Camino del Desfiladero del Tajo

Ronda is famous for the Puente Nuevo, but until recently you could only look at it from the top or from a viewpoint. Since 16 September there's a new walkway that takes you all the way down into the gorge and under the bridge, and we did it the same day as the Arab Baths. It's one of those things where you think "that's quite short", but I'm glad we did it.

You start at Plaza María Auxiliadora and walk down a steep cobbled path to the entrance, where you get a helmet before you go in. From there it's one way, along walkways that hang against the rock and some that hang over the water, under the bridge and along the Guadalevín until you come out near the old chapel of San Miguel, right next to the Arab Baths. The bridge is 58 metres high, and it's a special feeling to stand all the way down in the valley and look up at it.

We were through in about a quarter of an hour, so it's really not a long walk. But the water is beautiful, that clear green and blue, and the gorge walls on both sides are a lot more impressive than they look from above. Another visitor compared it to a smaller version of the Caminito del Rey, which I think is fair, and they also mentioned that the climb back up to the town is steep, so don't underestimate that.

A tip about the tickets. We tried to buy them online on the day itself and everything was sold out. We still went to the ticket office and there turned out to be room after all, so don't give up too quickly, just ask. Booking ahead is of course safer, especially in busy periods, and you can do that on the official website. Doing it together with the Arab Baths is easy, since the walk ends right there, and then you can walk back up to the centre of Ronda.