Hello fellow travelers!
We will be in Ronda early November. Where is the best place to view the bridge? I have read that there are paths that descend down towards the gorge. Where do they begin? Is one trail better then the other to view the bridge? How long is the walk down then back up? We have limited time of 2.5 hours since we will be on a tour.
Any advice would also be appreciated!
The best view is from the gorge. The Parador de Ronda is at the end of the bridge. There are paths leading to the gorge just off the side streets and they are easy to get to. It takes maybe five minutes to walk down them to get a good view. Of course you could walk further. To me, if coming up the main street in town, and the Parador is on the right just before passing over the bridge, going into the gorge on right side provides the best view. That the same side as the Mirador de Ronda if you look at a map. If you have the time, walk to some off the miradors/overlooks on the other side of the bridge, as they also provide a nice view.
This is a description of our day in Ronda that you may find useful
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2018/10/day-35-ronda-and-setenil-de-las-bodegas.html
There are no bad views of the bridge from the south side of it (once you've walked across it); one option is to walk across the bridge, so you're headed south, then bearing right you'll walk on on Calle Tenorio (the street closest to the Gorge), soon you'll find a casa (I forget the name, but see Jean's post below) on the right (gorge side of the street) charging a modest admission price that's worth it as the back of the casa opens up to a spectacular view of the bridge back toward the northeast.
Another view is, after walking south across the bridge, linger at the view plaza on the left. Then continue to Casa Don Bosco mentioned in the above paragraph, which will be on the opposite side of the gorge, with you following Calle Tenorio.
BTW, in spring 2019 the trail down is blocked because of landslides caused by winter rains, it blocked the trail but hopefully will be open by the time you're there.
You might want to begin your time at this location near the bridge before heading down the gorge:
Casa Don Bosco. For 2 Euros each, we had beautiful views over a garden to take our initial photos of Ronda away from the crowd – well worth it!
Also, the small museum that wraps around one side of the bullring is excellent.
Jean, thanks for providing the name Casa Don Bosco that I couldn't remember.
Also, something not every bridge comes with: I read that the chamber below the center of the bridge (a window is visible in the center of the bridge) was used as a torture chamber during the Spanish Civil War. Guess what the torturers did if the victims were still alive after the torture?
