Ronda, Spain.(HDR)
A jewel on a mountain plateau, Ronda is nested above the gorges. It is a town of about 35,000 inhabitants and it is one of the most romantic destinations in Spain. Because of its heights, Ronda was founded as a fortified post in the Second Punic War by the famous Roman consul Scipio Africanus.
There are three bridges in the old town, which span the El Tajo gorge: Puente Romano or Roman Bridge, which in fact was built by Arabs; Puente Arabe or Arab Bridge, also known as Puente Viejo or Old Bridge, and the most impressive of them all the Puente Nuevo or the New Bridge built in 1793.
Carved in the cliffs of the ‘El Tajo’ gorge is a surprising water mine and a small fortress that dates back to the Moorish era. The structure, Casa Del Rey Moro, with the gardens at the top and the mine below, was protecting city water supplies. And for centuries, this mine was the only source of water into the city. Slaves, chained to the 230 steps carved into the rock, were passing water bags upwards to the street level.
Ronda is also said to be the home of the modern-day bullfighting. The 18th century Real Maestranza bullring is one of the oldest and most picturesque in Spain.
