Our Spanish Hibernation 3:0

It’s almost seven years since we visited Ronda, so it felt like time for a return visit to this mountain top town, famous for its bullring and stunning bridges.

Part of the reason for not going again sooner to this beautiful place is the awkward train and bus times. You can get there easily enough, but the return journey options are so limited that you end up with a whistle stop visit, with hardly enough time to snag a place in the busy bars for some tapas.

We found a solution this year, by taking a tour bus, which allowed you to eschew the guided part of the trip for extra free time. This gave Paul, myself and Niall (visiting for a few days from Dublin) a full four hours to see the town, the breathtaking gorge, the bridges, walk through the moorish castle and also enjoy four pit stops for much needed refreshments!!

After Ronda, the tour bus whisked us thirty minutes up the road to Setenil de las Bodegas – a town of white washed houses built into the cliffs. Well, I say the bus took us there but in fact it took us close and the rest of the way in was on some rickety old noddy train which barrelled down the hill defying most other vehicles that wanted to pass!

The town itself is stunning – two streets wind through the canyon. Facing the south, Cuevas de Sol gets the most sunlight and is jammed with bars and cafes. On the opposite side. Cuevas de la Sombra is darker, more mysterious and a little more intriguing. At the top of the town, ninety four steps lead you breathlessly to stunning views of the countryside and this quite extraordinary town. All in all a great day out.