Mérida (Spain)

Mérida is the capital of the Extremadura region in Spain. Founded in 25 BC, Mérida was once the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania. The city of 59,000 people (2018) still has numerous well-preserved Roman ruins, the group of which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.

History
Emerita Augusta was founded as a Roman colony in 25 AD under the order of the emperor Augustus to serve as a retreat the veteran soldiers (emeritus). The city, one of the most important in Roman Hispania, was endowed with all the comforts of a large Roman city and served as capital of the Roman province of Lusitania from its founding and as the capital of the entire Diocese of Hispania during the fourth century. Following invasions by the Visigoths, Mérida remained an important city of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania in the 6th century.

In the 713, the city was conquered by the Umayyad Caliphate, and remained under Muslim rule. The Mozarabic people of the island rebelled repeatedly against the Caliphate authorities in the 9th century and the city began a slow decline. Mérida was seized by Alfonso IX of León in 1230.

Climate
The winters are mild, with minimum temperature rarely below 0 °C (32 °F), and summers are hot with maximum temperatures occasionally exceeding 40 °C (104 °F).

By train
The RENFE station in Mérida is on Calle Cardero. There are four trains from Cáceres (trip time: 1 hr), five trains from Madrid (4½-6 hours, €18.45-27 one-way), one from Seville (3 hr), and seven from Badajoz (1 hr).

By bus
The, is at Ave La Libertad s/n across the bridge (Puente Lusitania) from the central part of town with the following companies:

There are fewer buses to Madrid, but connections to Seville (6-8 busses per day) are much better.

By car
The N-V superhighway passes through Mérida from Madrid or Lisbon.

Roman ruins
Roman ruins in Mérida are a mixture of ticketed and free sites.

At the ticket booth of the sites that require paid entry, there is a combo ticket for €15, which is generally only slightly more expensive than the entry to just one site. With that said, the theater-amphitheater duo site seems to draw the bulk of the crowds, and it may be better to start at a smaller site, which avoids waiting in long lines to buy the combo ticket. You will also be given a map to the sites (both free and paid) around the city. The combo ticket does not include the notable Roman Art Museum across the street from the amphitheater. The Roman Art Museum is only €3.


 * and The star attraction of the Roman sites in Mérida. The theater (used for plays) and amphitheater (used for gladiator fights and spectacles) are next to each other, and both are excellently preserved. During the summer the theater is still used for flamenco and other shows. Ticket required.

Medieval and modern sites
The central Plaza de España has the Mérida Palace Hotel, which is a well-preserved historical building now hosting a 5-star hotel. Additionally, this plaza has the modern art "Palácio de la China", which is a visual riot and not at all Chinese.



Eat
Look for Torta del Casar, served at most restaurants.

Some places also make stuffed red peppers with a variety of fillings like fish, cornmeal, and lamb.

There is a variety of cheese made with paprika, but there are numerous names for it.

Also of note is the local red wine "Ribera del Guadiana".

Sleep

 * Hotel Rambla Emerita A 2 star modern hotel in the town centre.