“We sighted Ronda. It was raised up in the mountains, like a natural extension of the landscape, and in the sunlight it seemed to me to be the most beautiful city in the world.” – José Agustín Goytisolo
Ronda is one of the pueblos blancos (white towns) so-called because it is whitewashed in the old Moorish tradition and sits like a shining wedding cake in contrast to the surrounding ragged countryside. It also happens to be one of the most spectacularly located towns in Andalucía sitting on a massive rocky outcrop straddling a precipitous limestone cleft in the mountains.
During the day it is a busy place with a procession of tour buses from the Costas and from the city of Seville but this is a town to enjoy in the evening when everyone has gone home. I stayed here for two nights in 2016 and have always regretted that it wasn’t three or maybe four.
Click on an image to scroll through the gallery…
Have Bag, Will Travel 
Being more of a visual type… I’m truly enjoying the galleries you’ve been posting. That bridge is rather splendid. And oh! that sunset! Marvelous!
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The bridge is very dramatic Gunta. Apparently during the civil war prisoners were executed by throwing them over the side and into the gorge below. A gruesome fact!
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Ewww… I probably could have done without knowing that! 😳
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Quite majestic..
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Thank you!
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The most beautiful walks around Cómpeta 2019 Guided walking holidays in the Axarquia region of Andalucia for 2019 8 days/7 nights in *** hotel Balcón de Cómpeta.
http://www.walkspain.co.uk
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I remember commenting on your earlier post about Ronda, a place we enjoyed on a day trip from our base at Estepona. Stunning gorge, great lunch, cheap huge chunk of Iberico ham to bring home, but the bullring was closed for the day. Hell of a drive up there though!
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Yes, an interesting drive across that mountain. It was a place to really enjoy in the evening when the tour buses had all left!
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Who was that Flamenco dancer I saw you with last night? That was no Flamenco dancer, that was……..
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Plenty of Flamenco dancers in Ronda John!
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too many tour buses for me, long time not there.
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I agree about the tour buses but when they have gone in the evening the city is quite wonderful.
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just overwhelming and from what I hear from friends there it has increase over the years!
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I was there in 2016 and there were a lot of coaches but they all disappeared back to the Costas at about 5 o’clock!
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yes of course they go for the day round trip tours. Too many me think, the town is just a tourist trap after all that.
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I must add this to my list. 🙂 Lovely photos.
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It’s on my list! Great pictures.
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Go but be sure to stay for a couple of nights to enjoy it without the crowds!
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How long a drive is it from Seville, Andrew? I’ve always regretted not going there.
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From Grimsby it is 1,500 miles and about 3 days, from Tavira it is 100 miles and it depends on how fast Mick drives!
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You are killing me with all these gorgeous pictures of Spain! We will only be in the country for a matter of hours when our ship docks in Barcelona. If it’s not on the way to the airport, I am going to miss it!
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Al least you will see Barcelona. How long are you there?
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We dock at 6am and my flight leaves at 2pm. Not much time. Showed hubby some of your recent posts and he promised we’d be returning to Spain. Too gorgeous to miss. Just no time this visit.
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That’s a shame. Where else is on the itinerary?
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Rome, Naples, Florence, Monte Carlo, Cannes Palma de Mallorca
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Naples is a wonderful city, be sure to get into the back streets to experience it properly.
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Would love to, but this trip taking in Capri, Sorrento and Pompeii. Traveling with a group of friends, so the itenirary focuses on crowd pleasing.
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I would skip Capri, it’s nothing special and substitute the Amalfi Drive, possibly the best in Europe. Pompeii is good but nearby Herculaneum is more compact and much better preserved. A real shame that you can’t squeeze in Naples!
Are Rome and Florence day trips or will you be staying over for a day or two?
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You know how cruises go. We go to Capri on a jet foil and everybody is all jazzed up for the funicular up to Capri Town. I would prefer to see Herculaneum myself, put yours there only go there and everybody else just shrugs and says ruins are ruins. Taking a bus tour of Rome with some time at St Peter’s Square. All there is time for. Florence I am jazzed about. Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens and several of the more famous squares. This trip is kind of like a wine tasting flight. Just enough to want more and drunk when you’re done.
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Pack your walking boots!
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Really impressive architecture and views. That’s something worth seeing in person, for sure.
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The bridge for sure, but also many other buildings including the bull ring.
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