Escape the heat and come to Andalucia while the days are still warm and sunny but its cool enough to indulge in some serious walking. The hills around the house are an absolute walker's dream, a wild, empty and rugged landscape, with mountains, olive groves and holm oaks and not a soul in sight.
read moreJust outside Ronda a hugely ambitious project is taking shape, due to open later in 2018, LA Experience is set to become one of Ronda’s greatest alternative attractions. To all those with a love of organic food production, horticulture or the avant-garde…watch this space…
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Andalucía may be blessed with long stretches of clear skies and sunshine, the weather often playing a big part in its popularity, but what if you have planned a week of sun and Fortune's fickle hand does not favour you?
With an average of fewer than 5 days of rain and over 250 hours of sunshine per month, Ronda has very few days of bad weather. When the rain does come, it is good to have a few 'plan Bs' to choose from that are right on your doorstep. Here is a run down of interesting activities that everyone can enjoy without having to drive for more than a few miles.
One stifling August day, like the mad English folk that we are, we set off to the ancient Moorish city of Córdoba, to see if La Mezquita, Córdoba's C8th mosque, was all it’s cracked up to be. I don’t mean to sound philistine but we have been to the Alhambra several times and it could hardly be a match for that Islamic jewel – or could it?
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When wine production in the Serranía de Ronda had ceased entirely and the land had given way to the much needed production of cereals, pioneer Federico Schatz thought it was time to rekindle this ancient tradition and bring the vine back to the Serranía.
read moreWhere better to sample some of the world’s finest sherries than in the sherry capital itself – Jerez de la Frontera? There was only one problem – I don’t like sherry. We wanted to avoid the sherry giants like Domeq, Gonzalez Byass and the like and head instead to an authentic, boutique, bodega that produces extremely high quality, aged sherries in limited numbers. We chose Bodegas Tradición.
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Think of inland Andalucía and images of geranium-filled, white-washed villages baking in the summer heat spring to mind. But once the summer heat has faded and the autumn fiestas are over, the Serranía de Ronda offers the smart traveller a tranquil world of wild beauty, incredible culture and unforgettable gastronomy.
read moreSamsara offers the wine novice or aficionado something a little different. If you are looking for a wine tasting in a phenomenal location, with interesting wines and an approach that shows the deepest respect to Mother Nature then you have come to the right place.
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Before following the crowds to Paris, Florence or Prague, consider instead Ronda, jewel of Andalucia, one of the most romantic cities in the world. The perfect location for a honeymoon, romantic escape or Valentine’s break, Ronda is an enchanting and seductive city, small enough to feel welcoming and intimate but packed with history and culture. A deeply passionate vein unites its land and its people and infects all those who come, reigniting a lust for life.
read moreA thriving food scene on Málaga’s coast has crept inland to work its magic on the city of Ronda, transforming the local scene and providing the city with some exceptional dining experiences. The quality of the local produce is superb and if you are in the know you can dine like royalty. Foodies, epicureans, gourmets and gourmands alike will revel in the delights on offer from fine dining to artisanal specialities. Andalucian cuisine in and around Ronda now rivals that of its northern counterparts and it just keeps getting better.
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In the previous post, ‘Wine tasting in the Serranía de Ronda - Descalzos Viejos & La Melonera – Part I’, the focus was on Descalzos Viejos, a small scale producer located on the very edge of Ronda’s gorge with a very artistic philosophy. This time we will be exploring a completely different, much larger producer in a fabulous, sprawling setting only a short distance from our villa.
read moreEnotourism in the Serranía de Ronda has really taken off in the past few years and for good reason: Wine tastings here are slow paced, intimate and memorable. Whilst this appellation may not compare to the best Priorat, Ribera del Duero and Rioja might have to offer, there are some really interesting, complex and delicious wines on offer and the hospitality of your host will be hard to beat - these are some of the loveliest people you will ever have the joy of meeting.
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The past decade has witnessed a huge growth in the number of wines produced in the Serranía de Ronda and the recognition they receive increases year on year. There are 21 bodegas in the appellation known as Serranía de Ronda, a sub zone of the Denominacion de Serranía de Malaga. As one might expect from Spanish wines, wines of the Serranía de Ronda tend to be fruity, spicy and full of attitude and the family run bodegas reflect the intimacy and passion of the winemaker's art.
read moreHidden secrets in an ever changing landscape
I thought I knew what the Serranía de Ronda had to offer; majestic mountains, white villages gripping to limestone outcrops, vast groves of ancient olives and dense cork forests, circling griffon vultures and views, incredible views. That was, until we had a jeep tour with Chris Mees at C more x 4. It turns out that the seemingly impassable tracks that scar the hillsides and snake zigzags through the mountains are no challenge for his thirty year old Land Rover. The sensory overload and unexpected vistas that opened up made me realise that, in this ever-changing landscape, one can never be certain what wonders await nor fail to be impressed.
