What to do in Ronda for a day: Ronda day trip or overnight stay

After seeing photos of the Puente Nuevo bridge, Ronda became an essential stop on our South Spain road trip. After almost two months exploring Spain, Ronda is still one of our most memorable destinations.

The beautiful town of Ronda is set high on a rock plateau and divided by the dramatic El Tajo gorge. The spectacular Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) joins the two sides and provides incredible views out to the countryside.

For an Andalusian town with a big reputation and online presence, you may be wondering what to do in Ronda for a day. We found the centre of Ronda to be surprisingly small. You can easily do a Ronda day trip, stay one night, or stay a couple of nights and take day trips from Ronda.

This post covers what to see in Ronda Spain in one day: Ronda itinerary, top spots and activities, restaurant and accommodation recommendations, Ronda day trip ideas, and tips to get the most out of your trip.

We visited Ronda with our toddler, so I’ve included extra information if you’re visiting Ronda with young kids. If you’re travelling Spain with young kids, you can also check out my guide to visiting Spain with a baby or toddler.

Visiting Ronda as part of a road trip? Check out my South Spain Road Trip 1 and 2 week itineraries.

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What to do in Ronda for a day. What to see in Ronda Spain in one day.

What to do in Ronda for a day: things you should know

Is Ronda worth visiting?

Yes, absolutely! Ronda is a beautiful town with spectacular architecture and views. Of the many towns and cities we have visited in Spain, it is one of the most memorable places we visited. I would recommend visiting Ronda even if only as a day trip as you can see a lot in Ronda in a short amount of time.

Best time to visit Ronda

Like much of Andalucia, the ideal time of year to visit Ronda is in spring or fall. You get the best combination of good temperatures and daylight hours.

We visited Ronda in August, and I would still recommend visiting Ronda in summer if that is when your vacation falls. Be prepared for warm temperatures by starting your day early and walking the gorge before it gets too hot. Ronda is a small town, so you won’t need to walk great distances to get between the main attractions. Ronda has a great atmosphere in the summer evenings, with lively restaurants and crowds at the viewpoints for sunset.

Is Ronda a family friendly destination?

Ronda is a town that can be visited with young kids. We found Ronda to be a great town to visit with our toddler. The city centre is small, so you can even do a Ronda day trip with your little ones.

Be selective when picking walking tracks if you are visiting Ronda with young kids. The viewpoints at the top of plateau are all well fenced, but the tracks down to the bridge are not fenced or stroller friendly, and there are some steep drops. We used a baby carrier on the track down to the bottom of the bridge.

If you’re visiting Spain with young kids, you can also check out my guide to visiting Spain with a baby or toddler.

Ronda day trip: is one day in Ronda enough?

I would recommend spending at least one night and one full day in Ronda if you have the time in your itinerary. However, it is still worth visiting Ronda as a day trip. If you have a car, you can do a Ronda day trip from plenty of places in Southern Spain including much of the Costa del Sol.

Ronda is not the easiest city to access if you don’t have a car. If you are visiting from a large city, such as Seville or Malaga, check public transport options and times in advance. You can also visit Ronda as part of an organised day tour.

You can see all the main attractions in Ronda in one day as they are close together. If you only have one day, I would recommend staying for sunset as the views are incredible.

Where to stay in Ronda

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Hotel Catalonia Ronda with its fantastic service and comfortable rooms in the centre of Ronda. The spacious rooms were particularly helpful for us travelling with a toddler. They had plenty of different room options, including suites and family rooms, including free cots on request (subject to availability). We loved being a two minute walk from the new bridge, and the bar and rooftop pool that provided spectacular views of the countryside and bullring.

Hotel Catalonia has several hotels throughout Spain which we tried to book last minute after we had such a fantastic stay in Ronda.

Because Ronda is quite small, you can stay anywhere and not be too far from the action. If your budget allows, there are some hotels with spectacular views of the El Tajo gorge, Puente Nuevo and surrounding countryside. Click here for other accommodation options in Ronda.

Parking and driving in Ronda

For a Ronda day trip, park at a paid car park building close to the centre. We used Parking La Merced covered car park. The standard rate is 16 euro for 24 hours, but discounts are available if you book through your accommodation or are using the carpark for multiple days. This is a handy parking spot for both one day in Ronda or a longer stay. We used our car for day trips from Ronda and the carpark was a short walk from our central accommodation.

