Tragatá
What to order: the salmorejo bomb with tuna belly, the Russian salad and the fried sea bass in adobo, to share.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 36.74° N · 5.17° W
The Genal Copper Forest, and tapas beside the Puente Nuevo.
A morning going from village to village through the Genal chestnut groves as they turn copper, Benito Gómez's tapas in Ronda and the Tajo at sunset. An hour and a half from Málaga.
Leaving from
Part of Ronda
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car1 h 30 each way
By carHalf a day on winding roads
WalkingShort walks · 1 h
DifficultyEasy
Cost€35–50 pp
Best timeLate October – early December
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Málaga 1 h 30 by car
from Málaga via the A-357 and the A-367 to Ronda; continue on the A-397
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1
The Copper Forest of the Genal Valley, by Car and on Foot
Igualeja and the source of the Genal, Pujerra and Júzcar · half a day by car and on foot
- 30 min by car19,9 km
- 2
- 2 min on foot
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3
Puente Nuevo and its interpretation centre
the bridge and its interpretation centre · €12 pass
- 8 min on foot
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4
Walk along the Alameda del Tajo and the Mercadillo balconies
viewpoints over the vega at sunset · free
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Back home
You reach Málaga around 19:30
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
The Copper Forest of the Genal Valley, by Car and on Foot
Every autumn, the Genal valley, south of Ronda, changes colour. The slopes are covered in chestnut trees and, before the leaves fall, they go from yellow to orange to copper: this is the Copper Forest. There is no entrance or car park: you see it from village to village, along narrow roads, with short walks among the trees. This plan gives the morning to the valley, goes down to Ronda for tapas and ends with the Tajo at sunset.
The day, hour by hour
8:30 · Set off. From Málaga, take the A-357 and the A-367, an hour and a half to Ronda. Carry straight on along the A-397, the San Pedro road: the roads to the villages of the upper Genal branch off it.
10:00 · Igualeja and the source of the Genal. The river rises in a cave next to the village. From the car park at the source starts the Caleras trail, short and circular: the first walk of the day, among chestnut trees.
11:30 · Pujerra. The chestnut village, in the heart of the chestnut grove, with its cooperative and its museum. It is the best place to see the copper up close. Take a walk through the upper streets and look out over the hillside.
12:45 · Júzcar. On the way back, the village of blue houses in the upper part of the valley. If you still feel like it, the walk of a little over two kilometres to the waterfalls of the Balastar stream starts from the centre. Then, to Ronda, in under half an hour.
14:00 · Lunch at Tragatá. The informal bar of Benito Gómez, the chef of Bardal, on Calle Nueva, next to the Puente Nuevo. Open every day, Sunday too, in fixed sittings that you book on their website.
16:15 · The Puente Nuevo. With the €12 municipal pass you enter the interpretation centre, under the central arch. Under-14s do not pay.
17:15 · La Alameda del Tajo. The viewpoints over the vega, at the edge of the cliff, as the sun goes down. In November it gets dark around a quarter past six.
18:00 · Head home. In Málaga around half past seven; in Seville, around eight.
What to order
The Russian salad with tuna belly, the confit pork belly mollete and the sea bass in adobo. For two, three or four dishes and whatever is off the menu. In autumn, ask whether they have anything with chestnut or mushrooms from the serranía.
The Genal roads
They are narrow, with tight bends and little verge. On November Sundays there are a lot of visitors' cars. Do not stop on the bends to take photos: leave the car at the entrance to the villages and walk. The chestnut groves are private land: walk on the paths and do not pick chestnuts.
Time4 h
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Restaurante Pedro Romero
What to order: the market menu of the day, or the Ronda stews from the menu.
Bardal
What to order: the Menú Bardal (€195) if it is your first time; the Gran Menú adds dishes such as veal blanquette with caviar.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Ronda
The Genal chestnut grove changes colour from late October to early December, depending on the year; November is usually best. On colour Sundays there is a lot of traffic: set off early.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book Tragatá before Sunday
It works in fixed sittings and in autumn it fills up.
- 2Ask about the colour
Ronda's tourist office tells you how the chestnut grove is doing that week.
- 3Fill up in Ronda
There are almost no petrol stations in the Genal villages.
We'd skip it
In thick fog or heavy rain: the Genal roads get slow and you cannot see the colour. Stay in Ronda and swap the morning for the Arab baths.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the Copper Forest at its best?
From late October to early December. November is usually the best, but it changes every year.
Do I need to walk a lot?
No. The plan is by car with short walks; the Caleras trail is easy.
How much does it cost?
The valley is free. Ronda's municipal pass, €12. Lunch depends on what you order; Tragatá has tapas-bar prices.
Can you go with children?
Yes. The walks are short and the Puente Nuevo impresses them. Keep an eye on them at the Tajo viewpoints.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/ronda/itineraries/autumn-in-the-copper-forest
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.