The A-397 leaves the coast at San Pedro and climbs straight into the Serranía de Ronda. Within ten minutes the sea is behind you, the road is cut into pale limestone and there is nothing on either side but pine and rock.
The road
It is a wide, well-kept mountain road with long sweeping bends rather than tight hairpins, which is why it suits a big supercar. The surface is good, the barriers are solid and the views open up on almost every corner.
Go early. By eleven in the morning the tour coaches start coming down, and on a Sunday the cyclists own the first half of the climb. Before nine you will have it almost to yourself.
Where to stop
- The viewpoints near the top, for the view back down to the coast and Africa on a clear day
- A roadside venta on the way up, for coffee and a car park that fits anything
- Ronda old town, park near the bull ring and walk to the Puente Nuevo over the gorge
Coming back
Take the same road down in the late afternoon, when the sun is behind you and the whole valley turns gold. If you want a longer loop, come back through Gaucín and Casares instead, about ninety minutes of smaller, slower roads.
