As one of the inland cities of Andalusia, Ronda traditionally was a bit cut off from other centers, so culinary styles tend to be less ornate, simpler, heartier, and generally catering to people who would work long hours and needed to replace the calories they expended.

This means that when eating in the Serrania de Ronda you are likely to see lots of pork, ham, potato, fried foods, and seafood on the manu. Eat too much and you might feel you've gained a couple of pounds, just remember this food was originally intended for people who worked 12 or 14 hour days in the fields or mills of the area. Eating in moderation or making sure you also walk extensively will prevent you going home bigger than when you arrived.

That aside, in Ronda there are several places to enjoy local fare, though sadly most tourists don't stray too far from the main plazas so miss out on Ronda's best cooks and tapas. Deciding to walk that little bit further, maybe an extra 300 yards, will find you approaching some truly wonderful culinary delights cheaper than you'll pay in the center.

As an example, a tapas bar that caters to local Spaniards might charge 80 centimos or 1.20? for a single tapa, whereas in the main tourist area you could be looking at 2.50?, and that's a big difference.

Lechugita, 0 Grados, or Bar Faustino are three examples of bars that serve great tapas at even better prices, and are much loved by locals. Yes it means you'll have to speak a few words of Spanish, but your effort will be appreciated and your credit card will thank you.

A simple rule of thumb in determining the best places to eat is to ignore your ideas of what a modern eating establishment looks like, they tend to be more expensive in general. Instead, look for the small cramped and locally decorated bars that seem to be well frequented. If you hear a lot of Spanish being spoken, and if it is loud, then you've probably found a local haunt. Go on in, ask for the "carte de tapas" and a cerveza or a tinto de verano, then enjoy meeting the people of Ronda.