Ronda was first settled by the early Celts, who, in the 6th
century BC, called it Arunda. Later Phoenician settlers
established themselves nearby to found Acinipo, known locally as
Ronda la Vieja, Arunda or Old Ronda. The current Ronda is
however of Roman origins, having been founded as a fortified
post in the Second Punic War, by Scipio Africanus. Ronda
received the title of city at the time of Julius Caesar. The
city is situated in a very mountainous area about 750 meters
(2,460 ft) above mean sea level. The Guadalevin River runs
through the city, dividing it in two and carving out the steep,
100 plus meters deep El Tajo canyon upon which the city perches.
Three bridges, Puente Romano, Puente Viejo and Puente Nuevo,
span the canyon. The Puente Nuevo is the tallest of the bridges,
towering 120 metres (390 ft) above the canyon floor. All three
serve as some of the city’s most impressive features. American
artists Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles spent many summers in
Ronda as part-time residents of Ronda’s o