A place that combines nature and culture most spectacularly is the town of Ronda, where both Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles resided for years and wrote of its beauty. Not far from the Costa del Sol, it is a source of inspiration for Goya and other artists, the town’s bullring is no less than the very birthplace of bullfighting.
Ronda is perched up on high on the two sides of the Tajo canyon, a steep gorge formed by the river Guadalevin. The two sides are connected by three bridges, the Puento Romano (Roman bridge), Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), and Puente Viejo (Old Brige). At 120 meters above the stream, the Puento Nuevo is the tallest, and the Puente Viejo was built by the Moors. All three bridges offer spectacular views over the city. The town is full of historical buildings and attractions, including La Mina, a fortified tower with a secret entrance at its base and very long spiral staircase built by the Moors to access the river that proved the city’s downfall when re-conquering Catholics discovered the entrance and used it to break their siege in 1485.
Another area wirth a visit in Ronda is the Valle del Libar, the valley through which both the Rio Guadiaro and the Algeciras-Granada train link and the Rio Guadiaro pass, and whose many of the -casares-y-estepona,villages (Benaojan, Cortes de la Frontera, etc) boast a train station. The area is famous for its forested areas as well as cave exploration. One of the most beautiful spots is the Cueva del Gato (Cat’s Cave), a cave partially flooded by a stream that can be crossed in a serious speleological expedition accompanied by professionals. The stream ends in a spectacular and enormous cavern. From here the water cascades into an open air lagoon frequented by bathers and families having a picnic. A few metres away the stream rejoins the Guadiaro, whose mouth is a few dozen kilometers downstream at Sotogrande.