Ronda sights: Puente Nuevo, old town and day trips

In short: Ronda sits on a rocky plateau split in two by a gorge around 100 metres deep. The Puente Nuevo bridge across it is the picture everyone comes for. One day is enough for the bridge, the old town and the bullring. If you stay overnight, you experience the town in the evening without the coaches.

Where do you get the best view of the Puente Nuevo?

The Puente Nuevo was built in the 18th century and spans the El Tajo gorge. You get the best impression from the side and from below.

• Mirador de Aldehuela: right next to the bridge on the old town side, the quickest view down into the depths.
• Jardines de Cuenca: terraced gardens on the edge of the gorge, from which you see the bridge from the side.
• Path into the gorge: From Plaza de María Auxiliadora in the old town, a path leads down to the viewpoints below the bridge. This is the postcard shot. The way back up is steep.
• Alameda del Tajo: a park in the new town with balconies over the abyss and views of the mountains.

What can you see in the old town?

South of the bridge lies La Ciudad, the Moorish old town. It is quiet, white and quick to walk through.

• Baños Árabes: well preserved Arab baths down by the river, next to the old bridge, Puente Viejo.
• Palacio de Mondragón: a city palace with courtyards and a garden above the gorge, now the town museum.
• Casa del Rey Moro: gardens and a staircase carved into the rock (La Mina) that leads all the way down to the river.
• Plaza Duquesa de Parcent: the most beautiful square in the old town, with the church of Santa María la Mayor.

At the time of our research, the admission prices for the individual monuments were not available on accessible official websites. Ask at the tourist office by the bullring about current rates and combined tickets.

What is there in the new town?

North of the bridge begins El Mercadillo, the new town with shops and most of the restaurants and bars. Just past the bridge stands the Plaza de Toros of the Real Maestranza de Caballería, one of the oldest bullrings in Spain. You can visit it together with its museum. The building with its double rows of columns is worth seeing even if you have no interest in bullfighting.

What is the best walking route?

A loop that keeps distances short: start at the bullring, go via the Alameda del Tajo to the Puente Nuevo, cross into the old town as far as the Palacio de Mondragón, then down to the Arab baths, over the Puente Viejo and back up through the Jardines de Cuenca.

How do you get to Ronda?

Most people come by car from the Costa del Sol or from Seville. The mountain roads are well built but winding. There is hardly any parking in the old town. Use a car park in the new town and walk.

Ronda has a train station and a bus station, both in the new town. Only a few trains run per day. Train timetables are on the Renfe website, bus timetables on those of the respective companies. Ronda sits at over 700 metres: in winter it is noticeably colder than on the coast.

Which day trips go well with it?

Ronda is the gateway to the white villages. Setenil de las Bodegas, with its houses under rock overhangs, and Zahara de la Sierra above its reservoir are nearby. From the coast, many people combine Ronda with Marbella. From Málaga, Ronda is one of the classic day trips from Málaga.

If you are wondering whether life inland would suit you, you will find the comparison with the coast and the big cities in Where in Spain?.

Frequently asked questions

As of October 2026. Opening hours, prices and entry rules change. Check them on the official websites before your visit.

Cover image: Benjamin Smith · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0