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Ronda & the Grazalema Sierra

The famous 'white towns' of Andalucia
 
This self-guided, two-centre break offers rewarding walking in the Grazalema Natural Park as well as the chance to explore the atmospheric city of Ronda. Savour traditional Andalucian tapas, encounter a wide variety of flora and fauna and stay in two excellent hotels.
Price from
£505pp
Ronda & the Grazalema Sierra. 4 nights
Price from
£505pp
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Ronda & the Grazalema Sierra. 4 nights
Price from
£505pp
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday in Andalucia

You begin in what is arguably the most famous – and certainly most dramatically located – pueblo blanco of them all, Ronda. It is the epitome of the region's white towns, precariously straddling the deep sandstone Tajo Gorge. Enjoy exploring its historic, orange-scented streets and pretty whitewashed buildings, whose intricate gardens evoke the city's Moorish past.
Located in the heart of the Grazalema Natural Park, the pretty, white town of Grazalema, where you spend your final two nights, makes a perfect base from which to explore on foot. The craggy limestone peaks surrounding the town hide surprisingly green valleys and gullies, which in turn are home to a wide array of flowers and birds, including Bonelli’s eagles and griffon vultures. Here, you will find inviting trails winding up through a rugged landscape cloaked in the remains of ancient oak forests, with neighbouring white towns and villages glistening on the slopes in the brilliant Andalucian sun.
 
Gallery

 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    Spring flowers start to appear in February, although the best time is mid-April to mid-May. In March, the flowering gorse bushes provide a yellow carpet on the slopes.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 11 11 14 16 20 24 29 29 25 19 14 11
    mm 111 102 83 76 52 33 13 13 32 79 128 124
  • Arrival in Ronda
    Night 1: at Hotel San Gabriel or Hotel Montelirio (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of exploration.
  • Explore Ronda
    We thoroughly recommend spending the day exploring this fascinating town. With the aid of our self-guided town trail, visit the ancient bullring, the dramatic bridge over the gorge, the attractive old town and the lively shopping district (including many shops selling handmade leather goods).
    Exploring Ronda
  • Transfer to Grazalema & choice of walks: 9.5km to 13km
    Today, you are transferred to the pretty village of Grazalema, where you stay at La Mejorana for two nights. It's only a 30-minute taxi ride, so there is plenty of time to wander round the village before lunch, after which you can relax or head out on foot, choosing from our four options below:

    Linear walk to Benaocaz via Dornajo (grade 2): 11km, 4.5hrs; ascent 515m/descent 540m
    This is one of the classic walks from Grazalema. It is a beautiful route over the ridge of the Sierra del Endrinal to the ruined Dornajo farmhouse, which stands in a secluded valley amidst poplars and tiny streams. From the farmhouse, you continue to follow the valley to the whitewashed village of Benaocaz, entering via the deserted, centuries-old Moorish quarter. There's time for a drink in one of the village bars before returning to Grazalema by taxi.

    Circular walk via Dornajo (grade 2): 12km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 640m
    This route also leads from Grazalema to the ruined Dornajo farmhouse, but the return leg takes a different path: down through a valley that lies below the peak of the Peñon Grande.

    Circular 'two valleys' walk (grade 2): 13km, 5hrs; ascent/descent 620m
    On this second lovely walk, you explore two parallel valleys, where ruined farms, overgrown threshing floors, hand-hewn troughs and collapsed stone walls evidence a time when the people herded their animals, made cheese and charcoal, sheered wool and grew vegetables then took it all by donkey to the market in Grazalema along the same paths you will walk today.

    Out-and-back walk via Simancón (grade 2-3): 9.5km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 810m
    A final option is to climb Simancón. The Sierra of Grazalema is dominated by three main peaks, the Torreón at 1654 metres and the twin peaks of Simancón and Reloj at 1569 and 1535 metres respectively. This route gives you the chance to 'bag a peak' without a great amount of effort and be rewarded by wonderful all-round views – plus the chance to see Ibex.
    The town of Grazalema
    Linear walk to Benaocaz via Dornajo: 11km
    Circular walk via Dornajo: 12km
    Circular 'two valleys' walk: 13km
    Out-and-back walk via Simancón: 9.5km
 

Accommodation

You stay in two authentic pueblos blancos (white towns and villages).

