Marbella, Ronda and Cádiz

February 25, 2024 2:26 pm paula

Marbella: February 18 – 20

Our tour of the south coast of Spain continues to amaze us!

Marbella is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, between Málaga and the Strait of Gibraltar. The city has a population under 200,000 and is one of the most important tourist cities of the Costa del Sol. With its subtropical Mediterranean climate and tourist infrastructure, most of the year it is an international tourist attraction. We were told this is a ‘life styles of the rich and famous’ place and it was evident in the real estate and yachts.

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The city’s Centro (old town) was small but packed with great restaurants.

On our last night, we dined on Italian and we commented to the restaurant owner about the early arrival of warm weather. She said they are already experiencing a water shortage and if the drought continues, they will shut off the water, forcing more than just restaurants to close. We hope they get rain!

We stayed in a boutique inn and spent most of our full day here in Ronda.

Ronda

We took a 1.5 hour bus up the windy, narrow roads in the Ronda Mountains, to the town of Ronda. It was a white knuckler! Ronda is in a mountainous area about 750 m (2,460 ft) above sea level.

Ronda is a mountaintop city in Spain’s Malaga province that’s set dramatically above a deep gorge, El Tajo. El Tajo separates the city’s circa-15th-century new town from its old town, dating to Moorish rule. Several bridges cross the gorge, notably an arch structure 300 feet (90 metres) high built in 1761.

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Spain’s oldest bullring, a stone Neoclassical structure (1785) and now a museum, is also found in Ronda.

Cadiz: February 20 – 23

Cádiz, with a population of 125,000, is one of the oldest cities in Western Europe. The founding of Cádiz dates back to 1100 BC.!! In the 16th century it was home to the Spanish Navy and was a booming port. It has more than 100 watchtowers and many well-preserved historical landmarks.

Cádiz has a unique location – it sits on a narrow slice of land, surrounded by several bodies of water. The Gulf of Cadiz is on the North Atlantic Ocean, to the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. To the east is the Strait of Gibraltar, and the west borders the Mediterranean Sea. The result? The waters are ‘swimming’ with fish, shellfish and crustaceans. Cádiz is famous for their fresh fish (red tuna is one) and the market had some fascinating options!

We stayed at the Parador Hotel, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Our room had an amazing view and was next door to Park Genoves, a park filled with exotic plants and giant trees.

We each chose a restaurant for dinner in Cádiz; both were small, packed and lined up. Joe’s pick was a popular Tapas restaurant. There was only space at the bar, and were at arms length from a chatty couple from Switzerland. The Tapas were amazing.

My choice was a Spanish/Asian fusion restaurant, again we were seated at the bar – right near the action! We love eaour way through Spain! Keep in mind these are all small portions and we shared them!

Cathedral Candelaria Populo with a Crypt

Cat homes on the beach looking down from the walkway!

We are enjoying our last in Seville and are heading to Cordoba tomorrow. Time is going too fast now. We hope we are making you hungry!

Thanks for following along!

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