August is the month when Spain lets its hair down, celebrating fiesta after feria after dia santo (saint's day). Where do I begin? There has been so much going on in Ronda and the Serrania this month, and there's yet more to come!
Read MoreMEDICAL CENTRES; DOCTORS; CHEMISTS; DENTISTS; OPTICIANS; OTHER, eg podiatrists, osteopaths, acupuncturists, physiotherapists
Learn MoreGESTORIA, TAX and LEGAL TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING LEARNING SPANISH IT SERVICES REAL ESTATE AND RENTALS
Learn MoreTRADESMEN: BUILDERS; PLUMBERS; ELECTRICIANS; CARPENTERS; PAINTERS; HANDYMEN; CLEANERS
Learn MoreWORKSHOPS; MECHANICS; TYRE SERVICES; PARTS and SPARES; BREAKER'S YARDS; PETROL STATIONS TAXI SERVICES
Learn MorePublic transport options are very good in Ronda. There are also local bus and train services. Taxis are plentiful and good value.
Learn MoreIn Ronda there are a good number of primary schools and high schools. Two recommended schools, based on personal experience and a third by word of mouth.
Learn MoreThere are three police bodies in Spain: POLICIA NACIONAL POLICIA LOCAL GUARDIA CIVIL Trafico Seprona
Learn MoreThis is a list of some recommended holiday accommodation in the Serrania de Ronda. It is not a booking site. Make bookings direct with the advertiser.
Learn MoreTHE SPANISH PRESS FOREIGN PAPERS and MAGAZINES An overview of free papers published in Andalucia. News websites
Learn MoreTHEATRE, FILM CONCERTS CULTURAL EVENTS REVIEWS ENGLISH PRESS
Learn MoreThese bars, cafes and restaurants are our own personal favourites. We take no payment nor commission. Also food reviews.
Learn MoreThe Serrania de Ronda, or La Comarca de Ronda, includes the capital Ronda and 21 other municipalities. Here is a list of all 22 in rank order of population (based on 2021 census figures).
Learn MoreThis section is for all of us to use. An ideal place to post news about what's going on in local politics in the area, at a national level and also international where it affects Spain.
Learn MoreThere has been an explosion of interest in buying and selling used items. Many are online but there are also some shops, both commercial and charity.
Learn MoreSomething to sell or swap? Looking for something to buy. Household goods, garden tools, building materials, cars, etc. Here are links to several online sites which may be useful.
Learn MoreThis is a noticeboard for you to use for messages, small ads, missing cats and dogs, local meetings, events and fiestas Other items of interest
Learn More"El nomadismo digital" is in its early stages in this part of Spain. However, the Spanish government, keen to develop this new industry, has introduced a special visa for digital nomads. Scroll down for rentals set up for remote working.
Learn MoreMASSIVE RURAL PROPERTY with DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL on the outskirts of RONDA. This could be developed into a delightful boutique hotel, a residential retirement home or a large private home.
Read MoreThis traditional village house in Montejaque, near Ronda (Malaga) has been reformed to a high standard. Measuring 200 square metres, it has 3 bedrooms, sleeping 6 adults plus a baby/infant.
Read MoreThis beautiful house has a living space of 131 m2 with a large closed conservatory, living room with fireplace, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and pantry.
Read MoreVilla La Roca is a delightful house set in a beautiful location on the edge of Montecorto (Malaga). 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms plus guest WC. Open plan lounge, dining room and library. Gardens and pool. In immaculate condition.
Read MoreCASA RITA, MONTEJAQUE - An immaculate fully renovated 3-bed, 3-bath property. 4 patios/terraces. Fully furnished. A great first or second home or a quality rental.
Read MoreNew on the market is this popular bar/restaurant in a prime location in a pretty pueblo blanco near Ronda. The owners have reached retirement age and have decided to take a well-earned rest. A great opportunity to take over a thriving business.
Read MoreANDALUCIAN VILLAGE INN WITH 5 BEDROOMS , OWNERS APARTMENT and the OPTION TO EXTEND to achieve 10 letting rooms - 395,000€
Read MoreThis substantial property is in the charming village of Montejaque, a mere 25-minute scenic drive away from historic Ronda. Potential for development.
Read MoreSTUNNING BRAND NEW TOWNHOUSE WITH 3 BEDROOMS in the lovely white village of Montejaque. This never-been-lived-in property offers a comfortable and modern living space with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Shared pool.
