Serranía de Ronda is a region with fascinating landscapes and white villages tucked away in a maze of mountains and valleys. Heir to an eventful Islamic past, regional cuisine is based on olive oil, meat, vegetables and great wines.
Overlooking its iconic Tajo (gorge), Ronda boasts a unique cultural heritage. After visiting the New Bridge, the Mondragón Palace and the majestic Bullring, it is time to take care of your belly. Try Ronda-style rabbit; it is the perfect choice.
Ronda’s cuisine includes many mouth-watering dishes, like gazpacho or serrano-style trout, chestnut soup or perdiz al tajo (partridge). To wash them down, order a local wine with the designation of origin (D.O.) seal.
Ronda’s wine-making tradition goes back as far as Roman times. One of the best ways to become familiar with local wines is visiting a winery. Some of them are really special: there is one in an old convent – a magical setting for wine tasting.
Eating amidst the valleys and the sierras
In the Serranía de Ronda villages with a stronger Al-Andalus accent, dishes vary with the seasons. In spring and summer, casseroles with wild herbs and gazpacho are the usual choice, whereas when cold sets in, all sorts of stews and casseroles are prepared to keep the winter chill away.
The Genal valley supplies the neighbouring villages with fresh vegetables and fruit. They are present in every larder, alongside game, poultry, olive oil and artisan pork products.
With a full belly, you will be ready to explore the area: the gorge of Las Buitreras, the Spanish fir of La Escalereta and the cave of El Gato are some of the natural wonders you can find in the nature parks in this region, namely, Sierra de las Nieves, Grazalema and Los Alcornocales.
Food products from the sierras
Serranía de Ronda offers a wide array of typical food products: mistela (an eau-de-vie liqueur) from Arriate, eau-de-vie from Jubrique, pork products from Algatocín and Benaoján, the village where you can visit the cave of la Pileta, with interesting archaeological evidence from prehistoric times.
Confections from Serranía de Ronda are worth trying too. They make sweet temptations like piñonate (a sweet with almonds and pine nuts), alfajores (cookie sandwiches) or chestnuts in syrup. The most popular sweets, however, are Ronda yolks and pestiños (olive oil pastries), made following the ancient Muslim recipe.
