Beautiful square in Marbella's old town. The name comes from 1941, when the town removed the palm…read moretrees that used to populate this square, and planted orange trees (prior to the palms, there had been chestnut trees). This is one of the most well-known spots along the Costa del Sol. Beautiful place to sit and enjoy the breathtaking architecture and horticulture. Public benches surround the inner part of the square, with cafes along the perimeter. Interesting aesthetic details are all over the place, even the pebble mosaics on the paved ground. Plaza de los Naranjos (Orange Square) is in a walkable zone, so do not try to drive to it. Best to park in a nearby garage and walk through the old town to get there. Worth the walk and the parking fee just to see this lovely square... and the adjacent Plaza De la Iglesia, a very short walk away.

Large, beautiful park in Marbella. It runs along a huge boulevard (Avda. Ramón y Cajal), is near a…read moretourism office, and abuts the boundary of the old town, so it is hard to miss. Alameda (sometimes written Alhameda) has a very late-19thC/early-20thC look to it. There are botanical gardens in the park (another mania of the era mentioned). This made sense when I read the history of the park, which dates to the 18thC, but had a major rehaul in the late 19thC, to give it its present look. During the reno, they got rid of former attractions, like a pond, a niche for the Christ of the Alameda, and the Cross of the Mentidero. The foliage in this park is really lush, with a lot of banana palms, rubber plants, Ficus Pandurata, and sandy pines. Tons of places to sit and people-watch. There are gorgeous tiled areas in the squares formed within the grid of the park, and then sandy-gravely walking paths to ramble from point to point. Many benches are concrete forms, clad in hand-painted tiles, in an Andalusian style. The Fuente Virgen del Rocio, shown in my photo, is in the center of the park, and is the pièce de résistance, however, I thought watching people go by, particularly school groups of Spanish kids touring, was the most fun. There are a bunch of cafes surrounding the park, many were extremely cheesy and touristy, but some had a lot of Spanish locals eating there, and appeared to be good for authentic tapas.

Plaza De la Iglesia is the square abutting the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación in the…read moreold town part of Marbella. It is not as popular as the adjacent Plaza de los Naranjos, but it is just as beautiful and tranquil, IMO. Not many places to sit, but a few benches are available. Only a couple of cafes on this square, again, not as lively as nearby Plaza de los Naranjos. Plaza De la Iglesia is definitely worth a visit, and a nice sit to take it in, especially in the afternoon sun! As with anywhere in the old town, walking is a must. Cars aren't permitted in the old town, so a nearby parking garage is necessary.

Definitely worth a visit, although this is a low-key attraction. I enjoyed seeing the different…read morerooms, and the informational video gave good information about the building and use of the baths. Located a bit out of the town center, but a relatively easy walk.

Great spot to visit in Ronda, so don't be intimidated by the longer walk, it's a beautiful one with…read moregreat buildings and vistas to see on the way! I was in Ronda just for the day so I wish I had more time to spend at Banos Arabes/the Arab Baths constructed in Moorish style, a great historic site, very unique. It's how the spa used to be back in the day, surrounded by wonderful arches. The ruins are full of poetry, the light filtering in is our of this world, the place is a must see if you visit the area! I need to go back!

Stopped at this coastal town in Spain; right on the water. Very nice marina town. Walked around and…read morewindow shopped; typical tourist, right lol. Loved the vibe and how relaxing it was. Good thing it was in mid October so not very crowded, fortunately for our tour group. Nice place to visit; wonder how it is to live here for a bit. Interesting thought.

a coastal Spanish marina-beach "town" with eateries, boutiques, clubs alongside moored yachts and…read moretanned lovelies. spent summers in Marbella since younger years and chilled here mucho con mi amigos y primos. Banús became an instant Costa del Sol hotspot when opened in 1970 (party boasts 22kilos of beluga caviar swilled) and still is today. in summer, private jets of seasonal residents crowd the Malaga airport, no lie. could say i sowed some wild oats here, also made forever friends. trivia: palace of the Saudi Arabian king in Marbella is a replica of the White House.

