Ronda is one of the most popular cities in Spain’s Andalusia province. The town itself is famous for its picturesque clifftop location and the beautiful bridge that connects the two parts of Ronda. We chose to visit this iconic place on our trip to Setenil de las Bodegas, which is a town hidden in the rocks. Both of these places are about 100 kilometers from Malaga, and it’s worth combining visiting them during one trip. It will be intense, but the memories of these places will surely stay with you for a long time.
In this post, we want to show you how to spend a day in Ronda and what attractions are worth seeing while walking around this historic town. We will also show you a popular location with a beautiful vantage point overlooking the city, where we think it’s worth having a picnic.

Ronda is a very popular town that attracts many tourists. Due to good transport connection it is very easy to get here from both Sevilla and Malaga. We came to Ronda from the Estepona area by our car, were we stayed in a quiet neighborhood with golf fields (if you’re curious how our apartment looked like, you can check it out here Apartment Estepona).
Getting to Ronda from Malaga
By car:
- Distance: About 100 km.
- Travel time: About 1.5 hours.
- Route: The most direct route is via the A-357 and A-367 roads.
- Description: The route offers beautiful views of the Sierra de las Nieves mountains and the Andalusian countryside.
By train:
- Connections: Renfe trains run between Malaga and Ronda, often with a change at Bobadilla station.
- Travel time: Approximately 2 hours.
- Departure: Málaga María Zambrano station.
- Tickets: Available online or at the station.
By bus:
- Carrier: Avanza Grupo operates a regular bus service.
- Travel time: Approximately 2 hours.
- Departure: bus station in Málaga (Estación de Autobuses de Málaga).
- Tickets: Can be purchased online or at the bus station
Getting to Ronda from Sevilla
The fastest way to get here would be by your own car or a rented car. Car prices are not very high, but it depends on the tourist season. In October, you will rent a car for a week even below 200 euros. So it’s worth checking your options, as sometimes it’s cheaper than you might think.
By car:
Distance: About 130 km.
Travel time: About 2 hours.
Route: The most direct route is via the A-375 roads.
Description: The route by asphalt road.
By train:
Connections: No convenient train connections. They run a circuitous route, but due to transfers we do not recommend it.
By bus:
Operator: You can use the Avanza line L-525.
Travel time: Approximately 2.5 hours.
Departure: the Prado de San Sebastián bus station.
Tickets: Can be purchased at the train station or online.
City tour of Ronda - the upper city
We started our tour from the upper part of the town. The access to it is open to tourists, which is worth mentioning, because in some historic towns in Spain their centers are sometimes excluded from tourist traffic for cars that do not belong to the residents. If you see such a ban, don’t ignore it, as these zones are most often monitored and such a drive can end in a fine.
However, the center of Ronda is very crowded and finding a parking space is not easy. We parked our car in a large paid city parking lot, as there was no chance to find a free spot in the streets. The fee for one hour of parking is about 1 euro. The location is given at the end of the post, along with the most important attractions listed.
We wanted to focus exclusively on the old town of Ronda, so we wandered a bit among the narrow streets, heading towards the bull arena. Along the way we passed many cafes and bars, where you can eat local food. And this is probably the style of sightseeing we like best. To set a direction for ourselves, but in our own way to walk around the city and look into many different corners.
The bullring arena (Plaza de Toros de Ronda)
One of the very distinctive landmarks of Ronda is the huge bullring arena, where (unfortunately…) the famous Spanish corridas are held. We read that Ronda is the cradle of the modern corrida and hoped to read about how people saw the futility of risking their health and ritually killing a bull, but no… The modern corrida differs only in that the matador does not fight the bull on horseback, but on foot.
The building itself, however, is impressive. It was built between 1779 and 1785, designed by architect José Martín de Aldehuel, who is also the author of the famous Puente Nuevo bridge in Ronda. Those who like architecture will enjoy the neoclassical style with Baroque elements here. The structure consists of two-level grandstands with 68 arcades supported by 136 Tuscan-style columns. The diameter of the arena is 66 meters, making it one of the largest in Spain, and its size can be seen very well in drone images.
The arena building also houses a corrida museum, where you can see a magnificent collection of matador costumes, weapons and accessories, documents and photographs showing the development of the corrida, as well as a section dedicated to the Romero dynasty and bullfighting schools.

