Ronda Villas

36,532

Geographical Location: in the north of the Serrania de Ronda mountain range, between Sierra de las Nieves, Grazalema and Los Alcornocales Nature Parks. The city is 740m above sea level and 113km from Malaga.

January 5th - Cabalgata de Los Reyes (Three Holy Kings/Wise Men) - Traditional Spanish celebrations

2nd week February - Annual carnival - This February festival kicks off the spring holidays in the Ronda area. As a pre-curser to the Easter holidays, the city celebrates with a week-long 'Ronda de Carnaval'. This festival is mostly for locals

February 28th - Andalucia Day - A public holiday for the Andalucia Region

Semana Santa (Holy Week) - Religious events & processions leading up to Easter weekend

May 1st - May Day (or Labour Day), National holiday

2nd Sunday of May - Procession of the Patron Saint, Virgen de la Paz

May 24th - Procession of the Virgen Maria Auxiliadora

3rd week of May - Royal cattle fair (4 days). The oldest traditional cattle fair in Andalucia

2nd Sunday of June - The Virgen de la Cabeza pilgrimage is held on the second Sunday in June in the Mozarabic sanctuary of the same name. The pilgrims carry the image of the Virgin from the Santa María de la Encarnación church to the chapel, where there is a grand fiesta with no shortage of singing, dancing and good food.

August - Festival de Cante Grande - A long established festival dedicated to flamenco music

International Folk Music Gala. An annual festival dedicated to folk music from around the world

Early September - Feria Goyesca de Pedro Romero. Ronda bursts into life for the Pedro Romero (the founder of bullfighting) Fair. The programme features bullfights at Ronda's plaza de toros (the oldest bullring in Spain), a colourful display of Goyesca costumes and an exhibition of carriages, with prizes awarded for the best decorated. The bullfights take place in Ronda's Bullring over the festival weekend. If you find the sport distasteful, stick to the other celebrations, held in the town's Recinto Ferial area

Monuments: Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) • San Francisco convent • San Juan Bosco house • Virgen de la Paz church • Casa del Gigante (House of the Giant) • Mondragón palace • Plaza Duquesa Parcent • Santa María de la Encarnación main church • Casita de la Torre (Little House of the Tower) • City Hall • La Caridad church • Santa Isabel de los Angeles convent • Espíritu Santo church • Puerta de Almocábar (Almocábar Gate) • Puerta de Carlos V (Carlos V Gate) • Madres Franciscanas (Franciscan Mothers) convent • San Francisco convent • Museo del Bandolero (Bandit Museum) • Museo de la Caza (Hunting Museum) • Museo Temático Lara (Lara Theme Museum) • Museo Joaquín Peinado (Joaquín Peinado Museum) • Alminar de San Sebastián (San Sebastián minaret) • Palacio del Marqués de Salvatierra (Palace of the Marquise de Salvatierra) • Casa del Rey Moro (House of the Moorish King) • Arco de Felipe V (Felipe V Arch) • Sillón del Rey Moro (Seat of the Moorish King) • Puente Viejo (Old Bridge) • Fuente de los Ocho Caños (Fountain of the Eight Spouts) • Padre Jesús church • Madre de Dios convent • Templete de la Virgen de los Dolores (Virgen de los Dolores chapel) • Santa Cecilia church • El Socorro church • Plaza de Toros (Bullring) • Jardines de Blas Infante (Blas Infante gardens) • La Merced church • Hotel Reina Victoria • Monasterio Mozárabe de la Virgen de la Cabeza (Virgen de la Cabeza Mozarabic Monastery) • Baños Arabes (Arabic Bathhouses) • the Roman archaeological site of Acinipo

Local Cuisine: Conejo a la rondeña (rabbit Ronda-style) • Gazpacho a la serrana (a kind of cold soup, mountain-style) • Sopa de alcachofas (artichoke soup) • Cochifrito de borrego (a fried mutton dish) • Lomo relleno de champiñones (pork loin stuffed with mushrooms) • Guisos de pata de cerdo (pig’s foot stews) • Migas rondeñas (the local variety of a dish made of fried bread crumbs, seasoned with local chorizo sausage) • Perdiz a la rondeña (partridge, Ronda-style) • Tortilla al estilo Ronda (Ronda-style omelette) • Truchas a la serrana (a trout dish) • Caldos de calabaza (squash soup) • Sopas de castañas de la sierra (mountain-style chestnut soups) • Yemas del Tajo (a pastry made from egg yolks)