Costa del Sol - Page 2

Ronda

In the morning we take the bus about 50 km north to Ronda. Built on a rocky plateau of the Serranía de Ronda, the town has a breathtaking location above a deep gorge. This gorge, Tajo de Ronda, divides the new town from the 15th century from the old La Cuidad from Moorish times. From the Puente Nuevo, a stone bridge over the gorge, one looks deep into the gorge and the landscape beyond. At another edge of the plateau, the Paseo de los Ingleses offers a gigantic view over the valley. There are several viewpoints over the wide valley, the most beautiful ones are perhaps the Mirador de Ronda and the Mirador de Aldehuela.

Located in the New Town, Plaza de Toros is considered the birthplace of Spanish bullfighting as practiced today. Built in the 18th century, it is one of the most prominent landmarks of the city and one of the oldest and largest bullfighting arenas in Spain. From a moral point of view, the fights are controversial and accordingly fewer and fewer take place. In the attached bullfighting museum, some original matador costumes and artworks by Pablo Picasso are exhibited. Some celebrities used this extraordinary place either to relax or in one of their works: among others Rainer Maria Rilke, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Max Frisch and Madonna. And for Manu a wine tasting in a wonderfully pretty old winery could not be missing 🙂.

Málaga

Today the second largest Andalusian city was our destination. For the first time under slightly cloudy skies we walked along the beach, the sea was rougher today. Rather first see the old town. So we visited the first the huge cathedral with the long name Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica de la Encarnación. The locals call it La Manquita, the one-armed one, because one of the towers was not finished until today. Recently, one can also go up to the roof and have a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding countryside.

Past the bishop's palace on the Plaza del Obispo we went towards Monte Gibralfaro. We walked up to the almost 1000 years old fortress Alcazaba and to the Castillo de Gibralfaro. The climb is worthwhile, next to the old theater here, you look down on the imposing bullring in the midst of modern skyscrapers, nearly 9,000 people have place here. Actually, the Museo Picasso near his birthplace would be a must-see, but we can't do that today.