In this post, I’m sharing the ultimate Ronda travel guide.
Ronda, a spectacular mountain town in the Andalusia region of Southern Spain, is unlike anywhere we have ever traveled.
The town of Ronda is situated on a shockingly dramatic cliffside. A deep gorge (El Tajo de Ronda) runs through the middle of the town, slicing the new town apart from the old town. The town’s old white buildings and houses are so intricately woven into the cliffside and gorge that it almost feels like it’s been there forever.
Ronda has it all: stunning views and hiking right within the town itself, vibrant plazas sprawling with tapas restaurants, and historic ruins waiting to be discovered. Ronda is also home to Spain’s oldest bullring.
Somehow, Ronda is able to shock visitors with its staggering beauty and make them feel perfectly welcome with its small town feel, all at the exact same time.
If you are planning a trip to Southern Spain, Ronda is a MUST.
The Essential Ronda Travel Guide
In this Ronda travel guide, I’ll share some logistics about getting to Ronda and where we recommend staying. Then, I’ll walk through everything we did on our 2 day Ronda itinerary which will include a few different scenic walks and some “must sees” in this gorgeous white mountain village.
How to get to Ronda, Spain
Ronda is located in the Málaga province of the Andalusia region of Southern Spain. The town is nestled in the Ronda Mountains. You can access Ronda by either bus or train from Sevilla, Madrid, Málaga, or Granada.
The closest airports to Ronda are Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) and Seville Airport (SVQ), both 2 hours away. Ronda is also about two hours away from Granada. If you are traveling from Costa del Sol, Ronda is only an hour away from Marbella.
My personal recommendation is to travel by rental car and make Ronda a stop on a Southern Spain road trip. We flew to Granada from Mallorca, spent two days in Granada, then drove down to Ronda for three days, and then drove to Sevilla where we spent a day before flying to Portugal. (Read our full itinerary here).
The best time to visit Ronda, Spain
My recommendation is to visit Ronda in the shoulder season, meaning April-May or September-October. We had a fabulous experience road tripping through Southern Spain in mid May. Everything was in full bloom–even the sides of the highway were drenched in wildflowers. Ronda was stunning in May, and the weather was perfect.
The only time I would avoid Ronda and Southern Spain in general would be in July and August, when temperatures regularly rise over 100 degrees.
How many days to spend in Ronda
Okay, so I have some thoughts on this (what’s new?).
Ronda is a small town. Many travelers opt for a day trip to Ronda which is what we had originally planned on when we first booked this trip.
Tyler and I thought we’d do a few days in Granada and a few days in Sevilla and sandwich a day trip to Ronda in between the two bigger cities. We would have driven two hours from Granada to Ronda in the morning, spent the day in Ronda, and then driven two hours from Ronda to Sevilla in the evening. Definitely doable, but tiring.
We ended up looking at Airbnbs in Ronda just to see what was available and stumbled upon this gorgeous property just outside of the town (will link below). We fell in love with the property and knew immediately that we needed to rework our itinerary to allow for a stay. And then we took it a step further and booked it for three nights to allow ourselves two full days to enjoy both the property and the town of Ronda.
This was one of the single best decisions we made for the trip. Our 3 nights in Ronda were magical and we had the BEST time. We took our time exploring and felt so refreshed as we moved onto the next leg of our trip.
The point is this: you can definitely fit Ronda into one day or even a day trip. If you’re ambitious, you could fit probably most of the big sites and scenic walks into a day.
However, if you are spending your trip hopping between busier cities like we were, Ronda might be a welcome break. It is such a serene, picturesque town that almost stops you in your tracks. The atmosphere is SO pleasant. You might want to spend a few days at a slower pace in the middle of your trip and simply enjoy the beauty surrounding this charming town. Something to consider!
Where to stay in Ronda, Spain
While staying in the heart of Ronda would be so much fun and a wonderful way to experience the town, we opted for a different experience and stayed in this Airbnb just outside of town.
This property was located on the hills opposite Ronda, offering sweeping views of Ronda with the Puente Nuevo stone bridge at the center as well as the sprawling green hills beneath it.
This was such a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. The view from our property felt other-worldy, and the house itself was modern, clean, and had everything we needed. There was a pool and a playground on the property which was so nice for the girls. We treated our time in Ronda like a true vacation.
The property was only a 10 minute drive from the heart of Ronda, making it super easy to drive in and out each day. This stay was incredible, and I cannot recommend this Airbnb enough.
How to get around Ronda
Unless you are staying outside of town like we did, you don’t need a car to get around Ronda. For the most part, all of the main sites are within walking distance. The true Ronda experience, in my opinion, involves wandering through the town and along the gorge to various vantage points. We’ll get to that in a minute.
Parking in Ronda
If you are driving into Ronda, either for a day trip or because you are staying outside of the town like we did, parking can be a little tricky. However, we had luck each day parking in this lot which worked out great. There is also an underground lot beneath the Plaza del Socorro here.
