better! Ronda's high mesa is cut down the middle by a river, forming a deep gorge, with a large waterfall leaving the city. The old and new city, divided by this gorge, are joined by three bridges: the eleventh century Moorish Bridge, sixteenth century Old Bridge, and spectacular eighteenth century New Bridge.

Ultra-wide angle view of Ronda from below

A friend of mine lives on the tallest building in the city. After this six-story apartment complex was built, the city passed a law to restrict building height. As a result, the view from her balcony is incredible. This next photo is an image I took when visiting with her family one evening. The color after sundown was magnificent! Something about the ring of mountains and odd micro-climate affect the light in Ronda in a way that is magical.

Ronda skyline

The old city has been home to several civilizations. In the lower levels of many hotels and homes in the area, Roman ruins can still be seen. When the Moors and Berbers occupied the region, they build a walled city on top of the Roman ruins. The city wall is largely intact, as are the original gate and baths.

City wall tower, morning light

Old entrance gate to the city

"Arab baths" long exposure on tripod

The baths were filled in and used as stables after the Spanish reconquest. Miraculously, the roof remains intact. It is said to be the only intact example of its style. While under Muslim rule, those entering the city were required to bathe and purify themselves before entering the city. This is a place I visited many times, not only for the beauty and atmosphere of the place, but because it's free on Tuesdays. Ah, the perks of living in a place!

The next photo is one of my favorites from that year. This guy was waiting for the Holy Week procession to begin on Palm Sunday. He turned to ponder the distant mountains and I snapped the shot! As for Holy Week in Ronda, the processions are beautiful and accessible! Unlike the crowded processions of Sevilla, or the those of Jerez de la frontera, where boxes can be rented along the routes, Ronda's processions are for everyone. If you're thinking to photograph the processions, knowing the routes is incredibly important. There are great vantage points that a photographer can occupy early and wait patiently. The pastry shop, Daver, usually has pamphlets with the procession routes and times available.

Speaking of Daver, if you have a sweet tooth, the great staff at Daver can find you a culinary work of art to meet your sugar-craving desire! Unlike many bakeries in Spain, where sweets are sold "to-go," Daver has a large indoor seating area. During busy times, those tables fill up fast, though! There are actually two Daver locations in Ronda. The location on Ronda's main pedestrian street, "Calle Espinel" or "la Calle de la Bola," has outdoor seating available.

Display case in Daver, Calle Virgen de los Remedios

Raspberry mousse, covered in chocolate, topped with even more sugary goodness, Daver-style!

Ronda is also the home of modern bull fighting. Whatever your stance on bullfights, the historic plaza de toros (bull ring) is one of historic importance and quite beautiful. There is a museum of bullfighting attached, with displays of extravagant matador costumes.

Most tourists come for the day, experience a little of what Ronda has to offer, and head back to their distant hotels. If you're in the area, though, I suggest visiting Ronda for a couple days. There is much more to the town than a short post can provide and even a year wasn't enough to see all that I would have liked to!

As always, I hope you enjoyed the photos. Thank you for taking a look!