Read MoreThis huge house on a quiet street in Montejaque offers a range of possibilities. It would make a very desirable home, holiday home and/or rental property. Or there is the space to open a bistro and/or develop the vast lower floor into four or five en suite bedrooms, for rent.
Read MoreMontejaque is one of the most picturesque of the pueblos blancos. Previously a hostal, it could be again or is an excellent opportunity to acquire a comfortable and peaceful home.
Read MoreSpanish Matters neatly encapsulates the purpose of these articles. Not only are they about matters concerning the Spanish language (castellano),but also about reinforcing the importance of learning sufficient Spanish to engage with local people.
Read MorePlays, musicals, opera, ballet, orchestral and choral events, flamenco, and more. Entreamigos, Entrebambolinas, Proyecto Platea, etc.
Read MoreThis section contains recommendations of books to do with Spain. Also appreciations of famous writers on Spain.
Read MoreThe bright light of Andalucia has attracted artists to the area for centuries. Here's a run-down. of the art scene in Ronda and the villages of the Serrania.
Read MoreThis section is an unashamedly random collection of articles about historical aspects of Spain and its people. There is no chronology and no planned order of topics.
Read MoreFamous Ronda-born people and adopted 'rondeñ@s' y 'serranos', from Abbás ibn Firnás to Ernest Hemingway, from Orson Welles to Vicente Espinel.
Read MoreNovelists, dramatists, poets and non-fiction writers with a strong connection to Ronda and the Serrania. Spanish, German, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English, Norwegian and American.
Read MoreArticles about foreigners who live in the area. Some with jobs, some without and others retired. Interviews with 'strangers' and TV documentaries.
Read MoreThis article was written by James_10 and is reproduced with his permission. "More than 1100 kilometres of coastline, two National Parks and cities such as Seville, Córdoba and Granada are the epitome of Andalusia, but there is so much more to this region. Roman ruins, villages that defy gravity, dizzying trails and rivers that appear to be from another planet. This too is Andalusia."
August is the month when Spain lets its hair down, celebrating fiesta after feria after dia santo (saint's day). Where do I begin? There has been so much going on in Ronda and the Serrania this month, and there's yet more to come!
Read MoreThe town where I chose to live 17 years ago is hitting the news a lot lately. Hardly surprising. After four decades spent discovering Spain, it's the place Paul Whitelock decided to emigrate to. On arrival in 2008 he lived in Montejaque for three years, before he and his new second wife decided they needed more space, a garden and a pool. They moved to the outskirts of Ronda. So, why is Ronda in the news? Take a look:
Read MorePaul Whitelock first heard about this pilgrimage route when he was an undergraduate studying Spanish. Several writers on Spain referred to it. He attended a course through the EU Socrates programme which was held in one of the starting points. Two parishioners from his local church did the walk and gave a presentation in church. Hollywood star Shirley MacLaine wrote a book after she had walked the route. There was a TV series and several films.
Read MoreNot only is it the start of the fiesta de Sanfermines in Pamplona, it's also the 20th anniversary of the London Bombings, when four suicide bombers attacked three underground trains and a London bus during the morning rush hour. While the encierro in northern Spain is a joyous occasion, the events in London represented a colossal outrage. More here.
Read MoreThe other weekend I went on a journey into the unknown - to the East. To East London, to Stratford. To visit my daughter in her new home there. I still hadn't seen it since she moved last year. Although she wouldn't be there the first day and night, she sent me directions and instructions for getting the key. Then the fun began .....
Read MoreThe decision of AENA to effectively close off most entrances and exits to and from airports in Spain, in order to tackle the problem of vagrants and the homeless sleeping in the terminals, has caused a problem for travellers. Recently I flew late into Malaga-Costa del Sol airport and along with hundreds of other airline passengers we couldn't get out! The new policy of shutting nearly all exits from the terminal building and suspending the lift service from arrivals up to ground level and level 1 caused mayhem.
Read More"Animal House" is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hulce and Donald Sutherland. The film is about a trouble-making fraternity whose members challenge the authority of the dean of the fictional Faber College. "Animal House" became one of the highest-grossing comedy films of all time. This article has absolutely nothing to do with the film, by the way.
Read MoreI turned 75 on May 18th 2025, last Sunday. I was in Germany at the time attending the confirmation of my third German grandchild, which was on the same day. On May 19th I started two-and-a-half-weeks "de Rodriguez". On that date I flew back to Spain, while my good lady, German Rita, lingered in Germany to catch up with family and friends and to attend the latest Familientreffen, family reunion.
