Before 2019, Spain barely registered on my mental map of Roman history. When I thought "Roman Empire," I pictured the Colosseum, Pompeii, perhaps Hadrian's Wall. Then I visited Mérida—and everything changed.
Walking through the tunnel into that perfectly preserved Roman theatre, I felt the same awe I imagine gladiators experienced entering the arena. This wasn't just impressive; it was world-class. And yet, most people outside Spain had never heard of it. That realization sparked a six-year quest across the Iberian Peninsula.
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| Temple of Diana stood behind a large platform where authorities addressed city citizens. - Mérida |
What we've discovered: Spain preserves some of the Roman Empire's finest monuments outside Italy—theatres that still host performances, aqueducts that defy physics, and entire necropolises you can walk through.
The journey so far: 8 major sites explored in 6 years between 2019 and 2025, with countless more waiting to be discovered.
Why this matters: Roman Hispania wasn't a backwater—it was one of the empire's wealthiest provinces, home to emperors Trajan and Hadrian, and the source of essential exports like olive oil, wine, and garum.
Map Legend
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Aqueduct
Bridge
Roman Bath
Dam
Fishery
Mine
Museum
This guide shares our firsthand experiences at Spain's most remarkable Roman sites. Every location listed here, we've visited personally. Every practical tip comes from our own trial and error. Consider this your starting point for exploring Spain's secret Roman heritage.
Mérida: The Rome of Spain
UNESCO Site Must-SeeIf you visit only one Roman site in Spain, make it Mérida (Emerita Augusta). Founded in 25 BC as a retirement colony for veteran soldiers, this city preserves the most complete Roman complex in the Iberian Peninsula—and arguably the finest outside Italy.
The centerpiece is the Roman Theatre, constructed between 16-15 BC. With its two-story columned backdrop (the scaenae frons) rising dramatically behind the stage, this isn't merely preserved—it's magnificent. The theatre still hosts the International Classical Theatre Festival every summer, meaning performances have continued here, with one long interruption, for over 2,000 years.
Steps away lies the Amphitheatre, built in 8 BC for gladiatorial combat and capable of holding 15,000 spectators. You can walk through the underground passages where fighters and animals waited before their deadly performances.
Don't miss the Temple of Diana, one of the best-preserved Roman temples in Spain. In a fascinating architectural palimpsest, a Renaissance palace was built into the temple structure, incorporating the original columns into a 16th-century nobleman's residence.
Beyond the main archaeological ensemble, Mérida surprises you at every turn: the Los Milagros Aqueduct stretches across the landscape on towering brick arches, the Roman Bridge spans the Guadiana River on foundations nearly 2,100 years old, and the remains of a circus (for chariot racing) hint at the city's former grandeur.
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| Roman Theatre constructed between 16-15 BC had seating for 6,000 spectators.- Mérida |
- Location: Mérida, Extremadura - accessible by train from Madrid (4 hrs) or Seville (3.5 hrs)
- Entry: Combined ticket approximately €16, includes theatre, amphitheatre, and multiple other sites
- Time needed: Minimum 4-5 hours; ideally a full day
- Best time to visit: Spring or fall to avoid extreme heat; summer if you want to catch the theatre festival
- Getting there: Train station is a 10-minute walk from the historic center
- Worth it?: Absolutely essential. This is Spain's premier Roman site.
Where We Stayed & Ate
Stay: Parador de Mérida — A former convent with Roman ruins incorporated into the structure. Staying here means you're sleeping atop 2,000 years of history.
Eat: Parador de Mérida Restaurant — Refined Extremaduran cuisine and seasonal fare in a stunning setting.
Segovia: The Engineering Marvel
UNESCO SiteIf Mérida showcases Roman culture, Segovia demonstrates raw engineering genius. The Aqueduct of Segovia dominates the city's entrance—a towering stone structure that has carried water for nearly 2,000 years without a single drop of mortar.
