Our Day Trip to Beautiful Ronda, Spain – with Kids
Ronda was my inspiration city for this part of our trip to Spain. It’s a beautiful, white town built on the side of a cliff with lots of small wondering lanes to get lost in – and the views … amazing. It’s a wonderful place to explore with the entire family.
The old and new (that should be more accurately be called old and really old – like 600bc old) parts of town are connected by a bridge that spans over a very deep ravine. If you are nervous around heights – don’t look down. The walk along the edge of town skirts (and even juts out over) the ravine for some breathtaking views (really, don’t look down).
Even with my constant “back up kids, you’re to close to the edge kids, don’t lean on that rail kids … ” I still think it was amazing and we all made it home safe. No one fell down a cliff – parent win!
Our Trip was in Feb 2018. Post has been updated since that time to add information.
First Stop – A Playground
Playgrounds are always our first stop after a long drive. We did not have much difficulty finding a parking lot then made our way over to Alameda Del Tajo. It’s a great place to start and has some spectacular views from the cliffs. We meandered our way past the bull fighting ring and towards the bridge.
And then, THE Bridge
Looked just like in the postcards. We got a few great pics and admired the engineering it must have taken to build all this stuff on the sides of these cliffs. I’m just glad we were getting to enjoy it and had nothing to do with building it. What a crazy hard job.
The current bridge is called the “New Bridge” and was completed in 1759 and took 34 years to build – not so new in my standards. It is the 3rd bridge to span the Guadalevín River and connects “new” Ronda with “old” Ronda. Near the bridge the buildings seem to just perch on the cliff’s edge. Some even have stairs leading to balconies trailing down the cliff sides. There is traffic on the bridge so just be mindful of your surrounding but definitely take some time to soak in the views.
The Old Town
After we walked the bridge I relaxed in a courtyard while the hubby took the girls for a small hike for views on the side of the cliff. The first part was OK for kids but I wouldn’t do the full walk (especially if your kids are clumsy or have impulse control problems).
We then took our time getting lost in the old Moorish alleys. I love getting (a little) lost is the side street of Andalusia Spain. Every corner is another beautiful view.
Mondragon Palace and the Municipal Museum
We just happened to walk by a museum so we just decided to stop and take a look. The Mondragon Palace was the home of the Moorish King Abomelic I. The facility also houses the Municipal Museum. We enjoyed exploring the architecture and the courtyards and well as getting in some history lessons. The museum documents the history of the area going back to the stone age.
And we Wander Some More ..
We had a lunch date at 2pm so we took our time and stopped at several squares and another playground just on the other side of old town. We never were able to adjust to Spain’s late eating hours. We just carried bread, fruit and cheese wherever we went and randomly snacked all day.
I had recently discovered a Facebook group for Worldschoolers in Andalusia and luckily they were having an educational event the same day we planned our trip. I highly recommend trying to connect with other groups when traveling . Unfortunately planning events ahead of time is not my strong suit but we were able to at least make lunch work out. When I plan the next trip I will definitely spend more time researching where other travelers are and how to meet them. We ate lunch outside at Bar Ambigu and it was lovely. My daughter and I loved the Octopus and the rest was tasty as well. We got to meet several other families and the kids enjoyed playing with each other. It was really fun talking to other families with the same traveling stories and issues as us.
If you’re interested in reading another family travel blog. Check out Well Worn Suitcase. I met Crysta at lunch and she does a great job sharing her travel experiences. I’m looking forward to reading stories of their time in Andalusia soon.
The Plaza de Toros
On the way back to the car we stopped to explore the bull fighting ring. The ring was built in the 18 century and is considered to be the oldest in Spain (by 1 year). It also houses a small exhibit. Lucky for us if you’re just browsing through, the kids aren’t likely to grasp exactly what bull fighting is. Just don’t linger too much at some of the artwork. My son recently declared himself a vegetarian and a full explanation of bullfighting would have totally ruined his day. My favorite part was wandering around the field and through the stands. It’s a really beautiful building.
and of course – Ice Cream (and another playground stop)
One last stop at the playground and a stop at a local ice cream shop and our day in Ronda was at a close. We had a really wonderful day. Ronda is such a great city. It’s beautiful, relaxing and just lends itself to strolls. The older sections are easily explored by parking once and just taking your time wandering and admiring the atmosphere. It’s very family friendly and a must to destination for any trip to Andalusia Spain.
