The beautiful medieval town Ronda is divided into two of a river that has dug out a deep gorge. Fascist sympathizers were thrown from the bridge here during the civil war.
It is 120 meters from the bridge to the bottom of the Guadelevín river that eroded the deep canyon of El Tajo between the two parts of the city.
In Chapter 10, "The Bells Call For You" by Ernest Hemingway, fascist sympathizers were thrown down from this bridge. The event is based on actual events from that time.
Both Ernest Hemmingway and Orson Wells spent a lot of time in Ronda. This is one of the reasons why the city is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain today.
The "new" bridge (Puente Nuevo), which combines the oldest Moorish district (La Ciudad) with the newer Roman El Mercadillo, was completed in 1793. The ancient bridge (Puente Viejo) from 1616 and the Puente de San Miguel from Roman times are less famous.
The stately building at the end of the bridge was once the town hall. It's now a Parador, a hotel. The city has many beautiful views.
Both the new and the old town have picturesque places where you will also find a large selection of restaurants, shops, parks and places.
Ronda is the cradle of bullfighting. Here is Spain's oldest bullring, the Plaza de Toros. It is still in use, but it's also a museum where costumes and equipment that have been used are exhibited.
If you live at the Parador de Ronda, you can just cross the road to get to restaurants that hang down the cliff right next to the bridge.
More excursions: www.turideer.com
Excursion of the week: The medieval town Ronda.
Suitable for: Ronda is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain. You should be able to endure warmth if you want to visit it in the summer. Like many other tourist destinations, it is probably more interesting for adults than for children.
Get there: Ronda is not far from Marbella and Málaga in southern Spain. Coming from Alicante, you can see Granada, Sierra Nevada and La Alhambra on the road.
Accommodation: The Parador de Ronda is centrally located, but there are several other good hotels. It pays to book accommodation a long time in advance.