Author Ilona Kauremszky by the Puente Nuevo in Ronda, Spain.
The van screeches to a halt, and I freeze. There it is. The bridge. The one I’ve been dreaming about ever since I watched Rick Steves swoon over Ronda’s fabled El Tajo Gorge. It’s the same one TikTok tempts me with in endless loops, daring me to see it for myself.
Now I’m here! I pinch my arm as the Puente Nuevo towers before me in all its gravity-defying glory.
And yes, just a step away is my temporary abode. You can see how close the legendary hotel behind me is in the photo above.
The Parador de Ronda is set for my own Andalusian fairytale. See balconies dangling over the abyss and the hot sun striking its creamy façade.
And WOW—it’s every bit as splendid as they said.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
This is the land of dreamers, duende, and daydreams. I stand in Ronda—La Ciudad Soñada, the “City of Dreams” where ancient kingdoms once clashed, troubadours strummed guitars in moonlit squares, and the very roots of flamenco still thrum through the cobblestones.
Orson Welles fell under its spell so completely that his ashes rest in the Ronda countryside. Madonna made a surprise appearance in 1994 to film her “Take a Bow” video here, giving her heart to a matador as the city itself steals the show.
Reasons to stay in Ronda: It’s in the south of Spain, where a storied region of ancient kingdoms called Andalusia thrives. Period. Smack between two renowned cities: Seville, the capital, and the port city of Malaga, Ronda is where you come for a city break. It helps Spain’s oldest bullring stadium and the country’s top wineries with less volume, better quality, and the roots of flamenco percolate.
The Parador de Ronda sits front-row-center to all the drama. The Puente Nuevo and El Tajo Gorge stretch beneath my balcony like a natural amphitheater, each view a cliffhanger. I stroll to miradors (lookouts) where the abyss swallows the horizon, the valley carpeted in wild greenery and ancient Arabic ruins.
A few steps away, I marvel at Ronda’s historic bullring, Plaza de Toros. Fun fact: the same architect designed both the ring and the Puente Nuevo. Talk about a legacy that straddles culture and chasms.
I lose myself in Ronda’s Old Town—La Ciudad—where winding alleys unravel like a ball of whitewashed yarn. They spill into secret squares where guitars strum late into the night, where women twirl in flamenco dresses, hair buns pinned with sparkling jewels. I meander over to the Baños Árabes (medieval Arab baths) before wandering into the 19th-century Alameda del Tajo park.
HOTEL SNAPSHOT
Spain’s paradores are a government-run network of historic hotels, typically housed in stunning establishments from former monasteries to castles and even landmark buildings.
My recent stay at the Parador de Ronda is exquisitely perched by the gorge for maximum “Wow” factor. Once Ronda’s town hall and food market, the building was transformed in 1994 into a hotel that’s equal parts heritage and hospitality.
The original Casa Consistorial façade still greets me with its arcades and old clock tower, reminding me that this is no cookie-cutter stay.
Inside, I wander through airy halls alive with art: matador portraits, bronze bull busts, and bold canvases that jump from Goya-esque drama to Picasso-like cubism. The décor feels like a mash-up between museum and movie set, where romanticism rubs elbows with pop culture. Every corner dares me to linger.
And then the views! From the terrace, the Puente Nuevo struts into a selfie frame. Below, the El Tajo Gorge gapes open, its cliffs draped in vines. On the other side, the rolling Andalusian countryside spreads out like a golden quilt stitched with olive groves and wheat fields. No wonder poets and painters lose their hearts here. I almost drop mine into the abyss.
Author Ilona Kauremszky basks in her room with ‘the’ view.
SUITE HIGHLIGHTS
When the receptionist slides me keys to Room #13, I grin—no superstition here. My superior double corner suite is a window into two worlds. To the west, my balcony frames the 19th-century Alameda del Tajo, a green lung pumping fresh air straight into Ronda’s stony chest. To the east, I gaze out over the valley, its patchwork of olive groves and wheat fields shimmering in the Andalusian sun.
Inside, the space is cool and crisp, thanks to blissful air conditioning—an absolute must as Spain heats up. I flop onto a queen-sized bed (really, they are two generous singles put together), flick through channels on the flat-screen TV, and raid the minibar for a fizzy tonic. Your laptop can slip safely into the room’s digital safe. Wi-Fi whirs on cue, and I revel in the sweet spot where old-world charm cozies up with modern convenience.
HOTEL PERKS
The Parador serves up plenty of perks, but let’s start with the pool. Guests pad across sun-warmed tiles and plunge into turquoise waters that shimmer against the cliffside. Floating here feels like flying, too. You can look down and see nothing but sky, gorge, and pure Andalusian grandeur.
Breakfast is another moment of glory. At Restaurante Parador de Ronda, attentive staff usher me to a sunlit table dressed in white linen. Huge windows frame the gorge like a living postcard while I weave between buffet stations piled high with Andalusian abundance: pyramids of oranges and figs, slivers of Iberian ham, wedges of local cheese, olive oil at every table. I watch farm-fresh eggs sizzle to order, sip strong Spanish coffee, and think if mornings looked like this every day, I’d never snooze an alarm again.
FINAL IMPRESSIONS
Staying at the Parador de Ronda feels like stepping into Andalusia’s living scrapbook. History hums in the hallways, romance clings to the balconies, and the future unfolds in the attentive service and modern comforts. I’m wrapped in the kind of atmosphere that feeds the soul.
This is a stay for dreamers, for anyone who craves nostalgia, who lets imagination tango with reality, who wants to take a bow on a cliffside stage where legends and lovers perform.
And as I linger on my private balconies, gazing down into the dizzying gorge and out across Andalusia’s golden fields, I can’t help it. I think, “Olé, Ilona—you have finally arrived.”
You can book a room at the Parador de Ronda by visiting paradores.es.
Check rates for the Parador de Ronda online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Photos: Ilona Kauremszky + Supplied
Hotel-Scoop Columnist Ilona Kauremszky stayed at the Parador de Ronda as a media guest of the Tourist Office of Spain.
