Plaza Duquesa de Parcent - Ronda

By far the most beautiful public space in Ronda, this leafy square is home to a plethora of monuments.

The star is the Iglesia de Santa Maria del Mayo r, with a beautiful bell tower reminiscent of a renaissance toy town. It's the most important religious site in Ronda, but also fun to walk around on the hour, when the quintuple carillon in its fairytale bell tower can be heard all over Ronda, ending with a disconsolate and, to the locals, unintentionally hilarious clatter on its broken fifth clock.

The square is surrounded by the (mostly closed) monasteries of Charity (Caridad) and the Claristas (the "poor Poor Clares"), each with their own private iglesia or chapel. The order of nuns of Caridad is famous for baking special cookies and cakes for Navidad, Christmas, which the closed order sells through a 'turno', or revolving hatch, in the door.

The Plaza's collection of impressive buildings is completed by the unusually long and low-vaulted ayuntamiento, or council building.

willem vandenameele