The Pettigrews in Spain: Ronda

We left Marbella and weaved our way through the coastal mountain range as we drove toward Ronda. As we gained altitude, we were treated to expansive views of the Mediterranean behind us and small, whitewashed villages nestled in valleys along the way. Ronda was one of the last Moorish strongholds to fall to the Christians in the 15th century. After experiencing the terrain along the way, it makes sense why this place was difficult to conquer.

The soul of Ronda is the area around the Puente Nuevo, or new bridge. This impressive bridge was completed in 1793 and spans a deep ravine which cuts through the center of town. We got lucky and found a hotel room with a huge balcony and easily the best views in town. The hotel is a part of a network of historic hotels in Spain called Paradores, and sits on the site of the old city hall. Ronda also boasts the oldest bullring in Spain, completed in 1784. Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles both spent many summers in Ronda and have contributed to its popularity.

One of my favorite books by Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls, has a famous scene in which fascist sympathizers are lined up and thrown off cliffs in a fictional town square in Spain. It is widely thought that this scene was inspired by actual events in Ronda during the brutal Spanish Civil War. Hemingway worked as a reporter during the war and wrote extensively in Spain.