72 Hours in Mérida, Spain — May 6 - 9

Roman Holiday?

By Laurel

 

Upon arrival from Cordoba, in Merida we stepped off the train and stepped back 2,000 years into the past!  The extensive Roman ruins and world class museum here had been recommended to us by friends who had passed through Merida while walking the Via de la Plata.

We knew very little about this small city of 60,000.  We soon learned that Augusta Emeritas was founded by Caesar Augustus in 25 B.C. as the capital of the province of Lusitania, at the western side of the Iberian peninsula.  Befitting a major location in the Roman Empire, they endowed the city with many public buildings such as a theater for stage performances, an amphitheater (like the coliseum, but smaller) for gladiator fights, a circus for chariot races, a forum for public meetings, aqueducts, baths, temples, as well as ‘paved’ roads and a long bridge over the Guadiana River.  This bridge was the second-longest constructed in the Empire and is, in 2025, the longest surviving Roman bridge. Today, these structures altogether are the most impressive Roman ruins in Spain and very accessible, as one may walk from one site to another close by amongst the modern buildings of Merida.  Outdoor concerts are even hosted in the ancient theatre (however, none were scheduled during our visit).

After the Romans, Merida was ruled by the Visigoths (a Germanic tribe) and then by the Moors (Muslims from North Africa).  During the Muslim period, the fortress at the city entrance was expanded, the stone walls heightened, and it came to be known as the Alcazaba.  The walls are still quite intact and this site was another interesting place.

Sitting on the Alsa bus heading to Salamanca with Mérida fading from view, I thought of how fortunate we were to have included it in our itinerary.

Roman Amphitheater

Teatro Romano de Merida

Roman Circus

Acueducto de los Milagros

Arch of Trajan

Temple of Diana

Entrance to the Roman Forum (left)

Via de la Plata Roman Road and part of the Camino de Santiago (right)

Casa del Mitreo

Alcazaba

Museo Nacional de Arte Romano

72 Hours in Córdoba, Spain — May 3 - 6 (Part 2)

Flamenco Night in Córdoba 

By Jim

After our tour of the Mezquita, our guide, Saray, took us on a walk through the historic Jewish section of Córdoba. The tour was short but informative. We had one more activity on our agenda for the day: a flamenco performance in the ancient Arabian baths. 

The venue was intimate, with an audience of fewer than two dozen. Many of the guests had supper, but Laurel and I opted for just a glass of wine. The artists burst into the stone cellar in full performance mode and captivated us for the full hour.

Our visit to the mosque had given us an appetite for Arabian food, so we sought out an Egyptian restaurant and dined on delicious hummus, okra, beef, and pita. It was a late night for us, and the illuminated monuments looked beautiful, beckoning me to take more photographs.

Interesting keyholes from the historical Jewish section of Córdoba 

The Flamenco performance was in an ancient Arabian cellar bath

An Egyptian supper: tea, hummus with beef, okra and pita

La Fiesta de los Patios de Cordoba

By Laurel

Was I in luck!!  The annual festival celebrating the flowered patios of Cordoba was beginning on our last day in the city.  Residents open their private courtyards for flower-lovers (and their husbands) to visit the cool, green, and colourful oases that they have created and meticulously tended.  The courtyards (patios) are a traditional housing design which provide light and ventilation to more of the rooms, well suited to the climate of Cordoba and listed by UNESCO as an “Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”

Our grandchildren would love this unique courtyard — all the flowers were made with Lego!

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

By Jim

Yesterday was Monday, and all of the monuments and museums were closed. Since our train did not leave until 10:30 this morning, we were able to get tickets to tour the Alcazar at 8:15. Bonus! This was a storied residence of Spanish Kings and Queens, and is where Ferdinand and Isabella commissioned Columbus to find a route to India in 1486. (We know how that turned out!)  It also served as the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition during the 16th and 17th centuries.  The garden is famous for its pools and fountains, but as we found out, the largest and most impressive of them were drained for maintenance. Oh well, Mérida we roll along!

Statues of King Ferdinand III, founder of the Cathedral of Córdoba and of Columbus receiving his commission from King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella