When it comes to spots within Andalucia that are practically guaranteed to take the breath away, there are few locations quite like Ronda. With its dramatic cliffside scenery and the iconic three bridges above the Tajo canyon – namely the Puente Romano, Puente Viejo, and Puente Nuevo – this authentic old-town settlement seems practically made for tourists’ picture postcards.
But there are a quite a few more things than the above that help make Ronda such a draw for those taking advantage of our great-value private hire transfers, with one of those being its credentials as a wine destination.
How did Ronda come to be associated with the best in fine wine?
The western part of the Málaga province known as the Serranía de Ronda has been linked to winemaking for a lot longer than many people might realise. Wine was grown here initially by the Phoenicians, and then later by the Romans, who sent wine from Acinipo to Málaga, and then on to Rome.
Acinipo, by the way, was a Roman city situated about 14 kilometres away from Ronda. Its ruins can still be visited today, which could make it an excellent spot to incorporate into your sightseeing in Ronda and the broader region. Indeed, artefacts found at Acinipo have included coins with a design featuring a bunch of grapes, and it is thought that even the very name Acinipo could mean ‘city of wine’.
But enough about the more distant past; much more recent years have seen stellar growth in the numbers of wines produced in the Serranía de Ronda, and that shouldn’t be such a big surprise. After all, the combination of the high elevation and climate of this region lends itself beautifully to wine growing, with the vineyards here all situated at altitudes of 750m or above.
As for the wines themselves, you can expect them to be fruity, spicy, and with no shortage of attitude. This helps explain why so many people are drawn to the vineyards and wineries (“bodegas”) in one of Spain’s highest regions. Expect to be able to sample many fine monovarietals and red blends from Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and Petit Verdot, along with satisfying rosé and white wines.
Discover wine destinations in Ronda that are quite unlike those anywhere else
You will find more than 20 excellent vineyards around the Ronda area – just the thing for adding even more flavour to already-memorable sightseeing in Ronda and the nearby areas.
Whether you are most attracted to somewhere like the La Perla Blanca hotel which is nestled in working vineyards, or bodegas like Antigua Real Fábrica de Hojalata San Miguel, Gonzalo Beltrán Finca La Nogalera, Joaquín Fernández, and many more besides, you will be spoilt for choice for captivating destinations as a wine connoisseur here. Indeed, we recently spotlighted just some of the best of them on the Simply Shuttles blog.
There you have it – Ronda is not just a pretty face for heritage-oriented visitors, but also a must-not-miss area and region for wine aficionados.
And here at Simply Shuttles, we can offer you the excellent-value airport and private hire transfers that will make it an even quicker and easier process to discover the best wineries Ronda has to offer. Simply call +34 951 279 117 today to make your booking.
