Winery and Ronda City tour with tapas
Spend a day at Finca La Melonera, one of Ronda’s most fascinating wineries. The area around Ronda has been known for wine making since Roman times and the tradition continues to this day. There are over 28 wineries in this area today. Finca La Melonera is especially interesting being an organic winery that revived the indigineous grapes of Ronda that were wiped out in a plague in the late 19th century.
The driver will meet you at the port of Malaga, or your hotel, where you will begin your hour and a half journey to Finca La Melonera Winery. The drive will take you through some beautiful andalusian countryside dotted with typical white villages and a landscape full of olive, orange, almond and avocado trees.
The winery is located in the countryside in a contemporary building overlooking the beautiful countryside and the vineyards. The 2 hour tour of the Winery will begin with a walk through the vineyards where your guide will explain the task of recuperating the lost grape varieties and difference of growing conditions on the estate according to different altitudes and soil conditions.
Visitors will be taken to the barrel room where the wine making process will be explained. Finally your tour of the winery will end with a wine tasting accompanied by a selection of tapas.
The next part of the tour takes you to the city of Ronda where you will have approximately an hour to tour the city on your own. Ronda is one of the most beautiful and historic towns in Andalusia. Ronda is a mountain top city nestled on the dramatic El Tajo Gorge, which separates the old and new parts of the city. Ronda is one of Spain´s oldest towns dating back to Islamic times when it was an important cultural city. Hemingway described Ronda as the most romantic town in Spain. Cross the impressive Puente Nuevo bridge, Ronda´s most famous landmark, which straddles the deep Gorge and connects the Moorish part of Ronda with the modern part of the city.
Ronda offers the visitor a variety of monuments well worth seeing. The Arab Baths, built at the end of the 13th century, are the best preserved in Spain. The old wall and gate to the city give a unique glimpse into Ronda´s Islamic past. The Palacio de Mondragon houses the municipal museum and has some spectacular gardens. It was built by and the residence of the Moorish King Abomelik and used later as a residence for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabelle after the reconquest. The city also has some impressive churches including the Church of the Holy Spirit and the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor. The Jardines de Cuenca (Cuenca Gardens) should not be missed as they are located on ledges over the Tajo and offer spectacular views of the countryside and city.
Ronda is home of modern bullfighting so a visit to its famous bullring cannot be missed. The El Maestranza bullring is one of the oldest and most impressive in Spain. There is a museum and guided audio tour of the bullring.
After visiting Ronda, we will drive you back to your hotel, apartment or cruise ship terminal.
