Help Me, Ronda: Spain's Lovely Little Jewel

How did I miss this picturesque tiny charmer of a town? After four visits to Spain, I took a few friends up on their offer to visit Ronda. I was delighted.

A pair of my Canadian friends share a house in Malaga, and on a whim, they spirited me away to this photogenic paradise called Ronda. Despite my love of Spain and all things Spanish, I had never even heard of this spectacular spot, located a brisk 90-minite drive from their house along the coast.

I’m fairly used to keeping my expectations low for places outside my frame of reference. But once we arrived, I was immediately surprised that the place is largely unknown to Americans, and it doesn’t jump out from the pages of many travel guides.

Maybe the reason Ronda remains such a well-kept secret is that it can only be reached by car and it is quite a drive, but well worth it. The most convenient way is to fly to Malaga Airport and rent a car from there. If you’re on a budget, there are buses happy to transport you from Malaga to Ronda.

If you get the chance, be sure to visit Puento Nuevo Bridge, Iglesia de Santa Maria la Mayor Ed Taj, Old City, Alameda Del Tajo, Plaza de Toros and Arab Public Baths.

Enjoy new highlights of travel photographer Edwin Santiago’s journeys each week.