In some places, we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. All are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.

Whichever hotels you stay in, we recommend an extra night in Ronda to further explore the town, and in Grazalema to take advantage of the many walking possibilities in the area.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 4 nights: 07 September 2024 - 30 November 2024, 01 February 2025 - 30 June 2025 & 01 September 2025 - 30 November 2025

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    7 - 13 Sep 2024 £660 £200
    14 Sep - 31 Oct 2024 £560 £155
    1 - 26 Nov 2024 £595 £155
    1 - 24 Feb 2025 £480 £135
    25 Feb - 1 Apr 2025 £510 £145
    2 - 9 Apr 2025 £575 £160
    10 Apr - 26 Jun 2025 £585 £160
    7 - 13 Sep 2025 £675 £205
    14 Sep - 31 Oct 2025 £570 £160
    1 - 26 Nov 2025 £560 £160
    3rd & 4th person discount -£50
    Single traveller supplement £50

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel: taxi from Ronda to Grazalema on Day 2 and taxi from Grazalema to Ronda at the end of the holiday (see Connecting Travel section for more details)

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hotel San Gabriel, Ronda
    Junior suite: 07 Sep - 13 Sep 2024 £66
    Junior suite: 14 Sep - 30 Nov 2024 £48
    Junior suite: 01 Feb - 03 Apr 2025 £50
    Junior suite: 04 Apr - 09 Apr 2025 £69
    Junior suite: 10 Apr - 30 Jun 2025 £50
    Junior suite: 01 Sep - 13 Sep 2025 £69
    Junior suite: 14 Sep - 30 Nov 2025 £50
    Superior: 07 Sep - 13 Sep 2024 £20
    Superior: 14 Sep - 30 Nov 2024 £13
    Superior: 01 Feb - 03 Apr 2025 £14
    Superior: 04 Apr - 09 Apr 2025 £21
    Superior: 10 Apr - 30 Jun 2025 £14
    Superior: 01 Sep - 13 Sep 2025 £21
    Superior: 14 Sep - 30 Nov 2025 £14

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Hotel San Gabriel, Ronda (B&B) Double room Single room
    07 Sep - 13 Sep 2024 £118 £221
    14 Sep - 31 Oct 2024 £92 £169
    01 Nov - 30 Nov 2024 £70 £125
    01 Feb - 25 Feb 2025 £77 £127
    26 Feb - 01 Mar 2025 £88 £149
    02 Mar - 31 Mar 2025 £77 £127
    01 Apr - 05 Apr 2025 £84 £153
    06 Apr - 08 Apr 2025 £116 £217
    09 Apr - 07 May 2025 £84 £153
    08 May - 09 May 2025 £116 £217
    10 May - 30 Jun 2025 £96 £176
    01 Sep - 13 Sep 2025 £123 £230
    14 Sep - 31 Oct 2025 £96 £176
    01 Nov - 30 Nov 2025 £73 £130
    La Mejorana, Grazalema (B&B) Double room Single room
    07 Sep - 30 Nov 2024 £62 £93
    01 Feb - 30 Jun 2025 £64 £96
    01 Sep - 30 Nov 2025 £64 £96
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Málaga or Seville
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Málaga or Madrid. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Malaga Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Belfast Intl. - Malaga Aer Lingus,  easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Malaga jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Bournemouth - Malaga Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Malaga easyJet,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Bristol - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Cardiff - Malaga TUI,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Malaga jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Nottingham East Midlands - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Malaga jet2,  Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Seville easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Malaga easyJet,  jet2,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow Prestwick - Malaga Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Inverness - Seville (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Malaga jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Leeds Bradford - Seville (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Malaga easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Malaga British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Malaga British Airways,  easyJet,  TUI,  Vueling 
    Gatwick - Seville British Airways,  easyJet,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Malaga British Airways 
    Heathrow - Seville British Airways 
    Heathrow - Seville (via Madrid) Iberia 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Malaga easyJet,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Luton - Seville easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    London Southend - Malaga easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Malaga British Airways,  easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair 
    Stansted - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Malaga easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Manchester - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Malaga easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Málaga or Madrid. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Malaga

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    coach Málaga to Ronda (2h30) pay locally 1700
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Ronda (1h), coach Ronda to Málaga (2h45, pay locally) some elements included 1245

