‘Unique and iconic’: The new Spanish gorge walk set to win tourists over
A Spanish city that inspired artists like Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles is set to win over many more visitors.
Ronda in Malaga, southern Spain, is perched on top of a deep gorge and locals and tourists alike have long flocked to see the canyon with its impressive depths of more than 100 metres. Soon there will be a new, more straightforward, way to take in the breathtaking spot.
The city is working on a brand-new €1.6 million gorge walk.
The newly-named Camino del Desfiladero del Tajo will allow visitors to walk along the very bottom of the canyon for the first time.
What will the finished bridge project look like for visitors to Ronda?
The new gorge walk will be the second step in a larger project for the ancient city’s most iconic sight.
The project began by upgrading an existing path which goes along the edge of the Nuevo Bridge to meet safety standards.
Additionally, there is a new 400-metre-long renovated path, offering impressive views from a variety of viewpoints.
The local council says the second phase of construction is putting in place an entirely new walkway at the very bottom of the gorge, which runs alongside the Guadalevín river.
Engineers are also constructing a new 'hanging platform', which will let visitors traverse the entirety of the gorge.
They’ve been working with renowned architect Luis Machuca, the brains behind Malaga's Caminito del Rey suspended walkway which runs along the El Chorro gorge, around 50km north of Ronda.
A ‘unique and iconic monument’
Ronda’s mayor told local press she was excited for the opening and the tourists it will draw to the city, describing it as "our most unique and iconic monument".
Maria de la Paz Fernandez Lobato and her government hope the new gorge attraction will create a tourism boom.
American writers Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles were both huge fans of the city during their time spent there in the last century.
Hemingway in particular was particularly fond, considering it a very romantic destination.
“That is where you should go if you ever go to Spain on a honeymoon or if you ever bolt with anyone,” he wrote.
For those wanting to follow in the footsteps of literary greats, entry to the Camino del Desfiladero del Tajo costs €5 per person - and is free for residents of Ronda.
