Western Spain: Roman Ruins and Medieval Walls
This leg of the trip takes us through the less-visited western side of Spain, covering serious ground from the Andalusian coast northward through Extremadura and into Castilla y Leon. We start in the province of Huelva, near the Portuguese border, where the landscape is gentler and greener than the dry east. The Huelva coast is famous as the place where Columbus set sail for the Americas, and the region retains a quiet, unhurried atmosphere that feels worlds away from the tourist-packed Costa del Sol. From here we ride north through vast cork oak forests and rolling dehesa pastureland.
Merida is the undisputed highlight of this stretch. The capital of Extremadura was once Emerita Augusta, one of the most important cities in the entire Roman Empire, and its archaeological heritage is simply staggering. The Roman theatre, still used for performances today, is breathtakingly well-preserved. The amphitheatre next door, the Temple of Diana in the town centre, and the impossibly long Roman bridge over the Guadiana River all speak to the scale and ambition of the Roman presence here. From Merida we continue north to Ciudad Rodrigo, a compact medieval walled town near the Portuguese border. Its honey-coloured stone walls, quiet plazas, and magnificent cathedral make it a perfect overnight stop — a place where you can walk the ramparts at sunset and feel the weight of history beneath your feet.
Route Highlights
- Merida’s extraordinarily preserved Roman theatre, amphitheatre, and Temple of Diana
- Ciudad Rodrigo’s medieval walls and atmospheric old town
- The Huelva coast — where Columbus began his voyage to the Americas
- Cork oak forests and dehesa pastureland of western Extremadura
- The Roman bridge over the Guadiana River at Merida — nearly 800 metres long
Travel Tips
Merida’s Roman sites can be visited with a combined ticket that covers the theatre, amphitheatre, and several other sites — it is excellent value and allows you to spend a full day exploring. The National Museum of Roman Art, designed by Rafael Moneo, is world-class and should not be missed. Ciudad Rodrigo is a wonderful place to spend a night — the Parador inside the medieval castle is atmospheric, or there are simpler guesthouses in the old town. The riding through Extremadura is fast and open, with long straight roads and very little traffic — a nice contrast to the twisting mountain passes of Andalusia.
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