Five Things To Do In Ronda / Georgina Does

Five Things To Do In Ronda

Monday 6 February 2017

Never heard of Ronda? Neither had I before the Spanish tourism board took me to visit on part of our #InCostadelSol trip. It's in the western part of Malaga and we were only there for the back end of one day but I instantly fell in love with it - Ronda is one of the most picturesque and romantic places I have visited. The mountainous surroundings mean that every direction you look in, there are beautiful sweeping views down below; and with 2,700 years of history, it's also one of the oldest towns in Spain. So why visit? It's history along with the cobbled streets and breathtaking views make it the perfect place for a romantic break! Here's what to do when you get there:

Wine Tasting at Joaquin Fernandez Bodega

Malaga gets 300 days of sun per year so who not spend one of them outside at a vinyard? Joaquin Fernandez Bodega is an organic winery placed at an altitude of 700 metres meaning the whole vineyard is drenched in beautiful sunlight; with the mountains in the background, the views are breath-taking.

Moises is the owner’s son and he was our guide - he speaks clear English and didn’t waffle on so even for someone who doesn’t drink wine (yep, you heard), it was very interesting. We explored the vineyard and learned about the whole process from separating the grapes to sealing the bottles at the end - they use beeswax to keep it organic.

After the tour we settled down on their terrace overlooking the vines for a few hours of wine tasting and delicious freshly cooked lunch.

See the Puente Nuevo Bridge

Puente Nuevo Bridge (aka the new bridge but not actually that new because it was built in the 18^th century) is a very famous landmark and a sight worth seeing whilst you are in Ronda. It bridges the El Toja gorge joining the old town with the new and whilst spring is supposedly the best time to see it; sprinkled with flowers the sunset on a October evening was fine for me! The view from the other side isn't bad either!

Visit Plaza de Toros

Plaza de toros translates to Bullring and the one in Ronda is Spain’s oldest and largest one, making Ronda the birthplace of modern bullfighting. This humongous stadium seats over 5000 people, and whilst I am 100% not a fan of bullfighting, could you image the atmosphere of this place in its full glory roaring with people?

Go For a Sunset Walk

Ronda is such a romantic place and I think they best time to see it in all its glory is sunset. Find your perfect spot on one of the many balconies and watch the sun was set from over the mountains as the skies turn from blue to bright orange. After the big event, there are the cobbled streets of the old town to explore!

Eat a traditional Spanish meal at Pedro Romano

Named after the matador that introduced modern bullfighting as we know it, Pedro Romano is just outside of the bullring and is dedicated to the man himself. The place was like a museum, full of relics and bullfighting memorabilia. We sat down at the end of a long day and indulged in a couple or Spanish classics all washed down with a glass of cava. After starting with some pâté, I got my first take of oxtail stew; it fell of the bone and was packed with flavour. Seriously delicious.