In the heart of Extremadura lies Merida, a small city, capital of the autonomous community, filled with some of the best preserved Roman monuments in Europe. The city is famous for having several historic monuments in the center of the city, such as the Theater y Roman Amphitheater the Temple of Diana or the National Museum of Roman Art of Merida.
It is a city that we love and we recommend you to spend at least one day there week-end. Although it is not very big, it has a lot of things to see and, if you are also passionate about history, you will not have time to see it all. If you are just passing through and want to know what are the must-see places in Merida in a day We will tell you about them below. However, we recommend you to have a look at our articles:
What to visit in Merida - Schedules and Prices
When you arrive in the city, you will see that it is difficult to park near the historic center. If you are not overloaded, our recommendation is that you should park by some of the areas that we have marked in the map below with a P in orange.
If you prefer to leave your car in a parking lot, you can do it at the parking José Fernández that usually have good prices through the telpark app.
Once you are located, our recommendation is that you go to a tourist office or to the roman theater to buy the entrance to the monumental complex of Mérida. You will be given a map to guide you and for only 16€ per adult you will have a combined ticket that allows you to visit most of the Roman monuments of the city. This ticket is valid for several days (does not expire), and the reduced price is 8€.
The schedule of most of the monuments is of 9h to 18.30h (winter) or 21h (summer), although there are some that close at noon so ask for information.
If you prefer, you can also buy single tickets here (choosing the option monumental ensemble without guide) or buy them here if you prefer a much more complete guided tour.
You can also hire a free tour in one of the links below. We did it and found it a very interesting complement to a visit on your own.
👀 Tours around Merida!
Free tour of Merida
Mysteries and Legends of Merida Tour
1. Roman Theater and Amphitheater
The visit to the city should begin with one of its most important areas, the Roman Theater and Amphitheater. These Roman ruins of Merida are one of the best known tourist attractions of the city and one of the must-see places to visit.
The tour can last around one and a half hours (depending on how much you stop to take pictures and enjoy the surroundings) and if you can do it on a sunny day because the views are spectacular. Both ruins are two impressive examples of Roman architecture, and worth a visitwhether you are interested in history or not.
The Roman Theater is considered the largest Roman theater in Spain and was inaugurated in the years 15-16 B.C. It originally had capacity for 6000 spectators who were distributed in the stands according to their social rank. You can access from the corridors that give access to the stands and sit as if you were a spectator who is going to enjoy the theater. In fact, nowadays shows and plays are still performed in the place, so check if your visit coincides with one of them because it is a unique experience.
As for the Roman Amphitheater one of the largest amphitheaters in the world with capacity for 15,000 spectators, was inaugurated in 8 BC. The Romans used to go there to watch gladiatorial combats and fights between wild animals. In some of the entrances there are posters with photos that recreate the gladiators and a very interesting explanation of their clothing and origins.
National Museum of Roman Art
The National Museum of Roman Art in Mérida The museum houses one of the largest collections of mosaics and sculptures of the Roman Empire. You can also see Roman artifacts found in nearby excavations.
The museum is located in a building right next to the entrance to the Roman theater and amphitheater. The building has been renovated and expanded to house the collection, which includes, for example, the mosaics of Dionysus, one of the best preserved of the Roman Empire. The sculptures Roman artifacts are also very impressive, and there are a wide variety of artifacts, ranging from jewelry a coins. The museum is a must-see in Merida and well worth a visit.
🏛 Visit the museum for free!
The entrance to the museum is usually quite cheap but thanks to a campaign of the city council, some days it is free!
Temple of Diana
The temple of Diana is a Roman temple of worship built in the first century AD. It is composed of 16 columns and is reminiscent of a temple of the old Greece. It is believed that it was part of a large square and was surrounded by buildings according to the remains found.
It is a very curious temple as it has been reused and restored over the years. In the background you can see the Palacio del Conde los Cobros The 16th century, which is fully integrated with the temple, has contributed to the preservation of the temple.
Both the outside and inside areas of the tempo can be visited with the pass that we have mentioned above and it is a very popular place to take pictures or even eat in the surroundings, where you will find several restaurants famous people of the city. The inside of the center closes at 3 pm, so keep this in mind in your planning if you want to enter.
If you are going to spend a few days in the area, don't miss our article on the best places to visit in the area. breakfast in Merida!
4. Roman Circus
Somewhat further away from the center of Mérida, the Roman Circus is one of the best Roman ruins that you can visit in Spain. It is one of the few Roman circuses of which the entire plant is preserved and we recommend you to come and see it, it is spectacular!
Built in the first century A.D., the circus was an amphitheater where the following events were held chariot races. With a length of almost 600 meters, the Roman Circus is one of the largest Roman ruins that can be visited in Merida. It had capacity for 30,000 spectators so you can imagine its magnitude.