Built in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD (likely during Trajan's reign), the aqueduct stretches over 15 kilometers from the Frío River to the city, though its most spectacular section rises 28.5 meters high at Plaza del Azoguejo. The structure consists of 167 arches constructed from over 20,000 precisely cut granite blocks.
Here's what makes it extraordinary: no mortar. The entire structure relies on perfect geometry and the force of gravity. Each block was cut to fit so precisely that friction and weight alone hold the aqueduct together. After nearly two millennia of earthquakes, wars, and weather, it's still standing—and was in use until the mid-20th century.
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| The Roman Aqueduct carried water to the city until 1973. - Segovia |
- Location: Plaza del Azoguejo, Segovia (impossible to miss)
- Entry: Free—it's a public monument
- Time needed: 45-60 minutes to explore the base and climb to the mirador viewpoint
- Best time to visit: Early morning for fewer crowds and soft light; winter for dramatic atmosphere
- Getting there: High-speed train from Madrid (30 minutes), then local bus or 20-minute walk to the aqueduct. Book trains in advance—the fast AVE fills up quickly.
- Combine with: Alcázar of Segovia (the inspiration for Disney's castle) and the Gothic cathedral
Food tip: Segovia is famous for cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig). Reserve a table at a restaurant near the aqueduct—dining with a view of this engineering marvel makes the experience even more memorable.
Carmona: The City of the Dead
Hidden GemJust 30 minutes from Seville lies one of the most unusual and atmospheric Roman sites we've encountered: the Carmona Necropolis. While most Roman attractions showcase public grandeur—theatres, temples, triumphal arches—this vast underground cemetery reveals the intimate, personal side of Roman life and death.
Used by wealthy Roman families from the 1st century BC through the 4th century AD, this necropolis contains elaborate family tombs carved directly into the bedrock. You can descend into these underground chambers—most notably the Tomb of the Elephant (named after a small elephant sculpture found inside) and the Tomb of Servilia, which features a columned entrance and detailed funerary niches.
The site preserves various burial practices: some tombs contain niches (columbaria) for cremation urns, while others have underground chambers for inhumation burials. Walking through these spaces, you see evidence of funeral banquets, religious rituals, and the care families took in honoring their dead.
The Amphitheatre
Just outside town, Carmona's Roman Amphitheatre is one of the largest in Hispania, carved directly into a hillside quarry. Unlike free-standing structures like the Colosseum, this amphitheatre used the natural rock formation for seating tiers. While less preserved than Mérida's, you can still walk the oval arena floor and explore the underground passages where gladiators and animals waited.
The site is free to visit and often completely deserted—we had the entire amphitheatre to ourselves on a weekday afternoon.
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| The Amphitheatre is carved into the hill and sits opposite the Necropolis. - Carmona |
- Location: Western edge of Carmona, easily walkable from the town center
- Entry: Free for EU citizens; approximately €1.50 for others
- Time needed: 1.5-2 hours
- Best time to visit: Late afternoon for softer light and fewer visitors (though it's rarely crowded)
- Getting there: 30-minute taxi or drive from Seville; regular buses also connect the cities
- Atmosphere: Quiet, contemplative—you may have the tombs entirely to yourself
Where We Stayed & Ate
Stay: Hotel Alcázar De La Reina — Charming boutique hotel in the historic center
Eat: Tabanco Restaurant (hotel restaurant) — Excellent Andalusian cuisine at reasonable prices
Córdoba: Layers of History
UNESCO SiteCórdoba presents a fascinating palimpsest of civilizations. While the city is most famous for its Mezquita—a mosque-cathedral hybrid that embodies medieval Spain's complex religious history—the Roman foundations run deep.
The Roman Bridge (Puente Romano) spans the Guadalquivir River on foundations laid in the 1st century BC during Augustus's reign. While reconstructed multiple times—most extensively by the Moors in the 8th century—the bridge rests on its original Roman pilings and has served as a vital crossing for over 2,000 years. Walking across it, you're literally following Roman footsteps, even if the stones themselves have been replaced over millennia.
