As we walked the perimeter of the ring, we chanced upon two busts that are giants in the literature arena – Orson Wells and Earnest Hemingway. “These two writers stayed in Ronda during their lives,” our guide said. The former was eternally fascinated with bullfighting, and the latter wrote a nonfiction book, “Death in the Afternoon”, which further cemented bullfighting in the consciousness of the reading public.

Ronda has two distinct towns – the old town founded by the Moors during the 1st century, and the new town which was established in the 15th century. “Its iconic landmark is a dramatic bridge Puente Nuevo. It is 120 meters deep and connects the old town and the new town, separated by the El Tajo gorge. The vantage point from the old town is certainly more dramatic and panoramic than from the new town,” out guide explained. The breathtaking cliffs, seen from most of the viewing points of the city, mesmerized me. In the art world, it is said that nature is the ultimate artist. Who ever said this must have been looking the cliffs of Ronda. It puts into perspective the role that nature plays for man.

Another treasure that we were privileged to see was the Don Bosco House, owned by Don Francisco Granadino Pérez and his wife Doña Dolores Gómez Martínez who had no children. It was said to have been donated by Doña Dolores Gómez Martínez to the Salesian Congregation after she died. Details like the alicatado tiles, the tooled leather chairs, the carved furniture, the art nouveau grills, and a dramatic garden overlooking the valley spoke of a bygone era when life was a little bit more genteel.