Ronda & Sierra de Grazalema
What's it like in Ronda & Sierra de Grazalema?
Standing proud upon a plateau high above the river that cleaves it in two, the captivating town of Ronda has inspired many writers and artists through the ages, and is also the gateway to the spectacular Sierra de Grazalema, the first region in Andalucía to be declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Only a 40-minute scenic drive inland from San Pedro de Alcántara, the road winds up through the rugged landscapes of the Serranía de Ronda mountains, hinting of the splendour that lies ahead. Originally settled by the Iberians, like most of Southern Spain Ronda has had a colourful and turbulent past as reflected by its fine heritage of historic buildings.
The vertiginous El Tajo gorge bears silent witness to centuries of unrest including the Peninsular War in 1809 and the Spanish Civil War (1936 – 1939). If you have a head for heights, the ancient bridge that traverses it allows visitors to marvel at the awe-inspiring chasm and waters of the River Guadalevín several hundred metres below. The town is divided into two distinct districts, one Mediaeval and the other XVIII century, and the stunning Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), dating from the latter period, is one of Spain’s most instantly recognisable landmarks.
German poet and writer, Rainer Maria Rilke was so moved by romantic Ronda as to name it ´The Dreamed City’, and ten years later, novelist Ernest Hemingway penned his classic Death in the Afternoon while residing there, and in 1984, Ronda was the location for the famous film version of Bizet’s opera, Carmen.
Ronda possesses the oldest and most magnificent bullring in Spain, and whatever your own feelings on the subject, few can fail to be impressed by its superb architecture dating back to 1785. Hemingway and Orson Welles were both fascinated by the ancient tradition, so much so that Welles’s ashes were scattered on the Ronda estate belonging to legendary Ronda bullfighter, Antonio Ordóñez.
Stretching from Ronda in the east, to El Bosque in the west, the Sierra de Grazalema extends across almost 52,000 hectares of rugged terrain, rising to a height of 1,600 metres. One of Spain’s most unique of areas, it possesses its very own microclimate meaning that while only a stone’s throw from the privileged Costa del Sol renowned for its superb year-round sunshine, paradoxically its typical 2,200mm of annual rainfall make it the wettest region in the Iberian Peninsula.
For this very reason the Sierra de Grazalema boasts an unsurpassed wealth of Mediterranean flora ranging from the holm oak and carob tree to vast forests of cork oak, wild olives and Spanish fir some from as far back as the Tertiary period, while willows, elms and poplars fringe the rivers and streams and populate the valleys. Not surprisingly, such a vast array of natural vegetation provides the ideal habitat for a whole host of wildlife including impressive numbers of birds of prey – the Sierra de Grazalema is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of lion buzzards in Europe – together with eagles, vultures and osprey, while chamois, deer, roebuck and the Egyptian mongoose all roam free in this idyllic landscape.
Over the centuries, the heavy rainfall has carved out the many spectacular caves, gorges and gullies for which the area is so well known. The La Pileta Cave in Benaoján – complete with Paleolithic paintings - has been declared a National Monument famous throughout the world. The Hundidero-Gato complex is the largest cavern system in Andalucía, and the rocky walls of the awe-inspiring La Verde Gorge rise up near vertically to tower some 400 metres above the El Bosque river.
Between the XIII and XIV centuries it represented the Islamic frontier between Granada and Castile, and is home to the most iconoclastic of Andalucía’s renowned White Villages. And nowhere is more faithful to time-honoured local customs than the picturesque hillside town of Grazalema, originally settled by Celts and Romans, and nowadays officially declared of historic and artistic merit.
VIVA TOP TIPS
* Blankets, woollen scarves and ponchos are the mainstay of Grazalema’s local economy, leather goods predominate in the villages of Ubrique and Prado del Rey. Cortes de la Frontera is famous for its cork, honey, copperware, ceramic roof tiles, basketwork, and the meticulous crafting of gaitas (bagpipes). Pick up some unique pieces in Ronda and Grazalema's local boutiques.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Turismo de Ronda:
Plaza de España
Tel: (+34) 952 871 272
www.turismoderonda.com
Visitors’ Centre
Palacio de Mondragón, Plaza de Mondragón
Tel: (+34) 952 871 171
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