So, this is a super belated post as I went to Spain at the beginning of October. Oops!

I did however want to take the time to document the day I visited Ronda, because it was so beautiful!

It was a quick five day trip to Spain with family, so most of the time was spent in and around the villa and area we were staying but, on the final day, we visited Ronda. I’d seen an amazing photograph on Pinterest just before flying out to Spain and when I did a little internet research discovered that the place in question was Ronda and not too far from where we were staying.

Ronda is in a mountainous area in Andalusia, perched upon the El Tajo canyon carved out by the Guadalevin River which divides the city in two. The Puente Nuevo “New Bridge” spans the El Tajo canyon, sitting 120 metres above the canyon floor. “New” is a little bit of a misnomer however, the bridge was built in the mid to late 1700’s.

Both Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles spent time in Ronda, living in the old town quarter – La Ciudad. Both wrote about Ronda’s beauty and famous bullfighting traditions – the Plaza de toros de Ronda is the oldest bullgihting ring in Spain. Built in 1784 by José Martin de Aldehuela, who also designed the Puente Nuevo, and is an utterly amazing building.

Here are some of my photos from our visit to Ronda: 

I briefly mentioned in my Sephora Mini Haul post that I spent a few days in France back in October, with a couple of friends. We had lots of lazy days, sitting around the cottage, drinking wine and eating cheese (when in Rome, or rather when in France…) mixed up with a few exploring adventures to see some of the towns and villages in the surrounding area. The highlight for me was definitely heading to Collonges-la-Rouge for an afternoon.

Built entirely from red sandstone, Collonges-la-Rouge is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. Full of tiny, winding lanes and alleyways, every corner unearths another amazing sight.  The marketplaces date back to the 16th and 17th centuries, with areas such as the fortified wall being built in the 14th century. Also, super delicious ice cream was an added bonus!

Here are a few photos from our afternoon trip to Collonges-la-Rouge: