Dehesa del Mercadillo

Its location, alongside Ronda with all its monuments, make this nature area a good place to start your visit to the town.

Another attraction here are the stunning views of Ronda gorge that you can enjoy around the park. You can also admire this natural frontier from the Monte Público area, specifically Puerto de la Muela.

The Dehesa del Mercadillo Peri-urban Park is mainly covered by stone pine, with the odd example of black pine, while special mention should be made of some large old holm oaks, mixed with areas of pastureland resulting from man's traditional activities. Small woodland birds abound here, providing a pleasant soundtrack to walks in the area.

The name of this area ("dehesa", pastureland) is thought to come from a livestock market that used to be held in the pastureland area on account of its proximity to the town and the existence of various livestock trails between the two. Nowadays, this network of public footpaths provides access to the Peri-urban Park, and is also used for sports such as hiking, cycle touring and horse riding. However, these trails have not lost their traditional use either, with the annual celebration of a parade of stud horses placed on public display by the Armed Forces. This unusual event seems to date back to the 19th century.

The Peri-urban Park also has a series of recreation areas where you can rest, relax and get your strength back.