MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS, FERTILE VALLEYS, NARROW CAVES, SURGING RIVERS, SILENT WHITE VILLAGES... THIS VAST TERRITORY IS SO DIVERSE THAT ITS CHRACTER IS COMPLETELY UNDEFINABLE.

The Ronda mountain range, strategically located in the heart of Andalusia, extends over 1536 km2 and affords shelter to more than twenty white villages of the province of Málaga. As far as topography is concerned, the Serranía (range) is an enormous meseta over 700 metres above sea level, with some peaks rising to over 1500 metres. There fertile valleys shape the geography and life in this region: Guadalteba, Guadiaro and Genal.
Because of its vast wealth and diversity, a large part of its territory is protected. The Sierra de la Nieves, Los Alcornocales and Grazalema National Parks are the largest ones. Priceless ecological treasures, like the Blue Spanish Fir, the Golden Eagle and Tawny Vulture still survive here.
The Serranía also has an inestimable historical and cultural legacy. A vast cultural heritage including primitive caves, castles, belltowers, palaces, Moorish baths and roman theatres. To enter the Serranía de Ronda is to encounter life, history, monuments, ecology, good food and even legend in one harmonious whole.
Part of this heritage lies in its villages: Algatocín, Alpandeire, Arriate, Atajate, Benadalid, Benalauría, Benaoján, Benarrabá, Cortes de la Frontera, Cartajima, Faraján, Gaucín, Genalguacil, Igualeja, Jimera de Libar, Jubrique, Júzcar, Montejaque, Parauta, Pujerra and, of course, Ronda.

Sierra de las Nieves
This is one of the most interesting National Parks in Spain, with a fascinating 16000 hectares that has been given the status of Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. It appears the name comes from the process of cutting and burying snow, carried out by "neveros" who later sold it.
This means, of earning a living, which disappeared in 1931, was once an important source of income fot the region.
This tertiary period coniferous forest harbours the Blue Spanish Fir, undoubtedly its greatest treasure. The most extraordinary fir tree in the world is a living fossil that has survived through to our era after millions or years of hard battles. One of these has lately been against man, who often seems bent on its extinction.
Its high-mountain, Mediterranean climate, favours great botanic diversity. Junipers, furze, barberry, rooted vines, whitebeam, yew, ash, cork, gall oak, all take root here. All of this crestes an enormous, comfortable habitat for mountain goats, golden eagles, wild boar, otters and trout. Another feature of Las Nieves is the ruggedness of its terrain, punctuated by deep gullies, ravines and gorges and the third-deepest chasm in the world.

Los Alcornocales
Los Alcornocales National Park contains the greater part of a set of mountains of abrupt relief ans steep slopes which have a suface ares of about 170000 hectares. Of these, 119000 grow cork trees. Cork extraction is the basis of the economy in some of its villages. It is estimated that 26000 tonnes of raw cork are produced in the area every year. Cork extraction takes place from June to mid.August.
There is, however, one type of vegetation, the only instance of its kind in Europe, which better defines Los Alcornocales. This is the "canutos", the peculiar river-bank woodland found here around the narrowest channels and headwaters of streams.

Grazalema
On this incredible 52000 hectares mountain, the rain falls heavily with an almost monsoon force. This explains its rugged relief, decorated with canyons, caves, gorges, valleys, cornices and banks. Its impervious resistance is the reason for this ultra-slow geographic violence.
Millions of years of perseverant attrition has created a rich habitat, an almost unbelievably safe refuge (considering its closeness to man) for animals and plants. Grazalema, the result of the last westward thrashings of the Cordillera Bética (mountain range), is one of the few pieces of untouched woodland left in Spain. For a long time, Grazalema was a real physical and sentimental landmark for Spanish sailors as it was the last point of their homeland they could make out as they sailed to America, and the first land to be sighted on their return. At night, out on the first lights, twinkling among the mountains. Each village acted as a tiny lighthouse to bring them home.

Villages & Towns
Alameda
Alcaucín
Alfarnate
Alfarnatejo
Algarrobo
Algatocín
Alh. de la Torre
Alh. El Grande
Almáchar
Almargen
Almogía
Álora
Alozaina
Alpandeire
Antequera
Árchez
Archidona
Ardales
Arenas
Arriate
Atajate
Benadalid
Benahavís
Benalauría
Benalmádena
Benamargosa
Benamocarra
Benaoján
Benarrabá
El Borge
El Burgo
Campillos
Canillas de Aceituno
Canillas de Albaida
Cañete la Real
Carratraca
Cartajima
Cártama
Casabermeja
Casarabonela
Casares
Coín
Colmenar
Comares
Cómpeta
Cútar
Cortes de la Frontera
Cuevas Bajas
Cuevas de San Marcos
Cuevas del Becerro
Estepona
Faraján
Frigiliana
Fuengirola
Fuente de Piedra
Gaucín
Genalguacíl
Guaro
Humilladero
Igualeja
Istán
Iznate
Jimera de Líbar
Jubrique
Júzcar
Macharaviaya
Manilva
Málaga
Marbella
Mijas
Moclinejo
Mollina
Monda
Montejaque
Nerja
Ojén
Parauta
Periana
Pizarra
Pujerra
Rincón de la Victoria
Riogordo
Ronda
Salares
Sayalonga
Sedella
Sierra de Yeguas
Teba
Tolox
Torremolinos
Torrox
Totalán
Valle de Abdalajís
Vélez Málaga
Villanueva de Algaidas
Villanuevadel Concepcion Villanueva de Tapia Villanueva del Rosario
Villanueva del Trabuco
La Viñuela
Yunquera