The best views of the area can be enjoyed from the terrace of the interpretation center located right at the entrance, so it is definitely worth the climb up there.
5. Roman Bridge of Merida and the Aqueduct of Miracles.
After visiting the circus you can go to the aqueduct of the Miracles, located very close. It was built in the first century A.D. and is another example of Roman engineering. It is composed of a multitude of bows that rise above a gorge and reach a height of almost thirty meters.
Closer to the Alcazaba of Merida, on the other hand, is located the Roman Bridge of Merida. Another of the most photographed monuments of the capital. It is a granite bridge built by the Romans more than two thousand years ago. Both monuments are witnesses of Mérida's Roman past and are a must-see for any visitor.
6. Alcazaba
The alcazaba of Mérida is an ancient army headquarters located near the park that surrounds the Guadalquivir River from where you can see the famous Roman granite bridge. It is a fort built by the Muslims in the ninth century, which has numerous towers and a courtyard. Today, the alcazaba is used as a museum and park, and is a perfect place for a pleasant walk.
It is possible to climb to the walls to contemplate the Roman bridge, and to visit its cistern which was one of our favorite parts (we saw bats inside!). At the top, there are numerous remains found, such as the cannonballs in the photo below.
7. House of the Mithraeum and Columbariums
Located right next to the bullring of Merida is the House of the Mithraeum and the Columbariums. This set of archaeological remains is not as well known as the rest but the truth is that worth a visit. It is an ancient Roman house of great size located on the outskirts of the city.
In it you can see the different elements of the houses of important people of the time: 3 courtyards, vivid decoration on the walls, subway rooms for summer (where it was cooler), and some of the most curious mosaics of the city. Very famous is its cosmological mosaic The world and the forces of nature are represented as the origin of the world and the forces of nature.
After visiting the Casa del Mitreo and imagining what life would have been like in the old days, you will have to walk a short distance from the walkways shown in the photo to the Columbariums, a Roman burial area. There are different remains of tombs and tombstones and several posters explaining the funerary customs of the time. There are also two mausoleums which house the remains of two families: the Voconios and the Julios.
Undoubtedly, this was one of the visits that we had less expectations and we liked it a lot. Although it is a little further away from the rest of the monuments we recommend you to go there if you have time. If you don't have time but you still want to see what a house of that time was like, the Amphitheater House which we tell you about below, is closer to the Roman Theater and Amphitheater.
8. Crypt of the Basilica of Santa Eulalia
The entrance to the crypt of the basilica of Santa Eulalia is included in the entrance to the monumental complex of Merida that we told you at the beginning, but not the entrance to the basilica itself.
The basilica has undergone various alterations and renovations over the years, which led to the discovery in the 1990s of the impressive subway enclosure that makes up the crypt.
First, you access an interpretation center from which you can descend to the crypt, and from there you can access the interior of the church (taking into account that you will have to pay an extra). We did not go up because we were a little short of time.
All in all, we found the crypt a very curious place to visit. Inside is the tomb of Santa Eulalia as well as various Roman and Visigoth remains (we saw a bone!).
In the photo you can see how the pillars of the church were excavated and the remains were found underneath, and the openings between the church and the crypt are now open.
9. Amphitheater House
The amphitheater house is a set of remains from the ancient Roman houses found in Merida. Here we can find remains of all kinds: of two houses, remains of walls, some of the remains of the hot springs or beautiful courtyards with mosaics.
We really liked the "grape harvest mosaic"The picture shows the geometric motifs as well as elements of nature, three men treading grapes and birds.
Also located in the house of the amphitheater is the "fish mosaic"The mosaic, one of the largest and best preserved, depicts a multitude of marine animals.
It should be noted that the house is not fully excavated, so there are still many things to discover! Surely on a later visit we will discover new and impressive Roman remains.
What to see in Mérida in one day for free
If you want to save some money on your visit to Mérida, we recommend you a selection of places you can visit free of charge:
- Aqueduct of the Miracles
- San Lazaro Aqueduct
- Temple of Diana
- Trajan's Arch
- National Museum of Roman Art (Free of charge until the beginning of 2023)
- Roman Bridge of Merida
- Forum Portico
- Dike next to the Alcazaba
- Temple of imperial worship
- Monumental fountain
- Bridge over the Albarregas River
- Wall - Albarrana Tower
- Thermal baths next to the national museum of roman art
- Reyes Huertas Archaeological Ensemble
- Xenodochium
- Building associated with the circus
- Cornalvo Aqueduct
- Tajamar
A good recommendation is to hire a free tour that will take you through most of these sites and explain in a fun way the history of each one. this free tour and the truth is that we loved it. We hope you have a great time in Merida.
Map to visit Mérida
👇 You may also be interested in:If you want to read other articles ideal for your trip that complement What to see in Merida in one day you can visit our posts about Merida.
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