Read MoreThe last four weeks have been incredibly busy for us, with lots going on. It all started with the death of a Pope, continued with a massive power cut in Spain and Portugal, May Day, my dad's birthday, the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the naming of the new pope, a confirmation in Germany and ended on my 75th birthday. Let's take a look at what's been going on .....
Read MoreIt's just been the 101 again. The 2025 edition was the 25th anniversary of this important event in the Ronda calendar. Catering for MTB cyclists, runners, walkers, as well as a shorter junior event. The 101 has a national and international profile. Participants come from all over Spain, as well as from abroad - 10 foreign countries in 2025. The 101 is organised by the Spanish Foreign Legion in Ronda.
Read MoreDeep shock permeated the village of Montejaque, near Ronda (Malaga) (pop: 970), on Tuesday of last week when a young man from the village fell to his death on the winding road out of the village. Cayetano Postigo Hidalgo (30) was enjoying a bike ride in the vicinity of La Presa de los Caballeros on the road to Sevilla, when disappeared from sight. What had happened?
Read MoreThe missus and I have just enjoyed a week's holiday in the south of France. I'm a keen Francophile yet, because of circumstances, I haven't been to the land of Asterix the Gaul for some 15 years. I am loving it. There are positives and negatives about wherever you go, but the negatives haven't spoilt it at all for me so far. Here's the story.
Read More"February is the border between winter and spring." - Terry Guillemots
Read MoreA month of change here in Andalucía.
Read MoreThe night-time temperature has dropped significantly in the last few days down here in southern Spain.
Read MoreAfter the August break the world begins again to take life more seriously..
Read More..... it is the bridge between summer and autumn.
Read MoreHarold "Hal" Glen Borland (May 14, 1900 – February 22, 1978) was an American writer, journalist and naturalist. In addition to writing many non-fiction and fiction books about the outdoors, he was a staff writer and editorialist for The New York Times. He died in 1978 at the age of 77 from emphysema.
Read MoreAs we reach the Final of EUROCOPA2024 tomorrow this memorable quote from the late, great Bill Shankly seems very apt.
Read MoreI wonder.....
Read More"El silencio y la sonrisa son dos armas muy poderosas. La sonrisa resuelve problemas y el silencio los evita" [Paulo Coelho] "Silence and a smile are two very potent weapons. A smile solves problems and silence avoids problems altogether"
Read More“In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different.” — John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
Read More"Today is a good day to start smiling!" [Anon.]
Read MoreThe Beatles - John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr - "cut their teeth" playing at the All Star Club in HAMBURG in the late 50s/early 60s. I took this photo last Sunday at Hamburg Airport.
Read MoreExactly the same as the English proverb: "Better late than never". I'm a bit late posting this week's QUOTE OF THE WEEK. I hope it was worth the wait!
Read More"Silence and a smile are two very powerful weapons. A smile solves problems and silence avoids them in the first place!" [Anon.]
Read MoreHemingway on reading books.
Read MoreAs Spring is bursting out all over, Shakespeare's words sum it all up.
Read More"Spring won’t let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again." - [Gustav Mahler, Austrian composer (1860 - 1911)]
Read More"The great gift of EASTER is HOPE." [Cardinal Basil Hume]
Read More“Humility, obedience, meekness, and love are the virtues that shine through the Cross and the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. O my Jesus, help me imitate you!” [St. Anthony Mary Claret]
Read More"VIAJAR es lo UNICO QUE COMPRAS y te hace mas RICO!" "Travelling is the only thing you have to pay for and it makes you richer". A-ma-zing!
Read More"THE ONLY THING THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE IS THAT WHICH YOU DON'T TRY" [Anon.]
Read More“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.” - [English proverb]. Meteorologists recognise March 1 as the first day of meteorological spring, which is based on annual temperature cycles and the Gregorian calendar.
Read MoreSi Dios tuviese que buscar un nuevo lugar para vivir, seguro que elegiría Andalucía. [If God had to find a new place to live, He would surely choose Andalucía]
Read More“February, bending from Heaven. In azure mirth, it kissed the forehead of the Earth and smiled upon the silent sea, and bade the frozen streams be free, and waked to music all their fountains, and breathed upon the frozen mountains.” – Percy Bysshe Shelley
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