Before you set off: a quick check and an empty boot
A properly enjoyed road trip starts before you turn the key. Before leaving Nerja, take five minutes to check the fuel level, make sure the tyres look right, and that you have enough water for the day. The mountain route to Ronda has no petrol stations along the most spectacular stretches, so it’s best to set off with a full tank. And leave space in the boot: in Ronda, cured meats, mountain cheeses and local wines have a well-earned reputation, and it would be a shame to come back without anything.
9:00 — Depart Nerja via the A-7 towards Málaga
The best time to leave is 9 a.m. You avoid mid-morning coastal traffic and arrive in Ronda just as the city is opening its doors. Take the A-7 westbound, the Mediterranean motorway, which hugs the coast past Torre del Mar, Torrox and the stretch between Nerja and Málaga. It’s about 55 comfortable kilometres with the sea as a constant backdrop.
Continue on the A-7 past Fuengirola and Marbella to the San Pedro de Alcántara exit, where you take the A-397 north. Here begins the part that makes this route different from any other along the Andalusian coast.
10:30 — The Ronda road: where the magic begins
The A-397, popularly known as the Ronda road, climbs from sea level to 700 metres above sea level in just over 40 kilometres. The bends are generous, the tarmac is well maintained, and the views opening up on every curve are reason enough to make the trip. Pines, holm oaks, limestone crags and the quiet of the Serranía: in minutes you have completely left the coastal atmosphere behind.
This road is ideal for enjoying the drive: it doesn’t have the frantic pace of the motorway, it invites you to take it slowly and to stop at the improvised viewpoints that appear on both sides. With a hire car in good condition and air conditioning, the mountain stretch is pure pleasure. In summer you’ll especially appreciate the climb, gaining altitude and cooler temperatures.
11:45 — Arrive in Ronda: where to park
As you enter Ronda, the most convenient option is to head to Parking Acinipo, next to the Mercadillo, or the Alameda del Tajo car park, both just a few minutes’ walk from the Puente Nuevo and the historic centre. Ronda is a city that is perfectly walkable once you’ve parked, so you won’t need to move the car again until you decide to head back.
12:00 — Ronda on foot: the essential itinerary
You have a good four hours to explore the city before lunch and the return journey. Where to start:
- El Tajo and the Puente Nuevo. It’s the absolute icon. The Tajo de Ronda is a gorge almost 100 metres deep that quite literally splits the city in two, and the Puente Nuevo — built in the 18th century — connects it in the most dramatic way possible. Lean over at the Puente Nuevo viewpoint and take the time to go down the path that reaches the bottom of the gorge to see it from below: the perspective is completely different and far less photographed.
- The bullring. The Real Maestranza de Ronda is one of the oldest and most beautiful bullrings in Spain. Even if you’re not particularly keen on bullfighting, the building and its museum are worth a visit for their 18th-century architecture and for what they represent in the history of bullfighting.
- El Barrio de la Ciudad. On the other side of the bridge, the old quarter hides palaces, churches and little streets that make Ronda far more than its viral viewpoints. Take a walk without a map through the old town and let yourself get lost.
14:30 — Where to eat in Ronda
With the car parked and no bus schedule to rush for, you can enjoy a proper lunch. In the Mercadillo area and around the centre you’ll find restaurants offering a menú del día featuring classic mountain dishes: oxtail, meat in sauce, aubergines with honey and cheeses from the region. Avoid places right on the bridge — they tend to live off pure tourism — and look for an interior street. Ask for the menú del día: in Ronda you eat well without breaking the bank.
16:30 — The return: the same road, different light
Leaving Ronda before 17:00 comes with a visual reward you can’t buy on any organised tour: driving down the A-397 in the afternoon light. As you descend towards the coast, the Mediterranean appears on the horizon between the mountains with a golden hue you’ll rarely forget. Stop at a viewpoint on the way down and hold on to that image.
You’ll arrive back in Nerja at sunset, with time for a relaxed dinner and the boot full of edible memories from the Serranía.
A route you don’t leave to chance: book the car in advance
The Nerja–Ronda route is around 160 kilometres each way. In total, about 320 km there and back, with mountain stretches that call for a vehicle in good condition, reliable and comfortable. Doing this excursion with a hire car from Car Hire Nerja gives you exactly that: a checked vehicle, air conditioning, a generous boot and the absolute freedom to stop wherever you like without consulting anyone.
Spring weekends and bank-holiday periods are dates when car availability in the area drops quickly. Don’t leave it to the last minute.
Ready to book your car and hit the road to Ronda?
Check vehicle availability at Car Hire Nerja and secure your booking for the date that suits you best. Andalusia’s most spectacular route is waiting for you two hours from Nerja.
