Ronda help
 

I am hiking from Nov 4 till 10th starting in Seville, Grazelma, Gaucin and ending up in Ronda. I have 7 more days after that by myself. any ideas will be welcomed. I intend to fly back from Malaga on Nov 20th. I would like to have some cooking classes while I am in the region. Will Ronda be very cool during that period of 10th til 20th?

Ronda could be gray and rainy; head out to Seville. Wonderful city with great restaurants and fascinating history. Great public transportation as well. That said, consider Madrid or Barcelona for 4-5 days.

Perhaps add some stops earlier in the trip--Cordoba, Granada, Jerez, Cadiz, etc. No crime in staying longer in any of the places you are going or those on my list.
Don't know about cooking classes.
I would allot at least two days in Malaga at the end, it is a nice city.

I just stayed overnight at La Fructuosa in Gaucin on our way back from Ronda. The owner is Basque and a chef. Unfortunately the kitchen was not open that day for lunch or dinner by Maribel reports good reviews. Perhaps you could e mail them & ask about the cooking classes?
http://www.lafructuosa.com/princ_en.html

Thanks for the replies. I'll be spending 3 nights in Seville before hiking. Been to Cordoba and Granada. Was wondering if I should head southeast after the hike.

........help me Rhonda, help, help me Rhonda.......

Sorry.

Tangwah

It sounds like you are experienced hiker, if not, please consult a topographical map that leads to Ronda. There are many steep climbs from the direction you are walking.

Not an experienced hiker at all, my friends and I are hiking with guides from village to village. The rest leave after the hike but I have an extra 7-10 days to hang out on my own. Won't drive but will take bus train taxi to places worth visiting. Been to Barcelona and Madrid several times before.

"Been to Cordoba and Granada. Was wondering if I should head southeast after the hike."
In that case, you might want to head to Jerez, Cadiz. Many inland small towns accessible by bus from both.
Check out Antequera--north of Malaga--have not been there but I am interested.

Please conisder Northern Spain. It is much different than the south, Madrid, and Barcelona and filled with beautiful country, history, differnt cultures and languages, and outstanding food.

I agree that Northern Spain is very beautiful (just telling a colleague about that area) and needs a revisit, but it's kinda cold I would expect in November. And I am committed to my hiking trip and it makes more sense to explore areas close by after the hike.

Loved Ronda! You can do a 3-hour sunrise horseback ride (they'll pick you up and drop you at your hotel).

Also, enjoyed Cadiz and Jerez... Christopher Columbus and sherry tastings!

Southern Spain is filled with outstanding countryside, fascinating history, wonderful manifestations from different cultures, and outstanding food. For a NOVEMBER trip, please do not even think of heading North versus South....unless you want your hikes filled with rain, gray, shorter days....

Will 3 nights in Ronda be too much? I don't to stay at a place with an active nightlife. Maybe I could bus/train down to Jerez and Cadiz before ending up in Malaga.

Would you consider going to Portugal as you have visited that part of Spain before?
... love the country. Not too difficult to do from Seville, not sure about transport from Rhonda but could be doable.

Yes, why not consider Lisbon? It's a wonderful city with much to see and do. Or near Malaga is Nerja which we enjoyed very much but it's more of a beach town for summer. We also really liked Los Castanos in Cartajima near Ronda www.loscastanos.com. It's a lovely inn in a white village where you could spend a couple of days before heading to the Malaga area. They have walking and birding tours.

Three nights would not be too much in Ronda to me. http://www.turismoderonda.es/indexeng.htm
There are sights to see in the city as well as smaller towns nearby you could visit by bus (Sentenil you could do as a day trip). Find some of the bus schedules here:
http://rondatoday.com/?page_id=453.
You will already have done a lot of hiking, but the hiking around Ronda is excellent. In addition to just wandering the valley below Ronda, the bus and train connections to Benaojan and Montejaque are convenient, and there are many walks there.
I especially liked http://www.andalucia.com/rural/walking/railway.htm. The town you end up in, Jimera de Libar, was very quiet, so maybe you'd like staying there? Then just make your way down the train line.

Thanks so much to all for taking time to give me suggestions. I have been to Portugal, husband and I drove aorund for 21/2 weeks, I loved Oporto and the Douoro. Our guide sent us an update that there's no rain in the forecast for 10 days, hooray. and warmer temps than usual, double hooray.

"Was wondering if I should head southeast after the hike."

I think you should. The rest of the Málaga region has much to offer besides the underrated capital itself. "Authentic charm of an overlooked treasure" in Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ci...-treasure.html

Cooking course in Málaga:
http://www.activitybreaks.com/produc...from_day_out=1

Antequera, some 40 miles north of Málaga city, is well worth a visit if you are interested in history. Spent some unforgettable days there a couple of years ago. If you go, be sure also to visit the renaissance church of Santa María la Mayor, just below the Moorish castle and just above the ongoing excavations of a Roman bath. A beautiful and peaceful square on the hight in front of the church, great views and a nice bar/restaurant in the corner.
http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/home.htm

Torre del Mar, some 20 miles east along the coast, boasts some of the best seafood restaurants (freidurias) in the region. I can surely recommend this one: http://www.freidurialacueva.es/
Pedregalejos, just east of Málaga city center, also comes highly recommended for seafront restaurants with great food, for example El Caleño (Paseo Maritimo de Pedregalejo, tel. 952299148)

Estrella Morente, one of the world's most famous flamenco singers, gives a concert in Málaga on the 19th of November together with the legendary dancer Carrete and the guitarist Montoyita. It's sold out, but if you turn up at the venue an hour in advance, you are most likely to get hold of tickets. Tickets are only 6€ as this is an event sponsored by the city authorities. At Auditorio de la Diputación at 20:00h.
http://www.malagaenflamenco.com/even...tualidad=false

A clip of Morente in Málaga during the Málaga en flamenco festival in 2007: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGrbW44ek_o

http://www.estrellamorente.es/

Thanks Kimhe, I did hear good things about Malaga and this confirms it. I shall hang out in that area, esp since it's getting cold in Ronda, and I am a warm weather person.