Explore Merida: Roman Theatre, Amphitheatre, Alcazaba & Aqueduct

Visit the city’s emblematic complex of the Roman Theatre and the Roman Amphitheater, dating back to when Mérida was the majestic capital of Roman Lusitania. First, walk by the Roman Theatre. Before the full excavations of 1910, only its upper grandstand emerged on the ground. They were referred to as "The Seven Chairs" where several Moorish kings are believed to sit by the locals. Its semicircular walls are intact and the back wall of the stage has been beautifully restored. Only some steps away, you arrive at the adjacent Amphitheatre. Likewise, the colossal remains are striking surviving examples of the ancient Roman colony in Spain with well-preserved tiered auditoriums and a grand pit arena in between.

Next, stop by the Roman Temple to Diana. One interesting fact is that the temple served as the foundation and the cover of a 16th-century Renaissance palace whose ruins can still be seen at the site, thanks to which it is in an exceptional state of preservation.

As you continue, you get to see Alcazaba, a rare Arab monument in the ancient Roman city. The seemingly pristine 7th-century fortress, surrounded by an extended water moat and palm trees, is a lively reminder of the Moorish rule over the city.

Stroll along the Roman Bridge over the Guadiana River, a romantic-looking ancient bridge. It is one of Spain's largest Roman bridges. The sixty-arches bridge is still in use for pedestrians. From there, you can sightsee the scenic landscapes of the Guadiana River and the nearby Lusitania Bridge, a famous contemporary work.

Walk through the Trajan Arch, an ancient gateway located along one of the main thoroughfares in the past. Despite not being an especially significant sight today, the antique arch used to be the main portal between the city’s civic area and provincial area back in Roman times.

The next step is the Basilica of Santa Eulalia, dedicated to the martyr Saint Eulalia, the city's patron saint. The present Romanesque church was built in the 13th century on the ruins of a basilica destroyed by the Moors. In 1990, an impressive cemetery underneath the church, which features important Roman and Visigoth remains, was discovered.

The tour ends at the Los Milagros Aqueduct, a masterpiece of engineering that would have supplied water to present-day Mérida. More than eight hundred meters of the twenty-seven-meter-high hydraulic system, a relatively small stretch, still stands. What’s more, from there, you can admire another nice-looking Roman bridge over the Albarregas river nearby.