The moment I took the wheel of the olive green Bentley Bentayga in the heart of Spain, I knew I was about to carve my name into a story only a few dare to write. Destination? Ronda. A mountaintop city perched dramatically above a deep gorge, famous for its cliffside views, bullfighting legacy, and roads barely wide enough to squeeze in a local Fiat—let alone a 2.5-ton British SUV.
Driving through Ronda’s labyrinth of narrow cobblestone streets, with their romantic overhanging balconies and bright bougainvillaea blooms, wasn’t just a challenge—it was theatre. Locals turned, tourists gasped, and the police? They gave me an informal escort after I managed to wedge the Bentayga into a corner too sharp for my fashionably oversized tyres. Nothing says “trendsetter” like reversing a luxury SUV with a Guardia Civil guide.
Powerfully Tight
What I quickly learned is that in Ronda, space is earned—not given. The town was never designed for the 21st-century woman making a grand entrance in a rolling piece of art. But that’s the point. We aren’t here to blend in—we’re here to be seen. And seen I was. Parked beside the legendary Puente Nuevo bridge, the olive green finish of the Bentayga shimmered against the Andalusian sun, casting shadows that danced with old-world stone and new-age elegance.
Ronda, with all its drama and charm, is the kind of place where time stalls. It’s where Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles came for inspiration. It’s where the spirit of the bull still charges through the Plaza de Toros de Ronda, the oldest bullring in Spain. And while I didn’t participate in any bull runs, I can assure you, navigating those streets in the Bentley was its own form of adrenaline-pumping daredevilry.
Tapas
Tapas in Ronda taste better when earned through battle—battle with Google Maps, with sudden hairpin bends, and with the occasional pedestrian stepping out mid-selfie. But once you sit down at a local tavern, perhaps El Lechuguita, and sip on a glass of Ronda’s own red wine, you realise this is the essence of luxury travel: immersive, unpredictable, and story-worthy.
Why olive green, you ask? It’s not just a colour—it’s a message. It speaks of heritage, earth, and resilience. It’s elegant without shouting. Feminine without being demure. In a sea of metallic silvers and clinical whites, olive green stands its ground. It’s military chic meets Andalusian countryside. And for women like me—trend forecasters, tastemakers, travellers—it’s a nod to nature while firmly riding in the lane of bespoke luxury.
Bentley isn’t just about horsepower and polished interiors. It’s about creating experiences. And for women? It’s about taking the driver’s seat, literally and metaphorically. No waiting for the valet, no pretending to be a plus-one. The world is shifting. Women are no longer content to just pose next to luxury cars—we drive them, through gorges, into historic towns, and right into the heart of experiences once considered off-limits.
What To See Around Rhonda
Ronda isn’t the only jewel on this road trip. The journey there is sprinkled with stops worth every minute. Marbella offers glamour and golden beaches. Zahara de la Sierra glistens with its whitewashed houses and turquoise reservoir. And just beyond Ronda, the town of Setenil de las Bodegas waits, with homes carved directly into rock faces.
At every stop, the Bentayga drew eyes—not because it was brash, but because it was confident. And as I stepped out in heels and sunglasses, the question wasn’t “who is she with?” but “who is she?”
Women’s luxury travel is evolving. It’s no longer about being pampered—it’s about power. It’s about presence.
And nothing gives you that presence like rolling up to a centuries-old Spanish town in a handcrafted SUV that turns every arrival into a scene.
The future is female—and she’s driving a Bentley in olive green.
So next time you plan a Spanish escape, consider making Rhonda your theatre. Stay at the Parador with views over the gorge. Book a table at Bardal for Michelin-star tapas. Sip local wine while your Bentley cools in the shade of olive trees. And if the local police give you an escort again? Smile. You’re not lost—you’re making headlines.
Because when women drive style and travel, every road is a runway. And Rhonda, with its rugged beauty and stubborn charm, just became mine.
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