If you are staying overnight in Ronda, ask your accommodation for parking recommendations close to your accommodation. In our experience, online maps were not helpful for showing hills, stairs and road works in Ronda. Some accommodation providers have arrangements with their local carpark buildings so you can get subsidised parking.

You do not need a car to explore Ronda itself as all of the sites are within close walking distance. Leave your car in the carpark to avoid the challenges of navigating the roads and parking again once you are already in the town.

Ronda itinerary: What to do in Ronda for a day

I’ve put together activities and what to see in Ronda Spain in one day. This one day Ronda itinerary could be spread across a two or possibly three days, particularly if you are using Ronda as a base for day trips or long hikes in the area.

Puente Nuevo (New Bridge)

Allow 1-3 hours depending on which walking track you want to take. Best visited in the early morning or before sunset for beautiful lighting and comfortable temperatures.

Pictures of the spectacular Puente Nuevo are what initially drew us to visit Ronda. While it is called the New Bridge, it was built in the late 18th century to form a more direct route between the old and new towns of Ronda. We are from New Zealand, so nothing built in the 18th century would be referred to as new here.

The bridge is the centre of town, or a 5 minute walk from Parking La Merced which I recommend using for a day trip. Once you’re at the bridge, take your time enjoying the views from both sides, including from Mirador de Aldehuela.

To see Puente Nuevo from a distance, take the short walk to Plaza de Maria Auxiliadora and follow the stairs down to the viewpoint. From here, you can continue hiking into the gorge for views of the bridge from below.

There are several tracks and options depending on your fitness level and whether you are travelling with children. Travelling with our toddler, we used a baby carrier for the hike in the gorge. The tracks we saw beyond this point are not pram friendly or fenced, and have steep drops.

Plaza del Socorro and Carrera Espinel

Allow 1-2 hours if stopping here for lunch and shopping.
Carrera Espinel is a vibrant pedestrian street where you can browse the shops, pick up souvenirs, and enjoy a meal. There are also plenty of eateries along the street and in Plaza del Socorro. We had a delicious meal at Las Maravillas at the start of re Carrera Espinel. There are also breakfast options on this street if you are visiting early in the day.

Arab Baths

Allow around 1 hour.
From Carrera Espinel, walk about 10 minutes to the Arab Baths archaeological site. These baths date back to the 13th century and are very well preserved. Tickets are just €4.50 for adults and children under 14 are free.

Puente Arabe and Puente Viejo (Arab Bridge and Old Bridge)

Allow around 30 minutes.
The Arab Bridge and Old Bridge are both a short walk from the Arab Baths. The two bridges sit in the lower part of the gorge and provide impressive views from a different perspective.

Jardines de Cuenca (Cuenca Gardens)

Allow around 1 hour.
From the old bridge, continue up to the Cuenca Garden terrace viewing platforms. These are the terraces you may have seen from Mirador de Aldehuela. You can enjoy the flower gardens on your journey up and see the New Bridge once you get to the top (Mirador De Cuenca). If travelling with a little one, I would recommend a baby carrier.

Ronda Bullring

The bullring in Ronda is the oldest in all of Spain. We did not visit the bullring as we do not want to economically support bullfighting. If you want to see the bullring without supporting it financially, you see it from the outside or get a view into the ring from the Hotel Catalonia rooftop. It is just a two minute walk from the Hotel Catalonia or Mirador de Ronda. If you are a guest at Hotel Catalonia (which I highly recommend), you can also see inside the bullring from the rooftop pool.

Sunset at Hotel Catalonia bar or Mirador de Ronda

After a big day of exploring, the bar at Hotel Catalonia is a great place to unwind and watch the sunset over the countryside. Seating is limited, so it is best to arrive early or book ahead if you are travelling during busy times. While we took our toddler, it’s probably a better spot if you are visiting without kids. As you would expect for a rooftop bar, the seating was not particularly kid friendly but the staff were really accommodating.

Mirador de Ronda and Mirador de Aves are great spots to watch the sunset in a more casual environment. Tourists and locals flock here to watch the sun go down.

Ronda in the evening

If you have the evening in Ronda, I recommend heading back to Mirador de Aldehuela to see the New Bridge lit up. There are also plenty of great spots around the gorge to enjoy the view over dinner or drinks. Make sure to book in advance if you are travelling during summer.

