White Trails of Ronda

Itinerary

Day 1 Malaga

This city has beautiful Moorish architecture, great nightlife and incredible seafood. Malaga is easy to like. The transport and commercial hub of the Andalucian region, Malaga was occupied by the Moors right up until the middle of the 15th century. It has been an important centre ever since, with much of the Moorish culture, tradition and architecture remaining. The nearby castles offer great views of the city and give insight into the city’s amazing history. No visit to Malaga would be complete without mention of its most famous son: Pablo Picasso, born here in 1881. Make sure to visit his birthplace in the Plaza Merced and don’t miss at least one of the numerous galleries and museums displaying his work.Malaga is also famous for its abundance of seafood, particularly pescaito frito, an assortment of fried fish. Practically stuffed with tapas bars and cafes, Malaga has an exciting social life. Enjoy a lunch and some tapas before taking a siesta in one of the city’s many shady parks. We will meet in the evening to tailor your trip: choose your optional activities and book for the week.

Day 2 Ronda

Estimated Travel Time: 2 hoursThe alluring town of Ronda is nestled deep in the white Andalucian hills. It’s impossible to miss the town’s most unique feature—a 100m deep gorge splitting the town in two. This spectacular gorge is bridged by the magnificent Puente Nuevo (New Bridge). Built in 1751, the bridge is one of the most photographed structures in all of Spain. On one side of the bridge is the old Moorish town with many historic buildings including the House of the Moorish King, worth a visit for its wonderful gardens. On the other side is El Mercadillo, a more recent urban development; to the east of the town are well-preserved Arab Baths.We take a morning bus ride to Ronda, and start our half-day tour at one of the most important features of the city, the bullring, walking behind it for a wider perspective of the surroundings. If bullfighting piques your interest, Ronda is the birthplace of the Spanish national pastime, with one of the oldest bullfighting rings in the country. If our timing is lucky we may also have the option to witness this thoroughly Spanish, albeit controversial sport.Next we head out of the city and down in the fields to see the amazing Puente Nuevo bridge from below. We walk to the top of La Ciudad, the name given to the old Moorish city. Have a rest and enjoy a look around again before we continue on to the tiny La Virgen de la Cabeza chapel, passing parts of Ronda’s surrounding forest. The rest of the day is up to you: Enjoy the amazing Andalucian countryside on bike, foot or horse-back or just mingle in the stunning streets adorned with pottery shops and bars. There is excellent craft shopping in Ronda, which is well known for its pottery, leatherwork and wrought iron products.

Day 3 Ronda

We will head out early in the morning as an exciting day awaits us. A private van will take us through the White Moorish villages and will immerse you little by little deep into Ronda’s mountain range. The day will include a stop at the archaeological site of Acinipo, located at a height of 999mts above sea level, on top of a limestone hill. Although most of the surprising remains belong to the Roman age, we must not forget the important prehistoric heritage of this city. The oldest findings belong to the Neolithic period, with evidence of continued habitation through the Copper and Bronze Ages. It was during this prehistoric age, with the importance of the Phoenician colonies, that Acinipo achieved its importance, reaching its highpoint during Roman times, proceeded by the Iberian phase. The most impressive example of typical Roman urban design architecture is the city's theater, which can be dated to the 1st century AD.Our day will also include a stop at one of the prettiest places in the area - Setenil de las Bodegas. This unusual town was built with cave houses and corridors dug into the rocks between white huts, and famously resisted the attacks of the Christian troops during the Moorish occupation. Overwhelmed by fascinating history we take a rest at a wine cellar to enjoy a guided tour around the vineyard and get a taste of the exquisite local wine tradition. Grazalema will be another stop, inviting us into its amazing surroundings, including a Forest Reserve where we can pause for some Tapas at a local restaurant. Finally we move to the town of Zahara, whose name reflects the Arab legacy. The village has been declared a place of historic and artistic importance since 1983. Back to Ronda we check out the optional activities available for exploring this region’s nature reserves the next day.

Day 4 Ronda

This is our optional activities day! Choose from many different activities available - hiking, biking, bird-watching, caving, canoeing, horse-riding and more.

Day 5 Ronda

Full day guided walk. We will take the path from the edge of Ronda´s gorge, walking out of the city, towards the Monte Jaque mountain range and the white village of Benajoán. Following the railway tracks, we will go up a small hill to enjoy breathtaking views over the region. Let’s take a rest at a spot best known as La Cueva del Gato (The Cave of the Cat) with a crystal clear pond - pretty cold, but extremely refreshing. Have a drink at the rural hostal before we continue walking through the flowery mountains to Jimera del Libar. This magical little place is rich in orchards and fruit trees, replenished by the plentiful waters of the river Guadiaro. Its pleasant climate and peacefulness makes it an ideal place for holidays and excursions. Enjoy the Moorish heritage that is highly visible: the roman church accompanied by a thin tower, which once was the minaret of a mosque. A picturesque train from the very old ‘main’ station will bring us back to Ronda.

Day 6 Ronda

Enjoy another day at leisure. Optional activities available.

Day 7 Ronda / Malaga

Estimated Travel Time: 2 hoursLet’s say goodbye to Ronda and take the train or the bus back to Malaga, spending our last day together exploring the museums and the lively streets of Malaga.Take this opportunity to visit the city´s world-famous Picasso Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art or perhaps a visit to the Cathedral, rounding off the trip with a final dinner in the evening, to sample some more of the region´s delightful cuisine.

Trip Details

Accommodation	Local hotels (7nts).
Departure	Departs every two weeks (Apr-Nov)
DepEnd	Sun-Sun
Group Size	Max 15, Avg 10
Included Highlights	Full day cultural tour of the Ronda region, Wine Cellar Plantation, Walks in Ronda and Jimera de Libar
Local Payment	EUR150
Meals Included	No meals are included.
StartFinish	ex Malaga
Transport	Train, private transport, bus, walking.
Brochure Intro	Perched high atop a gorge 100 m deep, Ronda straddles sprawling hills and golden fields. One of the oldest bull-fighting towns, this is where ancient history collides with spectacular natural wonders. Walk the White Trails of Ronda and truly experience this captivating area.

When can I go?

Start Date	Finish Date	Places Available
2008-10-12	2008-10-19	7+
2008-10-26	2008-11-02	7+
2008-11-09	2008-11-16	7+

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