The Camí de Ronda (, es, Camino de Ronda) was a footpath built along the

Costa Brava The Costa Brava (, ; "Wild Coast" or "Rough Coast") is a coastal region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain. Whilst sources differ on the exact definition of the Costa Brava, it can be regarded as stretching from the town of Blanes, northeast o ...

coast to help the

Carabineros The was an armed carabiniers force of Spain under both the monarchy and the Second Republic. The formal mission of this paramilitary gendarmerie was to patrol the coasts and borders of the country, operating against fraud and smuggling. A ...

, and subsequently the

Guardia Civil The Civil Guard ( es, Guardia Civil, link=no; ) is the oldest law enforcement agency in Spain and is one of two national police forces. As a national gendarmerie force, it is military in nature and is responsible for civil policing under the a ...

, control the coast and stop smuggling. The origins are located in the 19th century when it was formed from small footpaths through the cliffs along the coast of

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...

. In the 20th Century, especially in the postwar period, the path acquired a great importance as a method of controlling the country's border, especially in the difficult economic conditions Spain found itself after the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. However corruption ensured the route did not stop smuggling. The continuing border controls and economic situation in the 1940s and 1950s, when even basic foods, tools and other products were in short supply in Spain, allowed the few smugglers to amass fortunes. The improvement of the Spanish economy and eventual entry into the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

ensured the path lost its importance. Much of the route is now a series of public footpaths often connecting tourist beaches and resorts, and some of these are used as part of the

GR 92 The GR 92 is part of the extensive GR footpath network of paths, tracks and trails in Spain. It will eventually run the length of the Mediterranean coast of Spain, from Portbou, on the border with France to Tarifa, the most southerly point of Spa ...

long distance footpath that runs the length of the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

References

Bibliography

* Punseti,Daniel; Rovira,Iban; Camí de Ronda, La Travessa a peu de la Costa Brava, Ruta lineal, Triptek Books-Camí de Ronda® (2014, 2015 & 2016 last edition), Map E/1:25.000 Guide in English,Catalan,Español,French, German ISBN - www.camideronda.com Geography of Catalonia {{Catalonia-stub