Tag Archives: Acinipo

Cycling Tours, Guided Tours, Nature, Ronda, Sierra de Grazalema, Tourism

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.

Continue reading Cycling from Ronda and around the Serrania →
Ronda

Acinipo Ruined Roman City

Exploring the Ancient Ruins of Acinipo: A Glimpse into Roman History

Acinipo, or Ronda la Vieja (Old Ronda) is a captivating archaeological site that offers a fascinating glimpse into the Roman era of southern Spain. Located just a short drive from Ronda, Acinipo boasts well-preserved ruins that tell the story of a once-thriving Roman city.

Visitors to Acinipo can explore the remnants of a grand amphitheater, which could seat up to 2,000 spectators and stands as a testament to the city’s historical significance. The site also features ruins of Roman baths, residential areas, and intricate mosaics that provide insights into the daily lives of its ancient inhabitants.

The Roman ruins of Acinipo close to Ronda
Acinipo Amphitheatre

Nestled atop a hill, Acinipo offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, making it not only a journey through history but also a scenic adventure. The combination of cultural heritage and natural beauty makes Acinipo a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts and travelers alike.

Discover more about this remarkable site and plan your visit to Acinipo to walk through the pages of history and experience the grandeur of Roman civilization firsthand.

Continue reading Acinipo Ruined Roman City →
Ronda

Pre-History in Ronda

As far back as pre-Roman times Ronda has occupied an important role in this part of Southern Spain because of it’s high cliffs, deep gorge, and easily defensible position on a main trade route. Located on one of the main routes inland from southern coastal ports, Ronda and it’s older but now ruined sister city Acinipo, have together been occupied since at least 1,100BC.

Paleolithic and Neolithic people roamed the hills around Ronda leaving many fascinating reminders of their presence, including cave paintings at Cueva de la Pileta, dolmen burial sites near Montecorto, and in the Grazalema Natural Park, and numerous sites where archeologists have discovered stone age pottery and other relics.

Cueva de la Pileta is open to the public and your guide will show you all the important cave art in an easy walk through the cave that takes about two hours. It’s fascinating to think that the very land we live on in the 21st century was also inhabited in historical times ancient humans and maybe even Neanderthal tribes. Continue reading Pre-History in Ronda →

Ronda News

Acinipo Interpretation Centre Delayed

The Construction of an Interpretation Centre at Acinipo has been delayed by the Ministry of Works of the Junta de Andalucia on the grounds that the proposed location sits on underveloped land zoned for comprehensive protection.

In the last year the Ronda Council and the Ministry of Culture have been working together to develop and excavate the ruined Roman city of Acinipo for the enjoyment of visitors and future generations. The most recent delay affects the construction of a museum and cafe/restaurant, shop, audio visual room, and education room for groups such as schools.

Under plans submitted to the Junta for approval the interpretation centre is to be built within the city boundaries, and would incorporate the foundations of a Roman villa under the museum so that this could be glassed over as a permanent exhibit. The delay is caused by concerns that the building’s construction would unnecessarily endanger archeological heritage.

The group Ecologists in Action have called for the interpretation centre to be constructed on farmland outside the Acinipo boundaries, and have welcomed the decision of the Junta to have Acinipo registered in the general catalog of historical heritage. Acinipo is widely considered to be amongst the best preserved Roman archeological sites in Spain, primarily due to it being covered over for hundreds of years.

Whilst most of the structures are these days only foundations, it is possible to map the streets and most buildings, and the partnership between Ronda’s archeologists working from the Palacio Mondragon and the Ministry of Culture have unearthed and are now preserving the Roman baths. The interpretation centre is seen as an essential part of promoting and protecting Acinipo’s heritage.

Ronda News

Acinipo Vandal Arrested

A man was yesterday arrested at 22:00 by the Guardia Civil SEPRONA division whilst attempting to vandalize the historic Acinipo ruined Roman city.

Readers of Ronda Today will recall our story about vandals digging several hundred holes and making off with buried precious artifacts from the site. Since we reported that story the Guardia Civil have mounted regular night time patrols.

The accused is a man from Sevilla province who was taken to Ronda and held under questioning pending a court arraignment today. He was caught red handed carrying a metal detector and had already extracted several Roman coins when the Guardia Civil decided to apprehend him.

Ronda Today has been at the forefront of this battle, and has connected a supplier of remote video cameras with the ministry responsible for historic sites. We hope the apprehension of this scoundrel puts an end to illegal excavations at Acinipo.