Discover the town that cured German poet Rainer Maria Rilke’s writer’s block. “I have searched everywhere for the ‘city of dreams,” he wrote, “and found it here, in Ronda”. Take in the same sights that inspired him on this walking tour from the Lady Goyesca Statue in the Alameda del Tajo garden, over the world-famous Puente Nuevo de Ronda to the old town and back. On the way, you’ll pass two breathtaking lookout points, the Mirador de Ronda and the Mirador de Aldehuela. As we leave the new town behind us and enter the old, you’ll visit Ronda’s former border at the top of Puerta de Almocábar, and quake in the boots of history’s soldiers as you imagine approaching armies. From there you’ll follow the old defensive wall to the Arab Baths and the Puente Viejo bridge, before making your way back over Puente Nuevo. The tour ends in front of Plaza de Toros, the Bullring of the Royal Cavalry of Ronda, which was the country’s very first. On this tour, you can also look forward to: • Hearing about Centro de Interpretación del Puente Nuevo, the museum housed inside the bridge that was once a prison, a hotel, and even a tapas bar • Listening to traditional Spanish guitar and learning where you can go to hear live concerts • Taking in the Mondrágon palace and hearing about the people who lived there • Standing on the oldest bridge in Ronda • Finding out about La Casa del Rey Moro’s room of secrets and the Moorish Kings’ hidden gold I’ll also provide answers to some intriguing questions like: • What did Blas infante, the father of Spanish nationalism, do in Ronda? • Why is one particular Italian priest famous around here? • Who built Puente Nuevo? • Did Queen Isabella really visit Ronda? • When did the Christian conquerors arrive? • How important is bullfighting in Andalucia? Join me on this 75-minute stroll around one of Spain’s most striking towns, or take as long as you like to enjoy the sweeping views of the El Tajo gorge. By the end of the tour, you’ll be as inspired as Rainer Maria Rilke himself! Music credit: This tour is accompanied by the mesmerizing guitar of Paco Seco, a professional musician who began playing Flamenco at the age of seven. Paco studied flamenco and classical guitar, jazz, world and electronic music, and ethnic percussion. He has composed music for theater and musical productions. A Ronda local, Paco holds regular concerts in the beautiful Casa de Juan Bosco, on the Tajo gorge.

Have the opportunity to explore the passage of the Arabs through two of the most outstanding cities of Andalusia. Discover Ronda and its highlights and travel back in history in La Alhambra. Our first stop will be Ronda, in the province of Malaga. This city has its population beginnings with the Iberian settlements, dated back to 15th century. Later, Visigoths and Muslims consolidated Ronda as a strategic defense city. A sign of this is the worldwide known `Puente Nuevo´ bridge, the tallest bridge in the world, with 98 meters. This architectural work is also important because it connects the ancient and modern parts of the city, where the tour will take place. Our guide will also walk you through other landmarks, like the archaeological site of Arab baths, its large `Plaza de Toros´, and its incredible balcony overlooking the Alameda del Tajo, among others. You will feel like walking back in Arabic times. From here, we will get into our comfortable bus and head to Granada. When we arrive, you will have free time to enjoy the gastronomy of Granada. We recommend you taste the famous ´Tapas´ while you admire the historical and architectural center of the city! Here, you will be lucky to see the iconic Cathedral of Granada, while you walk around its picturesque streets. After the break, we will walk to Alhambra. This set of ancient palaces, fortresses and gardens, has been the residence of Nasrid and Castilian kings. Here, in a guided tour, you will learn about its historical importance and the expulsion of the Arab kingdom from the old kingdom of Castile in the year 1492. Included on the World Heritage List by UNESCO, it offers places like Medina, Palacio de Carlos V, Alcazaba and its well-known Generalife. You will feel like a Nasrid true king walking through the ancient complex of La Alhambra. After living this unique experience of traveling back in time, we will be back in Seville!

You will visit on the tour: - The most famous balcony. - The bullring area. - The walk of the bullfighters. - The commercial street of Ronda. - The new bridge. - The old town of the city. - Don Bosco's house. - Palace of Mondragon. - Collegiate Church of Santa María la Mayor

After meeting up at la Merced Square, we'll start our private tour; firstly, walking to the Alameda del Tajo, the main park in Ronda to talk about bullfighting and to see beautiful views of the mountains. Next, we will continue to Paseo de Ernest Hemingway. Do you know why there's a statue in honour of the American author here? We will be outside the bullring, one of the oldest in Spain and considered to be the birthplace of traditional bullfighting. On our guided tour around this beautiful town, we'll make our way to the breathtaking Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), with wonderful views of the gorge and of the emblematic balconies of the hanging houses. While we walk around the old town of Ronda, we'll admire the marks left on the town by the Celts, Phoenicians, Romans and Moors over the years. Plus, we'll step back in time as we see the Mondragón Palace, one of the most visited buildings in Ronda, which is also home to the Local Museum. Our tour will also take you past the Plaza de la Duquesa de Parcent, a square famous for having the biggest church in Ronda and the place for the town hall. Finally, we will go back but not without stopping to see an important virgin for people who live in Ronda. Would you like to know who is she? We'll finish the tour at Spain Square, a central place in Ronda.

Ronda is situated in a very mountainous area about 750 m above mean sea level. The Guadalevín River runs through the city, dividing it in two and carving out the steep, 100 plus meters deep El Tajo canyon upon which the city perches. After your transfer from Seville you will start your visit with a tour of the magnificent bullring, the oldest in Spain. Afterwards you continue with a guided walk through the famous “white streets” and will admire seigniorial House of Don Bosco and the Mondragon Palace, the old residence of the Moorish Taifa family, which is situated on the bank of the river Tajo. At the end of your tour you will be taken back to Seville.