I stopped in here for an afternoon drink after doing some sightseeing around Ronda. Beautiful views…read moreof the city and a lovely patio. Definitely tourist-oriented. Service was good very relaxed atmosphere.

*This listing is for the historical landmark / museum, Palacio del Rey Moro. There are other Yelp…read morelistings, with German reviews, for the bar with the same name. Entry fee was 5€ pp, cash. The palace is currently under renovation (visited during the off-season). There is no actual palace to visit, just the gardens and the water mine, which is a very long staircase, inside a stone structure, down the side of the ravine, to a water source on the floor of the Tajo. This historic site is a layering of history. The 14thC water mine is authentic to the days of Moorish rule. However, the palace was built in the 18thC, long after the Moors were banished from Spain. The palace was later remodeled by the Duchess of Parcent in 1920. The gardens were created in 1912, by Jean Claude Forestier (the same French architect who designed the Maria Luisa Park in Seville). So you get a combination of stories about historical figures who were never contemporaries of one another. The main attraction at this museum is definitely La Mina (the water mine). THE MINE In the 14thC, Moorish king, Abomelik, ordered the cutting of steps into the stone walls of el Tajo so he could have Christian slaves chained to the steps, to pass water up all day, from río Guadelevin. The mine was built concealed, to be kept secret, presumably, from potential invaders, but it was a well-known fear among Spanish Christians that "in Ronda you die carrying water skins." Note that historic records state there were 365 steps in the mine, but today there are 231, and no evidence of the missing steps. When I saw this place on the Rick Steves Andalucía episode, I couldn't wait to visit. When I got to the winding, grueling 231 stone steps, of non-uniform size, with dripping water all over, making them slippery, I was not as excited. It is a workout, but a good one. I am very glad we did it in the off-season, and not when there are a million sweaty tourists crowding the passage, making it insufferable! Note that the steps of the mine are not the entire descent. There are various terraces in the garden at the top, each with a flight of stairs, leading you slowly down to the mine itself. You have already descended about 1/3 of the cliff before you even get to the mine. *This place is not at all accessible for disabled persons. The mine, in Moorish times, was the only source of water for the city, and the steps were later the means by which Spanish Christian troops forced entry into Ronda to recapture it 1485. THE PALACE Folklore names this place "Palace of the Moorish King" under the belief that a prior palace stood on this site, as the home of King Almonated (who has no Wiki article nor Googleable info). All info I could find about this king was just part of the folklore of this castle. THE GARDENS The gardens are a series of courtyard-type niches at street level, followed by stepped terraces graduating down to the entry of the mine. There is not a lot of grassy / soil area, mostly paved patio or pea gravel, along with various small ponds and fountains. There are places to sit on tiled benches. The gardens are in need of a lot of cosmetic repairs (cracked pavers, mildewed paint, chipped tiles, etc). But you can still appreciate their beauty, and the views from them are amazing. In summary, I would definitely say it was worth my fiver, and all that physical exertion to make contact with 700-year-old history. Definitely a top stop on my Ronda list. * * * TIP * * * One tourism guide stated that one of the chambers along the mine's staircase is called Sala de Secretos (Room of Secrets) because while 2 people, each standing close to the wall at opposite ends of the room, can hear each other, their words are oddly completely inaudible to anyone standing in the middle of the same room. Tourists like to put it to the test. (This phenomenon is similar to the "Whispering Gallery" in St. Paul's Cathedral, London.)

Puente Viejo is a bridge as you'd have guessed, the oldest one built in Ronda in 1616. Easy to…read moreremember. It's very easy to find, like everything else in Ronda, just grab a map - a self guided walking tour and follow the main drag. Everything is close by, within walking distance. The bridge is old, beautiful, take a break for a while to take all the details in and the amazing views all around! Roman bridge with some Moorish influences, a great example of Andalusian architecture. Pedestrian only, a wonderful sight!