Below I’ve included recommendations for where to stay and where to eat in Ronda. If you’re looking to use Ronda as a base for day trips, I’ve also included some suggestions at the end of this post.

Where to eat in Ronda

Best areas in Ronda to eat

Plaza del Socorro is a vibrant plaza with tapas bars and high end restaurants. The nearby Carrera Espinel street is full of shops and places to eat open throughout the day including for breakfast. Just one block over is Calle Nueva, a small street bursting with eateries for lunch and dinner.

There are plenty of restaurants facing the El Tajo gorge providing incredible views from your table. Many of these places are more expensive.

If travelling on a budget, you could take a picnic to Mirador de Ronda. There are several good bakeries in Ronda and a small supermarket on Calle Nueva.

Great restaurants in Ronda

We found all of the popular restaurants were really busy when we visited Ronda in summer. Some of the places below take bookings, but for others you will need to arrive early or wait for a table. Travelling with a toddler, we would take snacks for him to enjoy outside the restaurant while we waited for a table.

Las Maravillas: Popular restaurant in the heart of Ronda serving Andalusian cuisine and global options. You can dine outside on the street, inside the restaurant or in the internal courtyard.

Churreria Alba: Bustling cafe on Calle Espinel serving breakfast and authentic churros. We found it was super busy but tables become available quickly.

Restaurante Panoramico: Upmarket restaurant and bar in Hotel Catalonia with terrace seating overlooking the bullring and countryside beyond.

Toro Tapas Ronda: Busy and casual tapas bar on Calle Espinel.

Tabanco Los Arcos: Lively wine and tapas bar positioned right next to the Puente Nuevo bridge on the old town side.

Day trips from Ronda

We took several day trips from Ronda and found it was a great base for exploring other towns in Andalucia. Here are some ideas for day trips from Ronda if you have a car.

For more information about each of the spots, check out my post about a South Spain road trip, including itineraries and essential tips. I’d also recommend using rentalcars.com to choose your rental car. We were able to book our rental car for far cheaper, and they also offered free cancellation.

Setenil de las Bodegas

20 minute drive from Ronda.
This pueblo blanco is known for its buildings built directly into rock which hangs over the street. Setenil is a short drive from Ronda, which makes it easy for a day trip or even just a lunch spot. The main street with overhanging rock has several great eateries to choose from and is a perfect place to stop for a meal or drinks.

Olvera

45 minute drive from Ronda.
A 25 minute drive from Setenil will take you to the quieter pueblo blanco of Olvera. This could be its own day trip from Ronda, or combined with your visit to Setenil. Walk up the steep Calle Calzada street to the Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación church and Castillo de Olvera.

Marbella

1 hour drive from Ronda.
The drive from Ronda to Marbella is one of the most beautiful stretches of road we drove during our South Spain road trip. The winding road will take you from the rolling hills to the coast, passing lush golf courses and grand mansions before arriving at the beach. Marbella has a beautiful old town with plenty of high-end eateries and shops. It is also a great spot for a beach day trip from Ronda.

Costa del Sol

Around 1 hour drive from Ronda depending on the beach.
You can easily visit many other beaches and old towns in the Costa del Sol area from Ronda. We particularly enjoyed Estepona for its combination of old town charm, beachfront eateries, and kid-friendly beaches.

Jerez de la Frontera

1 hour 20 minute drive from Ronda.
Head to the home of sherry (Jerez, in Spanish) for a tasting and tour at one of the many bodegas. We enjoyed Bodegas Lustau, but there are plenty of other options around the city.

Zahara de la Sierra and Puerto de las Palomas scenic drive

2 hour loop return to Ronda.
Visit the mountaintop town of Zahara de la Sierra overlooking the Zahara el Gastor reservoir. From there, take the incredibly scenic drive of Puerto de las Palomas. This spectacular drive takes you to the highest point in Andalucia. There is a viewpoint and car park at the top to stretch your legs and take in the 360-degree views. Note: While we found the road was well formed and quiet, it is very windy and steep in places. I would not recommend it if you get carsick or if you are not confident with these types of roads.

I hope this blog post answers all your questions about Ronda and inspires you to visit this beautiful Spanish town. Happy travels!

What to do in Ronda for a day: Ronda day trip or overnight stay