Ronda - the White Village Temptress

Accompanied by clichés galore I am negotiating the last few steps towards the Mirador de Ronda lookout point on the edge of a 100 meter drop: the sounds of flamenco guitars from the close-by pavilion perfectly match the dramatic vista in their virtuosity, the voice of the singer aims straight for my heart.

Ronda, in the Spanish province of Málaga high up the Serranía de Ronda mountains, is the textbook definition of a dramatic landscape. The scenery, the history, the people all ooze passion. Around here, every experience is a good deal more intense than elsewhere – even compared to other Andalusian villages I have visited on my travels.

On My Own in the Most Romantic Place in All of Spain

I have been travelling through Andalusia for 10 days now – on my own. Thanks to the proverbial Spanish hospitality this hasn’t been a problem. Tourists and locals alike will soon find company at their dining table. But in Ronda I do find myself all on my own for the first time – in the most romantic place in all of Spain.

Now, I wouldn’t describe myself as much of a romantic but here it really hits me: this view! Those sandstone coloured rocks, the rough green of the shrubs, the unbelievably blue sky and its contrast to the picturesque white houses. More than one heart has been lost in the gorges of El Tajo. The likes of Rilke and Hemingway fell under Ronda’s spell. And I can see why, this place is truly special and you can sense it the second you get here. Maybe it’s the unique mixture of beauty and tragedy that makes Ronda the most beautiful of all the white villages. A white temptress – as beautiful as she is dangerous. With so many fights fought and so much blood shed there is still no escaping the beauty of its backdrop. In »For Whom The Bell Tolls« Hemingway writes about the Spanish civil war and how Ronda was fought over tooth and nail. The gorges became the final resting place of many fascists who were thrown into the deep by the republicans – or so the story goes.

Of Bandits & Matadors

So I find myself standing at the lookout point, the deep gorge right in front of me, the bizarre yet beautiful mountain landscape of the Serranía de Ronda. Its caves have provided shelter to people who have needed it for millennia, cave paintings point to settlements in the Neolithic era while in the centuries just gone bands of robbers used the area as a hideout, most prominently among them the fiancé of Carmen, the title character of Bizet’s famous opera. The original story gave Ronda as Carmen’s place of birth and her fiancé’s hunting ground. I have no difficulties picturing a band of robbers in this dramatic landscape.

The white houses cling to the gorge like honeycombs. Living here is not for the faint-hearted. And you won’t find faint-hearted people in Ronda. Courage is part of their DNA and none more so than Pedro Romero, the most famous bullfighter of all times. There was nobody more daring or more skilled. I am not fond of bullfighting, in fact I make a point of boycotting it. But in Ronda you can’t escape its cultural relevance. The local arena, built from red sandstones, isn’t just the cradle of modern Spanish bullfighting it’s also the oldest arena of its kind. The spectacular building is a masterpiece of Spanish baroque architecture but I can’t make myself go in and explore it, it’s against my conviction.

Dramatic Stories Galore

Instead I make my way along the gorge towards the bridge, the »Puente Nuevo«. The city’s landmark is one of the most photographed motifs in Ansalusia. Both the arena and the bridge were created by architect José Martin Aldehuela, the bridge was built in 1751. And it wouldn’t befit Ronda if there weren’t another dramatic story connected to it: The architect died in the very same year as the bridge was completed. Having finished work on what the he considered his greatest achievement he is said to have thrown himself of the bridge because he knew he would never be able to create anything else like it ever again. Since 1802, the bridge has connected the old and the new part of town. But seeing as this is one of the oldest cities in Spain, new is something of a relative term. With influences ranging from the Palaeolithic cave paintings to the Celts and the Greek as well as the Romans and the Spanish much of Ronda is also down to Moorish influences (ca. 713 to 1485).

At the Foot of the Gorge: Arabic Bath Ruins

Crossing the bridge into the old town I feel a mixture of excitement, owed to the height, and profound humility, owed to the unique scenery. The old town, »La Ciudad«, has more crooked streets and back alleys that the new town. I make my way down a narrow path with many steps leading into the gorge. As trite as it may sound but the rocks and buildings around me do make me feel tiny. At the foot of the gorge I find the old Moorish quarter San Miguel and the ruins of its Arabic baths right in its centre. Bathing culture was very important before the Christian conquest. I feel like I have unearthed a treasure. The vaulted buildings made of sandstone and clay bricks are a testament to just how advanced Moorish bathing culture had been. I can almost hear the water lapping as I explore the building. And I swear I can smell essential oils and hear the murmur of people takings baths. The sandstone surroundings capture my imagination and I completely lose track of time.

More Than Just a Tourist Attraction

My way back leads me through a series of beautiful gardens called »Jardines de Cuenca de Ronda« whose curved terraces offer stunning panoramic views of the Moorish king’s palace, the Santo Domingo convent and of course a spectacular vista of the bridge.You may be tempted to dismiss Ronda as a collection of stage scenery, it is almost too perfect, too picturesque. But Ronda is so much more - as you can’t help but discover with each additional step. There is so much history and so much live in these streets that any superlative you may come up with feels more than well deserved. I have the gardens almost to myself and I enjoy the loneliness.

Ronda’s city centre is no insider tip by any stretch of the imagination and tourists pour in by the coachload. They explore the arena and the bridge and then have lunch at one of the many restaurants before returning to the Costa del Sol. The streets are lined by souvenir shops and small delis that sell the famous »Pata Negra« ham. You’ll find cafés next to Tapas bars next to shoe stores next to restaurants. I have to get going and can’t help feel regret as I am sure that Ronda reveals its full charm and potential at night when the streets get empty and the bridge is lit to full dramatic effect.

Text | Julia Schattauer

Photos | Jiho Lee