    Connecting travel options - flying via Seville

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    coach Seville to Ronda (2h45) pay locally 1600
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Ronda (1h), coach Ronda to Seville (2h45, pay locally) some elements included 1500
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 2 dinners (2024 only)
    4 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • return taxi between Ronda and Grazalema
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 6 reviews
  • Mrs J James
    Falmouth
    25 June 2023

    We were very pleased with the San Gabriel Hotel in Ronda, its quiet location in the older part of the town but within a short walk of the main areas was just right. In the morning we were able to visit the Bullring and Mondragon Palace before other visitors arrived which made them even more atmospheric.  Ronda is a lovely town we booked another couple of nights there at the end of our holiday and still have some to see. As usual the walking notes provided by Inntravel greatly added to our enjoyment, especially the more quirky historic details.

    Grazalema - due to personal circumstances we had to holiday in June which we would usually avoid due to heat, however by starting the walks at around 6am we saw the sun rise on each walk and saw many Ibex at that quiet time of day. The only walk we didn't attempt was Climbing the Simancon.  All the walks were very enjoyable. Our favourite was Option A Benaocaz via Dornajo. The ascent at dawn, surrounded by mountains followed by a long descent accross paths and meadows gave a great sense of achievement. The views on that walk are outstanding.

    Andreas is a charming host. We left the hotel too early for breakfast so he provided a menu from which we could choose a very generous picnic for the next day which he left for us in the fridge. Nothing was too much trouble for him and it was very reassuring to be able to call his mobile number in Benaocaz when we needed to arrange a taxi.

    My husband, a keen cyclist, hired a bike in advance via the website of Grazalema Cycling which we were able to store overnight at La Mejorana. Service from that company was excellent.

  • Anon
    11 May 2023

    Eat on the terrace at Ronda hotel. Have low expectaions of Simancon restaurant in Grazalema

  • Ms M Bartlett
    St. Andrews
    26 March 2023

    This trip was a lovely mix of town / city and mountain walking. The hotel (La Mejorana) in Grazelema was a real delight.

  • Mrs E Bracken
    Spean Bridge
    15 March 2023

    Ronda is a lovely town with plenty to see. We stayed three nights here and were never short of places to explore. We then stayed in Grazalema for four nights, where the walking was lovely but some of the walks on offer from Inntravel repeated long sections of previous days' walks, so we talked over alternative routes with Andres at the hotel and made up our own walk. Our favourite route was in the Pinsapo Reserve where permits are needed. These can be obtained from Tourist Information (when it's open!) or by scanning a QR code available on the wall outside, or at the hotel. The process is not easy, it's all in Spanish, and even Andres had problems with it but we got there in the end. It was great to see the Griffon Vultures soaring high above the village, a Bonelli's eagle was a highlight as were the ibex we saw on two of the walks, and a huge variety of wild flowers. Grazalema is beautiful with stunning mountain scenery, the weather in March was perfect for walking with only one cloudy, cool day, but still very chilly at night. Two nights in Seville was not long enough to do it justice so we'll be returning to this lovely city to explore some more.

  • Mr M Langridge
    Canada
    11 September 2022

    Ronda restaurants - we ate dinners at both Almocobar and Casa Maria outdoors on the plaza and they were both fantastic - food, service and atmosphere were perfect (and we care about the quality of our dining experiences!). We also recommend Puerta Grande in Ronda new town for an excellent outdoor tapas lunch, try the grilled octopus!

  • Anon
    09 April 2022

    Appreciated discussion prior to holiday with customer service team to discuss options.

    Fantastic minibus service, lovely warm welcome at both hotels. 

    Great to get two meals included in Grazalema.  Inntravel clearly known and respected in the village.  

    Great walking directions.  

    Thanks for a great holiday!
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • Absolutely! We are experts in tailored rail travel. Making use of sleeper trains or stopovers in cities along the route, we can get you from London to virtually anywhere in mainland Europe. We can even make arrangements to Mallorca, Sicily and Norway with a combination of ferries and rail. Please contact us to discuss your plans.
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Spain, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • (Castilian) Spanish is one of several official languages; Catalan, Basque and Gallego have equal status in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, respectively. The currency is the Euro. Spanish time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
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