The Puente Viejo (old bridge) in Ronda, was built on remains of an older bridge. According to…read moreSpanish touring sites, this version of the bridge was built in the 16thC, however, Wikipedia claims it was built in 1616 (the year of Shakespeare's death). I would tend to go with the Spanish info, dating it to the 1500s. The more famous Puente Nuevo (new bridge) is a "young" 200+ years old. While Puente Nuevo allows vehicular traffic, Puente Viejo is a pedestrian-only bridge. It is accessible from lower points in town, down the hill from the Palacio del Rey Moro, on the old side of the city, and near Iglesia de Padre Jesús on the new side. This bridge has great views, but, IMO, not as dramatic as those from Puente Nuevo. Puente Viejo is in Carlos Saura's film version of Carmen (1983). Los Caños bar, nearby, shows photo stills from the movie. * * * TIP * * * Near the old bridge, there is an entrance to walk the INTERIOR of the city walls, to see these old ramparts from the inside. Ask for more info from your hotel, because this is not of widespread tourist knowledge.

Ronda is considered one of the cradles of modern bullfighting, which emerged in the 18th century…read more Territorial defense requirements led Felipe II in 1572 to establish the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda (Royal Riding School) where people could learn how to handle horses. With this in mind, this institution prepared a venue in the city of equestrian exercises that included games involving skill with bulls, which as had been traditional in Spain since the Middle Ages. We went inside the museum gift store and they had great quality souvenirs in here. The prices were not bad for a tourist spot. Inside the Plaza de Toros de Ronda you can visit the Bullfighting Museum, the Royal Saddlery of the Casa de Orleans and a Collection of antique firearms.

Major site in Ronda, I had to stop by and check out the plaza and the museum. If you visit Spain,…read moreit's interesting to visit a bullfighting ring. As an avid Hemingway reader, this was a must for me. Centrally located (in Plaza de Toros), opened daily, fascinating old bull ring. Pedro Romero had fights here (love the old bullfight poster), the construction was finished at the end of 18th century, Orson Welles loved the place (he was buried in the area), another reason for me to visit this historic site. Beautiful architecture, wonderful site. My only regret? I wish I had more time spend here!

At the time of this review, Sierra de las Nieves ("range of the snows") is about to become a…read moreNational Park (it became a Natural Park in 1989). In 1995, it became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. We drove along the western border of the park, on our way from Marbella to Ronda. The views are breathtaking, and I got to see a lot of what my research on the park described of its terrain. Here is a summary about the park, from my research of various sources: The park surrounds the Sierra de las Nieves mountain range in the Málaga province, in Andalucia. La Torrecilla (1,919 m) is the highest point in the range. It also hosts one of the deepest shafts in Europe (named "GESM"). Lots of limestone in this region gives the park white cliffs, spotted with reddish iron deposits. Sierra de las Nieves has numerous caves, the most well-known are Hoyos del Pilar, Hoyos de Lifa, and Cuevas del Moro. Apparently, the name of the Park came from its snowy peaks, which used to be more plentiful than in our current (warmer) global climate. Back when, the locals stored the snow in "snowfields" and carted it down to the local towns for water. The park harbors Spanish fir forests, and the Mediterranean spruce, that dates to the glacial period in Iberia. One is 500yo, named the Escalereta, a Natural Monument. The forests also contain oaks, cork trees, wild olive trees, ash trees, junipers, carob trees and chestnut trees. **Local black pigs survive on acorns from these trees, and their cured ham (pata negra) is a local delicacy. Fauna here are typical of southern Spain, and include mountain goats, muflons, meloncillo (a kind of mongoose), roe deer, and otters. This is a destination for bird watching tours, with Griffin vultures, golden eagles, eagle owls, royal owls, goshawks and hawks. This pristine park has never been inhabited except for a smattering of villages, hence it is very unspoiled terrain. Camping is no longer permitted in the park. Park activities include, hiking, bird watching, mountain biking (with tours such as Monda-Istán), mountain climbing, and horseback-riding.