What to do in Ronda, Spain: Our 2 Day Ronda Itinerary
If you are spending a couple of days in Ronda, follow this 2 day itinerary. I’ll share a condensed version of our itinerary at the end of the post if you only have one day in Ronda.
How to spend 2 days in Ronda Spain
An 18th century stone bridge connects the captivating Moorish quarter (old town) and the Mercadillo quarter (new town). We will spend our two days traipsing back and forth between the two and exploring various ruins and vantage points along the gorge.
Day 1: Puente Vieja and Old Town walk
We started both days in Ronda with green smoothies and espresso from Terraza Bar El Castillo which is conveniently located next to the parking lot I mentioned above.
Head towards the cathedral in the square next to the garden cafe, otherwise known as the Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor.
Walk along the back of the church (or go in if you feel so led!) and take the main road to this spot.
Then, head down C. Ruedo Doña Elvira towards La Casa del Rey Moro (House of the Moorish King).
We really enjoyed the gardens at La Casa del Rey Moro. The property has an old mine with a cavern staircase that leads to the bottom of the gorge. I wouldn’t say this is a “must” but the girls loved the peacocks sauntering around the gardens, and the lookout points were really cool.
After you finish up at La Casa del Rey Moro, make your way to the Arco de Felipe V. Here, you can detour to the ruins of the Arab Baths.
From there, cross the Puente Viejo. Meander up the gorge through the gardens (or the Jardines De Cuenca).
Congratulations! It’s time for lunch. We had a fabulous tapas meal at La Abacería Ronda. We ordered about half the menu, as one does, and loved it all. One amazing thing about traveling in Spain with young kids is that when you order at a tapas restaurant, you’re bound to find something they like. You could also check out the popular but more crowded El Lechuguita across the street.
If you’re craving a sweet after lunch, make sure to stop by Confitería Daver. We went here twice for the tiny cookies with chocolate on top–yum! Take your treat over to the beautiful Plaza del Socorro de Andalucía.
Once you’re properly fueled up, it’s time to take on the historic Ronda bullring. We opted for the audio tour with our tickets and thought it was SO interesting. Even the girls were super into it. We learned that Philip II started bullfighting as training for knights back in the 16th century, and it evolved into a practice that is still regarded in Spain as an art form, not a sport. Sinister, but fascinating.
After you wrap up your bullring tour, head to the Mirador de Ronda nearby for a stunning view.
On our second night, we ate at Restaurante Kütral, an Argentinian steakhouse on the other side of Ronda. This restaurant is a little out of the way, so you’ll want to arrange a cab if you don’t have a car with you. This meal was insane and such a fun night.
Day 2: Puente Nuevo hike + guitar concert
On your second day in Ronda, we’ll explore the other side of the gorge.
This walk/hike was one of the coolest things we did in Ronda, and the views from the bottom of El Tajo Gorge of the Puente Nuevo and the waterfall beneath it are so cool.
Begin your walk at Sendero Ronda – Jimera de Líbar. You’ll start your hike down at the terrace near the bridge.
There are a few viewpoints on the way down, so take your time and enjoy, but we recommend going all the way down to the Arabic Arch for the full effect.
This hike is definitely an incline coming back up, but it’s not super long. Our 3 and 5 year olds did it without much drama. We were moving slowly and got it done in an hour or so.
After the hike, head to Tapas Bar Elias which is a no-nonsense tapas bar with a robust menu. The owner asked us if he could bring out a bunch of stuff, so, of course, we had to say yes! Everything was amazing.
Grab a scoop of gelato and coffee from BlackCoffee and enjoy a leisurely afternoon walking around town. There are so many cute shops and nooks to be discovered. If you are lucky enough to be in Ronda for a couple of days, make sure to allow some time in your itinerary to simply wander.
In the evening, complete your Ronda experience with a traditional Spanish guitar concert. The renowned Don Bosco plays a few nights a week at Ronda Guitar Music.
For dinner, make a reservation at either Tragata or Bardal. Bardal has two Michelin stars, and Tragata has one, so you can’t go wrong!
1 Day Ronda Itinerary
If you only have one day in Ronda or are daytripping, I recommend doing both of the gorge walks first thing in the morning before it gets too hot. Then, hit a tapas bar for lunch and tour the bullring in the late afternoon. Catch a guitar concert and watch the sunset from the lookout point in the Alameda del Tajo park next to the bullring.
If you have more time in Ronda…
The Mondragón Palace City Museum (Palacio de Mondragón) is housed in a 14th century Moorish building. This would be a great thing to do with kids if you have time.
I think that covers everything! Thank you so much for checking out my Ronda travel guide. Let me know if it was helpful and how your time in Southern Spain goes!
Ronda packing list
On that note…
Our 2 week Spain and Portugal itinerary
