Ibn Battuta meets Ronda

Way back in 1350, Ibn Battutah noted that Ronda was one of “the strongest and best sited fortresses” in all Andalusia and even today attacking it would be a bad idea. Neatly tucked behind the Sierra de las Nieves, this rocky outcrop has been a favored place to hang your hat since long before the Romans invaded the peninsula. Come late in the afternoon, or better yet, stay the night and wait until the army of tour buses wind their way over the Puerto del Madroño and down the Dramamine-popping highway back to the coast. After the daytrippers have gone home, the locals come out from behind their souvenir counters to play and turn this back into an Andalusian village. This particular reconquista is one the medieval Muslim traveler wouldn’t have minded at all.

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Originally published on Trazzler