Ronda is a municipality in the province of Málaga within the autonomous community of Andalusia, located in the mountains inland from the Costa del Sol. The city is dramatically divided into two sections by the Guadalvín river gorge, known as El Tajo, which reaches depths of up to 150 meters and widths of 40 meters. Three bridges span this chasm, connecting the old and new towns: the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), built in the late 18th century and the most iconic; the Puente Viejo (Old Bridge), rebuilt in 1616; and the Puente Árabe (Arab Bridge) at the lowest level.
Ronda's origins trace to the Roman settlement of Arunda, with its old town ("La Ciudad") built on the original Roman site. The city bears significant Moorish architectural influence from its Islamic period, visible in features such as the Baños Árabes (Arab Baths) from the late 13th or early 14th century, which showcase star-shaped skylights and octagonal brick columns. The Reconquista period saw the destruction of Muslim mosques, replaced by Christian churches including the Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor, Spain's largest church, constructed on a former mosque foundation. Traditional Moorish-origin features like zaguans (entrance halls) with geometric tilework remain characteristic of the architecture.
Ronda became a historic bullfighting center and hosts one of Spain's oldest plazas de toros, which now includes a museum and hosts summer concerts and horse shows. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the city gained prominence as a Grand Tour destination that attracted notable writers and artists including Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, and Federico García Lorca. The narrow streets, squares, and hidden corners of its old town preserve a typical Andalucían character, while the city's period of relative isolation has helped maintain its historical features.