Puente Nuevo - the most popular bridge in Andalusia
The very idea of building this bridge is quite simple, but the execution itself was not without tragic events. Well, in the 18th century Ronda was experiencing economic and demographic growth, which increased the need for better communication between the two parts of the city separated by the deep El Tajo ravine. In 1735, the first bridge was built at the site, but it collapsed six years later in 1741, causing the death of about 50 people.
Construction of the bridge as we know it today began in 1759 by a well-known architect, who was also responsible for building the bullring arena. Working on the building took as long as 34 years and was completed in 1793. Puente Nuevo was made from rocks that were quarried from the bottom of the canyon, which greatly facilitated the logistical process in obtaining the raw material. Interestingly, the bridge has rooms that currently serve as a small museum describing the history of the city and the story of the creation of Puente Nuevo. The darker side of the bridge is that in the 19th and 20th centuries the rooms were used as prisons.
Currently, access to the bridge is open to the public and if you are coming from Sevilla you will definitely cross it. It connects the new part of town with the old one and is a vital hub of the town every day. It’s worth walking across it, as you can see a brilliant panorama of the area from the top and take souvenir photos of yourself on it. Those with a fear of heights may find it challenging, as the bridge is suspended over a 93-meter precipice of the El Tajo Gorge.


A viewpoint of the Ronda bridge and a great place for a picnic
As we mentioned earlier, the best shots of the bridge can be taken from the viewpoint located in the El Tajo Gorge. It can be reached by a fairly steep concrete road, which should pass most cars (except those with low suspension). The road is quite narrow so there may be a need to pass each other, which requires some confidence and skill from the driver.
The viewpoint is called Mirador La Hoya Del Tajo and next to it you will find a small gravel parking lot with an information board. Near it is a large clearing where you can have a small picnic. We, due to the fact that we came here right from Setenil, made a small lunch. Let me tell you that with such a view everything tastes 100 times better!
Getting to this place from the old town is a matter of 10-15 minutes, depending on traffic. However, it’s worth catching up, as the view from here is truly postcard-perfect.
There is a path leading from the El Tajo Gorge to the city, but its operation is a mystery to us. It closes at dusk, but when Agnieszka wanted to enter the city this way it turned out that around 5:30 pm the gate was already closed. Passing through it is impossible, as it is a solid two-meter-high metal sheet. So you can enter the city this way, but we do not take responsibility for how the gate will be closed.


Ronda sightseeing summary and interactive map of the town
Ronda is a place that delights at every turn. Situated picturesquely on top of a rocky cliff, with the majestic Puente Nuevo connecting the two parts of the town above the deep El Tajo gorge, it offers breathtaking views. Walking through the narrow, cobblestone streets of the old town, you can feel the atmosphere of the old days and immerse yourself in the rich history of this remarkable place.
The town also offers many attractions for lovers of nature and active recreation. Ronda’s surroundings are rich in scenic hiking trails, vineyards invite you to taste local wines, and beautiful landscapes encourage you to discover more and more places.
In general when you look at a map of Ronda you will find many viewpoints and interesting places to see.
If you are curious about this town, and you want, for example, to go here from Sevilla or Málaga with an organized tour, you don’t have to worry. There are many tours organized from Malaga and Sevilla, where you will be transported with a guide and shown around Ronda and Setenil.
The guide will surely show you the most interesting places in these towns and tell you passionate stories. This is also a convenient form of travel, because let’s agree… 25 euro is not much and the cost of fuel and worrying about the route or planning goes away. If you’re on vacation, it’s worth relieving the burden on your head and touring comfortably.
Ronda is a really interesting town, and it is one of the most popular destinations of Andalusia. Below we give you a map with the parking lot where we stayed. If you have any questions about visiting Ronda or Andalusia in general, please text us on Social Media (Facebook / Instagram), and we will certainly try to help.