The train for Bobadilla, soon after starting, crosses the rivers Palmones and Guadarranque. To the right we have a final view of the Bay of Algeciras and the African coast. Beyond (8¾ M.) San Roque we traverse extensive plantations of cork-trees (p. [171]). 26 M. Jimena; 36 M. Gaucin, in the Guadiaro Valley, the station for the little town high up on the hills, 5½ M. to the E.—We next pass through the romantic Guadiaro Ravine, and through many tunnels under the slopes of the Sierra de Ronda, and skirt the foot of the barren limestone slopes of the Sierra de Libar.
65½ M. Ronda (2460 ft.; Rail. Restaur.; Hot. Reina Victoria, first-class, pens. from 17½ or 20 p.; Hot. Royal, in the new town, English, pens. from 12½ p., good; pop. 19,000), one of the most interesting towns in Spain, occupying a plateau girdled by grand mountains. From the station we follow the Carrera de Espinel to the W. to the Calle de Castelar, the main street of the new town, and the Plaza de Toros (bull-ring). From the railed-in platforms of the Paseo de la Merced, a park a little to the N.W. of the plaza, we enjoy a fine view, with the foaming Guadalevin, or Guadiaro, some 660 ft, below us. The Puente Nuevo, crossing at the S. end of the main street (p. [56]) from the new town to the old town, affords a splendid view of the *Ravine of the Guadalevin (El Tajo, ‘the cutting’), about 330 ft. deep and filled with the spray of the river. The bed of the latter is strewn with rocks and the abrupt sides of the gorge are thickly overgrown with cactus.
The train descends between olives and cork-trees into the valley of the Guadalete (p. [59]), and then cuts through the last N. spurs of the S. Andalusian Mts.
110 M. Bobadilla (1240 ft.; Rail. Restaur.) is the junction for Cordova (see R. 9), Granada (see R. 9), and Málaga (R. 11).
We follow the Cordova line as far as (124½ M.) La Roda (comp. p. [72]; change carr.), and then turn to the W. to (147 M.) Osuna and (166½ M.) Marchena, junction of the Utrera and Cordova line (p. [59]). We next cross the Guadaira (p. [59]) and pass (184 M.) Empalme de Morón. At (194 M.) Utrera (Rail. Restaur.; change carr.) we join the Cadiz and Seville line (R. 6 b).
The train now runs to the N.W., mostly through fertile land (oranges, pomegranates, olives), and crosses the Guadaira.
214 M. Seville (Estación San Bernardo or de Cádiz), see p. [59].
b. Viâ Tangier and Cadiz.
From (Gibraltar) Algeciras to Cadiz. Steamers of the Vapores Correos de Africa (agents at Gibraltar and Algeciras, see p. [53]; at Tangier, p. [98]; at Cadiz, p. [58]) from Algeciras (steamboats from Gibraltar, see p. [56]) every morning except on Mon. & Frid. (from Cadiz daily except on Sun. & Thurs.) to (3 hrs.) Tangier and (9 hrs.) Cadiz (fares 1st cl. 30 p., 2nd cl. 23 p.; to Tangier only 15 or 12 p.). From Gibraltar to Tangier there ply on Tues., Thurs., and Wed. the small cargo-steamers of the Bland Line (about 2¼ hrs.; 10 or 5 p.). Steamers of the Hall Line ply weekly and those of the Royal Mail Steam Packet and the Oldenburg-Portuguese lines mentioned at p. [104], as well as of the Navigation Mixte, ply occasionally to Cadiz. The voyage to Cadiz viâ Tangier is picturesque in itself, and it affords also a most interesting glimpse of Moorish-Mohammedan life at Tangier. On the other hand the steamboat communication is uncertain in stormy weather, and to many travellers the voyage, especially in the smaller vessels, is very trying.
From Cadiz to Seville, 95 M., railway in 3¼–5¼ hrs. (fares 19 p. [80], 14 p. [50], 8 p. [70] c.). Railway Restaurant at Utrera only.