Serranía de Ronda

Serranía de Ronda is a region in the Province of Malaga, Andalucia. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty and great geographical diversity that is popular with walkers, birdwatchers, climbers and potholers.

Cities

• 1 Ronda – most important city of the region, set in and around a deep gorge spanned by an impressive bridge
• 2 Júzcar — one of the white villages of Andalusia until it was painted in blue as a setting for a Smurfs movie
• 3 Montejaque — one of the 'white towns' of the Sierra la Grazalema national park, majestically nestled between two bluffs to the north and south

Understand

It contains both the Sierra de Grazalema - reputedly one of the wettest regions in Spain - and the Sierra de las Nieves. The central town of Ronda is the administrative headquarters, perched on a high plateau, with numerous small, "pueblos blancos" or white villages dotted around the surrounding countryside.

There are limestone escarpments, cork forests and fields of wheat and sunflowers. Numerous small rivers cross the landscape. The climate is generally dry and hot in summer, with mild spring and autumn seasons. Winters can be very cold, particularly at night, and snow is not uncommon at the higher altitudes. Cloudless days in winter can be warm and bright and the light is considered to be good for photography and painting.

Ornithologists value this area as a major migration route and some rare species can be seen.

Do

• Montejaque via ferrata, ☏ +34 6644 44855. Via ferrata near the town of Montejaque, in the Serranía de Ronda. A 4-hour climb. Also a 72-m zip line, 50 m high. (updated Dec 2020)