People kept telling us we had to go to Ronda. The views from the bridge were spectacular and the old city charming. It should come as no surprise that the TBEX Conference tour was already sold out for a day trip from Marbella. It was a hot ticket that we did not manage to snag. This did not stop my sister and me from making our own side trip to this spectacular Andalusian town. We loved it so much, we ended up staying for two days as one was not enough to see the best things in Ronda, Spain.
We stayed out of town in a very reasonably priced hotel with a pool, breakfast, and peaceful scenery. I would highly recommend Ronda Moments if you have a car. For luxury accommodations right in the middle of the city, I would consider the Parador Ronda – with a truly spectacular view, it is worth that alone. If however, it is out of your budget, you can always walk the scenic public trail to the Mirador de Ronda or purchase a tourism ticket to see the sights.
The best value is to purchase a Municipal Ticket (Bono Municipal). With a price between 9-12 €, you have access to six attractions. With a premium ticket (16-22 €) you can also access Casa Palacio Museo Lara, Casa Don Bosco, and the beautiful Santa Maria la Major Cathedral. We purchased the basic package as our time was limited and it was more than enough to see in one day. We were able to see the Interpretation Centre, Palacio Mondragon, Convento de Santo Domingo and the Museo Joaquín Peinado. I would have loved to have seen the Roman Baths but it was a bit further away than we were willing to walk on a 37+ degree day!
Centro de Interpretation del Puente Nuevo (Interpretive Centre at the New Bridge)
Our first stop was the Interpretive Centre where you can descend below the Puente Nuevo and see how it was built. The stairs are steep but the view from either side is quite breathtaking. You will get a birdseye view of El Teho valley below the bridge which cuts Ronda in two. There is a multimedia presentation and panels to explain this engineering marvel.
Museo Joaquín Peinado
Our favourite stop, we loved visiting this art museum. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, this small museum is dedicated to the cubist artist, and Ronda native son, Joaquín Peinado. A contemporary of Picasso, he worked with the master to create compelling landscapes, provocative nudes and abstract art.
Palacio de Mondragón
This palace converted into a municipal museum is made up of two well-defined areas that correspond to two historical and stylistic moments: the Mudejar and the Renaissance. The indoor courtyard displays beautiful tiles and architecture while the outdoor courtyard will charm you with the fountain and the valley views.
This museum has a bit of everything on various floors from natural history to antiques. This is a municipal museum offering a discourse on the history of the region.
Banos Arabes (Arab baths)
The Arab Baths of Ronda are a thermal enclosure from the Muslim era, its construction dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, despite this, it is considered the best preserved in Spain. Exceptionally well preserved you will see three bath rooms (cold, warm and hot) in addition to the reception and the boiler room. The central bath is the largest with three separate parts each with horseshoe arches.
Santo Domingo Convent
Although this is now the convention centre, this was the Convent of Santo Domingo with five hundred years of history built by the Catholic Monarchs. When we were visiting there was a great display of surrealist and abstract art.
Casa del Gigante
The house of the Giant in Ronda is a private house built between the beginning of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century, belonging to Nasrid architecture. Its name is due to two stone reliefs that decorated the corners of the building, of which only one remains.
It is located in one of the old neighborhoods called “La Ciudad”, close to the church of Santa María la Mayor and its emblematic Plaza Duquesa de Parcent. The house is a close example of a wealthy house in Muslim Spain.
Bonus sites
Casa Palacio Museo Lara
This private collection holds a variety of pieces from the 18th and 19th centuries. From clocks to firearms, scientific instruments to carriages. This eclectic collection holds more than 2000 works distributed in 7 rooms including unique objects of witchcraft.
Casa Don Bosco
A modernist-style mansion built at the beginning of the 20th century by Ronda architect Santiago Sanguinetti, where its decorative Nasrid tiles, 19th-century tapestries, and beautiful patio stand out. In the main hall, you will see carved walnut wood furniture, the fireplace mantel is one of the best examples of Ronda craftsmanship in the purest Castilian style, as well as an important pictorial work of the Salesian Salvador Rosés.
Santa Maria la Major –
The church of Santa María La Mayor is one of those works of art that has been revalued over time and has an enviable history.
This temple was located next to the remains of a Paleo- Christian basilica from the 5th century. Later, when the peninsula was inhabited by Muslims, a mosque was built that the Catholic Monarchs ordered to be demolished and the church we know today was created.
Gothic, baroque style, and with small touches of Islamic culture, if you are in love with architecture or history this is your place.
Other best things to do in Ronda Spain
Plaza de Toros y museos de Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda
The Plaza Museo de Ronda is a cultural complex with three collections: The Royal Harness Collection of the House of Orleans, the Bullfighting Collection, and the Royal School of Cavalry (RMR History) room. The city of Ronda is home to the Real Maestranza de Caballería, the oldest and most noble order of horsemanship in Spain since 1485. In that year, the Catholic King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella won Ronda back from the Moors and ended over seven centuries of Islamic rule.
History and traditions run deep. The bullring was opened in 1785 and houses a museum dedicated to the history of the sport. The Museo Taurino holds two centuries of famous bullfighting regalia and important outfits.
Other great reads about Spain…
There are plenty of things to see and do in Spain besides the best things to do in Ronda, Spain. Whether you want to see the dangerous human towers of Catalonia, take a cooking class in Barcelona or learn all about Jamon Iberico, there are plenty of posts on my favourite country in Europe.
H is for the dangerous Human Towers of Catalonia – The ABCs of Spain
Surrealism – A Visit to the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Spain #Travel #TBEX
Full Food Experience: Try 1 Cooking Class in Barcelona, Spain with @bcnKITCHEN #TBEX
ABC’s of Travel – “A” is for The Alhambra in Granada, Spain
Gaudí and Modernist Architecture Tour in Barcelona
Step-by-step Guide To Jamón Ibérico in Spain
The Maritime Museum & Town Hall Plaza in Lloret de Mar, Costa Brava, Spain #TBEX
Margarita Ibbott is a travel and lifestyle blogger. She blogs about travel in Canada, the United States and Europe giving practical advice through restaurant, hotel and attraction reviews. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and other online media outlets.