Things To Do in Merida, Spain

Mérida’s compact old city is easily explored on foot. The most economical way to see its many archaeological highlights is to buy a Conjunto Monumental ticket (teatroromanomerida.com; 17€ adults, 8.50€ seniors and students, free for children under 12) online or at the tourist office, which gives access to eight key sites including the Roman theater and amphitheater, the Circus Maximus, and the Alcazaba. Other monuments, such as the Roman bridge and the city’s two remaining aqueducts can be visited for free. You’ll often have them to yourselves.

It’s worth taking a stroll through the riverside Parque del Río Albarregas to see the Acueducto de los Milagros, the more complete of the town’s two Roman aqueducts, which once brought water from Lake Proserpina 5km (3 mi.) away (see above). From the aqueducts, water was fed into two artificially created lakes, Cornalvo and Proserpina.  A dozen or so complete arches still stand, 25m (82 ft.) tall, each topped with nesting storks for much of the year.

Further east, you’ll reach the three remaining columns of the Acueducto de San Lázaro, jammed up against a modern house. The lengthy aqueduct here is a 16^th-century rebuild of the original Roman construction.

Nearby is the Circus Maximus, more than 400m (1,300 ft.) long, which could hold up to 30,000 spectators for chariot races. There’s not much left of the original structure, but there is a small visitor center and viewing platform that help recreate Ben-Hur in the imagination.

Back in the town center, the solid, unadorned Arco Trajano (Trajan’s Arch) was once the entrance to the Roman forum. An unadorned triumphal arch, it measures 15m (48 ft.) high and 9m (30 ft.) across. It is still a popular gathering place for an evening drink.

The Roman bridge over the Guadiana was the longest in Roman Spain -- about half a mile -- and consisted of 64 arches. It was constructed of granite under Trajan or Augustus, and then restored by the Visigoths in 686. Philip II ordered further refurbishment in 1610, and work was also done in the 19th century. The bridge crosses the river south of the center of Old Mérida, its length increased because of the way it spans two forks of the river, including an island in midstream. In 1993, it was restored yet again and turned into a pedestrian walkway. A semicircular suspension bridge was built to carry the heavy auto traffic and save the Roman bridge for future generations. Before the restoration and change, this span served as a main access road into Mérida, enduring the evolution of transportation from hooves and feet to trucks and automobiles.

Another sight of interest is the old hippodrome, or Circus Maximus, which could seat about 30,000 spectators for chariot races. The original Roman masonry was carted off for use in other buildings, and today the site looks more like a parking lot, though excavations have uncovered rooms that may have housed gladiators. The former circus is at the end of Avenida Extremadura on the northeastern outskirts of Old Town, about .8km (1/2 mile) north of the Roman bridge and a 10-minute walk east of the railway station.

Star Gazing Opportunities In and Near Merida

With such a sparse population, Extremadura enjoys some of Europe’s lowest levels of light pollution. Look up after dark and you'll be astonished at the number of stars visible in the night sky. You’ll also see shooting stars, especially in summer when the Perseid meteor showers are at their height.

Mérida-based Astroturismo por Extremadura (tel. 68-025-89-03) can guide you on a night walk by the river, beneath the arches of the aqueducts, and explain the constellations and their Greek and Roman legends.

 In Monfragüe National Park to the north, the Observatorio Astronómico de Monfragüe (tel. 63-730-11-89 lets you explore the universe through powerful telescopes in a purpose-built dome.

In southern Extremadura, Entre Estrellas y Encinas (tel. 62-978-41-21)—meaning “between stars and oak trees”—offers a range of lodgings with perfect locations and equipment for stellar night views.