Plaza de Toros (Bullring) in Ronda

The bullring or plaza de toros in Ronda, Andalucia

Even if, like me, you don’t agree with bullfighting, it is undeniable that the Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Ronda occupies a very special place in modern Spanish culture and history as the home of the Rondeño style of bullfighting and also of the Real Maestranza De Caballería De Ronda. A guided tour of Ronda and the bullring is well worth the small expense. The bullring was built entirely of stone in the 18th century, during the golden years of Pedro Romero’s reign as a champion bullfighter.

Plaza de Toros (Bullring) in Ronda
Plaza de Toros (Bullring) in Ronda. A guided tour is highly recommended
Would you like to visit a fighting bull farm in Ronda?

Reservatoro Ronda is a working breeding farm of fighting bulls and pure Andalusian horses, located just 5 km from Ronda. It was created by the now retired bullfighter Rafael Tejada. It is open to the public, giving visitors the opportunity to share in the lives of these animals throughout all their breeding stages and their fascinating selection process, as well as interact with them.

Reservatauro Ronda
Reservatauro Ronda is an active breeding farm for fighting bulls and purebred Andalusian horses, situated just 5 kilometers from Ronda.

You can book a visit over at Viator.

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Ronda’s Arab Walls and City Gates

City gates and defensive walls of Ronda in Andalusia
A secure city

Part of the reason Ronda is so important in the history of Andalucia directly relates to how secure the city was from attack.  The city walls in combination with the gorge and rio Guadalevin made Ronda’s Arab Walls and City Gates impervious from attack until the age of the cannon.

Whilst wooden palisades existed to protect neolithic communities and their successors before the constructions of the Roman castle, the reality is that most of the stone walls around Ronda directly owe their construction to the Islamic era, a period that spanned close to 800 years from 712 until 1485.

Read this article in Spanish here…

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Poetry about Ronda

View from the alameda, Ronda. Poetry about Ronda

The town of Ronda, with its rich history, culture, and natural beauty, has been inspired by many writers and poets. “The Spanish Trilogy” by Rainer Maria Rilke, which includes a section dedicated to Ronda, contains poetry about the town. The town’s history, architecture, surrounding landscapes, and beauty of the natural surroundings are reflected upon in the poem.

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Cycling from Ronda and around the Serrania

The Ronda area is, without doubt, a cyclists delight and can be challenging at times! In fact the areas around Ronda and the sierra de Grazalema  are well known and a popular training destination for professional cyclist winter camps preparing for long distance road races and triathlons. So, lets take a look at Cycling from Ronda and around the Serranía.

Where to get more information, hire your bikes or book a cycling tour?

White Village Tours Cycling and the Via Verde close to Ronda

Experience a leisurely self-guided cycling excursion over at Viator, With Ronda based White Village Tours Cycling, pedalling through the picturesque countryside north of Ronda. Journey through tunnels and across bridges, passing by olive groves and farmland, while traversing the mountains along one of Spain’s most exquisite Via Verdes.

Cycling the Via Verde with White Village Tours Cycling
The journey begins at an elevation of 450 meters above sea level, gradually descending to approximately 150 meters. You’ll ride on high-quality, well-maintained bicycles provided by the White Village Tours Cycling team, with the assurance of a support network as you navigate this scenic greenway at your own pace.

Book your cycling tour on the Via Verde over at Get Your Guide here.

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Birdwatching in Ronda’s El Tajo

Little owl on the tajo bridge, Ronda

The El Tajo gorge offers a wealth of bird species to watch, in fact many tourists book rooms in hotels overlooking the gorge specifically to setup their binoculars on hotel terraces away from the crowds.

The area between the Puente Nuevo and the Jardines del Cuenca is a deep almost enclosed part of the gorge that buzzes with life, from flying insects to spiders, lizards and geckos, and of course the many birds that nest in the gorge or hunt for food here.

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