BALADE DANS RONDA

From the Plaza de España, you will cross the impressive Puente Nuevo to get to the old town. After the arcades that house a number of antique shops, you will turn right onto a small street that leads to the casa de San Juan Bosco. Then, arriving at the small Plaza María Auxiliadora, where a pathway strongly calls for a walk in the valley, or why not to the Virgen de la Cabaza church, 2 kilometres from the walls and the puerta de Almocábar, this Mozarabic era cave complex offers excellent panoramic views. Continue straight ahead and then turn right to find yourself in front of the magnificent Mondragón Palace. After a few cool, quiet streets, you will come to a small park, the central square of the town, home to the town hall (which dates from 1651) and the church of Santa María la Mayor. On leaving the church, you can turn left towards the Arab baths (Baños Arabes) and the remains of the walls of the Alcazaba, not far away the Puente Viejo spans the river while the gorge engulfs it. Then you will go up to the palace of the Marquis of Salvatierra, from the 18th century, which evokes South America with its superb baroque façade covered with naked Indians. For those who would like to linger longer in Ronda, other sites and monuments to visit include the Casa del Gigante (a Nazarite palace, 13th-15th century), the Hunting Museum and Ronda Vieja (Roman ruins 12 kilometres from the city centre)...