Ronda — queen stage through the Serranía de Ronda
Ronda is one of the most beautiful towns in Andalusia — a historic centre perched above the deep El Tajo gorge — and the road there is just as spectacular. The classic starts on the coast at San Pedro de Alcántara and climbs the dramatic A-397 over the Puerto del Madroñal: around 20 km of steady climbing with views back over the Costa del Sol. From Ronda the loop heads into the quiet of the Serranía de Ronda — El Burgo, Yunquera, Alozaina — over the high point of the day, Puerto del Viento (1121 m), then down via Guaro and Monda back to the sea. It's a big day: 144 km, 2767 m and four passes. The reward is one of the region's most beautiful towns halfway round and mountain scenery you wouldn't expect from the coast. From our base in Málaga the start on the coast to the west (Marbella/San Pedro) is quite a bit further — either take a transfer or make it part of a day on the Costa del Sol.
Who it suits
For the strongest riders — a big mountain day through the Serranía de Ronda with four passes and the iconic A-397 climb to Ronda. The queen stage of the catalogue.
Traffic on the route
Water and refuelling
- 45 km · Ronda — cafés and bars in the historic town
- 70 km · El Burgo — bars in the village
- 130 km · Monda — square
Cafés and stops
- Cafés in historic Ronda (Ronda) — iconic town above the gorge — lunch and coffee halfway through the day
Climbs
When your legs give out (bail-out)
- 45 km Renfe (Algeciras–Bobadilla) (Ronda) — trains run from Ronda; getting back to the coast/Málaga involves a change
Wind, season and kit
Wind: Watch out for the terral — a föhn-type northerly wind from the sierra, extremely hot and dry. It hits Málaga and the Guadalhorce valley, but often doesn't reach Rincón (10 km east). Terral in the forecast = ride east, or go high and early.
When to set off: Early morning — it's a long day with a lot of climbing and Puerto del Viento is often windy.
Season: Best in March–May and September–November. In September the share of muggy days drops from 43% (1 Sept) to 16% (30 Sept) — the end of the month is noticeably more pleasant. Summer is too hot for the inland climbs.
Gearing: Queen stage — bring low gears (34×32 or lower); 2767 m and four passes.
Tyres: 28 mm; excellent tarmac all the way.
Watch out for
- ⚠Queen stage — 144 km and 2767 m over four passes. For trained legs only.
- ⚠From Málaga it's ~60 km extra to the start on the coast (Marbella/San Pedro) — take a transfer (train to Fuengirola + ride on, or a car), or combine it with a day on the Costa del Sol.
- ⚠Puerto del Viento (1121 m) is often windy and cold at the top — take a layer.
- ⚠The A-397 is dramatic but has some traffic and tunnels — use a rear light and ride with care.
Your bike is waiting in Málaga
You ride this route on your own bike, straight from the door — we bring your bike over and store it, you fly in with just a backpack. We'll tell you where to ride for your form, and if something goes wrong, you call and we come and pick you up.
Metrics are calculated from the GPS track. The route has been planned with a routing engine so far — we'll ride it and check it on site (water, surface, traffic), then add the real GPX and photos here. Sources: bike2malaga RB-21 (Marbella > Ronda > El Burgo > Monda), andalucia.com A-397.