Hotels in Ronda

El Mercadillo and Plaza de España

El Mercadillo is the part of Ronda that grew up outside the walls, north of the gorge. Here you have Plaza de España, Calle Nueva full of bars and restaurants, the bullring and the Alameda del Tajo with its viewpoints. The train and bus stations are also in this area, so you can arrive and leave without dragging a suitcase up hills.

It is the liveliest area in the afternoon and evening. Carrera Espinel, which everyone in Ronda calls Calle La Bola, is pedestrianised and has many of the shops.

La Ciudad

Across the Puente Nuevo begins La Ciudad, the old walled town. Its narrow streets lead to the Palacio de Mondragón, Santa María la Mayor and the Casa del Rey Moro. At night it is almost empty, and many houses have patios and balconies overlooking the valley. Couples and people looking to switch off love it. If you are driving, the streets are narrow and parking inside is hard, so ask about access before you arrive.

Barrio de San Francisco

Through the Almocábar gate, south of La Ciudad, is the San Francisco quarter. It is a residential neighbourhood with a few old-fashioned taverns and the church of Espíritu Santo by the walls. The road out to the Serranía is right there and there is usually more room to park.

Padre Jesús and the old bridges

Down below, by the Puente Viejo and the San Miguel bridge, the Padre Jesús quarter has the Ocho Caños fountain and is a step away from the Arab Baths. It is the quietest part of the old town, good for walking to the trails at the bottom of the gorge, though getting back up to the centre means a stiff climb. Outside town, the country estates and cortijos offer pools, countryside and olive groves, but there you will need a car for everything.

Best-rated in this area: Catalonia Ronda, with a score of 9.6 from 6,370 reviews.