Ronda, Spain

Who would have thought that an hour and a half away from the flat, urban terrain of Sevilla, the capital of Andalucía, there was this tiny, yet breathtakingly beautiful city. The city of Ronda is situated on a mountain with the Guadalevín running through to separate it into two parts. Ronda is a city in the Málaga province which is a province best known for its beaches along the Mediterranean. 


Since we are broke teachers living and working in southern Spain, my roommate Carolyn and I decided to take the 21 euro round trip bus ride out to Ronda where we spent the day wandering through the streets and taking pictures of the amazing views. This city is a perfect example of why I love Spain so much. There are mountains and there are beaches. There is the new and the old, and often times, the new is combined with the old. There is Muslim, Christian and Jewish influence. There is the south or as we like to say Andalucía which is completely different from the middle and northern parts of the country. And there is so much history that it continues to blow my mind with every new city I travel to.


So as I said before, being broke teachers, this was the perfect trip for us. It was 21 euro to take the bus from Sevilla's Prado de San Sebastian to the center of Ronda. The best part about Ronda is that if you want to do activities, there are places to go like the Plaza de Toros, various scenic view spots that cost about 4 euro to get into, Arab baths, the former town hall and various churches. But if you travel for the day on a budget like Carolyn and I did, it was very easy to keep the trip cheap. With the 21 euro bus, 3 euro for toast and coffee for breakfast and 8 euro for a glass of wine and tapas, the trip was a very affordable 32 euro.


So what was my favorite part? The Puente Nuevo of course or the "new bridge." The Puente Nuevo separates the new part of the city from the old part of the city and stands 390 feet above the floor of the canyon below. The breathtaking sights of the mountains surrounding the city and spending the day getting lost in Ronda's "pueblos blancos" or "white towns" was enough for me. It reminded me how diverse Spain really is in culture and geography as well. The trip was also a nice break from the hustle and bustle of el Centro in Sevilla.


I give Ronda two thumbs up and if you ever find yourself in Andalucía, the inexpensive trip to Ronda is well worth it for its breathtaking views!