Puente Nuevo and its interpretation centre

The Puente Nuevo crosses the Tajo gorge of the Guadalevín and joins La Ciudad, the old town of Andalusi origin, with the Mercadillo, the district that grew from the 15th century. It was finished in 1793 and spans a cliff of almost a hundred metres. Crossing it is free and everyone who comes to Ronda does it; what you can add is a visit to the chamber over the central arch, which was a prison and is today the Puente Nuevo Interpretation Centre.

The chamber above the arch

The entrance is on the plaza de España side, at the start of the bridge. From there you go down to the open room above the central arch, with panels on the building of the bridge, the gorge and the history of the city. The visit is brief; what justifies it is the window over the gorge, with the river below, which you do not get from the roadway.

Municipal pass or premium pass

The chamber does not sell its own ticket in the municipal leaflets: it forms part of the municipal pass, which costs €12 per person, €9 for students under 26, pensioners, large families and groups of more than ten, and is free for under-14s. With the same pass you enter the Casa del Gigante, the Arab Baths, the Palacio de Mondragón and the Joaquín Peinado Museum. The premium pass, at €25 (€20 reduced), adds the Casa Palacio Museo Lara, the Casa Don Bosco and Santa María la Mayor. On all of them, the last entry is half an hour before closing.

The leaflets do not publish the chamber's opening hours; the tourist office on paseo de Blas Infante, next to the bullring, gives them on 952 187 119, and also sells the pass.

The bridge from every side

To see the whole bridge you have to move away from it. On the Mercadillo side, the viewpoints of plaza de España and the Parador give the view over the gorge, and the Alameda viewpoint promenade follows the edge of the cliff towards the vega. The classic view, with the full arch, is from below: you go down through the streets of La Ciudad towards the old mills, in comfortable shoes and without hurrying, because the climb back is long and steep.

When to go

Mid-morning is when the groups arriving from the coast by coach coincide and the bridge fills with people standing still taking photos. Early or at sunset you cross in peace and the light is better for the photo from below. If you come by car, park in the plaza del Socorro car park, open 24 hours, five minutes' walk away.