Near the city center stands the Roman Temple, its striking Corinthian columns rising amid modern streets near the Ayuntamiento. Discovered in the 1950s during city expansion work, this 1st-century AD temple gives a glimpse of the monumental architecture that once dominated Roman Corduba. Eleven columns remain standing, and recent archaeological work has revealed more of the temple's foundation.
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| The Roman Bridge was the city's only bridge across the Guadalquivir river for 2,000 years. - Córdoba |
- Location: Bridge is central and unmissable; temple columns at Calle Claudio Marcelo
- Entry: Free for both sites
- Time needed: 30-45 minutes combined
- Best time to visit: Sunset for the bridge; midday for the temple (better light on the columns)
- Combine with: The Mezquita (built atop Roman and Visigothic foundations) and the historic Jewish Quarter
- Getting there: Córdoba is a major rail hub with excellent connections to Madrid, Seville, and Málaga
Where We Stayed & Ate
Stay: AC Hotel Córdoba — Modern comfort near the historic center
Eat: La Chiquita de Quini — Traditional lively Córdoban tavern with excellent tapas
Málaga: The Urban Discovery
City CenterFor centuries, Malagueños walked past the Alcazaba fortress, unaware of what lay beneath their feet. The Roman Theatre of Málaga remained buried and forgotten until 1951, when construction workers accidentally uncovered it. Today, it sits at the foot of the Moorish fortress, creating a perfect visual timeline of Spanish history: Roman ruins at the base, Islamic palace above.
Built in the 1st century BC during Augustus's reign and used until the 3rd century AD, the theatre could seat approximately 1,200 spectators. After the Roman period, it was gradually buried and cannibalized for building materials—you can see Roman columns incorporated into the walls of the Alcazaba above, as Moorish builders recycled stone from the theatre for their fortress.
The site is compact but beautifully presented, with the orchestra, seating area (cavea), and parts of the stage building visible. An adjacent interpretation center explains the theatre's history and excavation.
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| Málaga's Roman Amphitheatre with the Moorish Alcazaba Above. New discoveries are still being made in the city. - Málaga |
- Location: Calle Alcazabilla, right in the city center at the base of the Alcazaba
- Entry: Free
- Time needed: 30-45 minutes
- Best view: The glass viewing platform on street level offers an excellent overview without entering
- Combine with: Alcazaba fortress and Gibralfaro castle for a full day of Málaga history
Where We Stayed & Ate
Stay: AC Hotel Málaga Palacio — Central location with fabulous rooftop and harbor views
Eat: Lo Güeno de Strachan — Inventive tapas and excellent steak in a lively atmosphere
Cádiz: Europe's Ancient Edge
Oldest TheatreCádiz (Roman Gades) claims the title of Western Europe's oldest continuously inhabited city, founded by Phoenicians around 1100 BC. For Rome, it was a crucial Atlantic port and a gateway to the empire's northwestern territories. The city's massive Roman Theatre lay hidden beneath the medieval Barrio del Pópulo for centuries, only rediscovered after a devastating fire in 1980 exposed the ancient stones.
Built in the late 1st century BC (possibly commissioned by Lucius Cornelius Balbus, a Cádiz native who became Rome's first foreign-born consul), this theatre is both the oldest and one of the largest in Roman Spain. With an estimated capacity exceeding 10,000 spectators, it ranks among the largest Roman theatres in the empire—testament to Gades's importance and wealth.
What makes the site particularly fascinating is the architectural layering: medieval buildings are constructed directly atop and into the Roman cavea (seating area). From certain angles, you can see how centuries of habitation buried the theatre, with each generation building upon the ruins of the previous one.
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| Tunnel under the Ancient Theatre, one of the largest ever built by the Romans. - Cádiz |
- Location: Barrio del Pópulo (enter through a small alleyway)
- Cost: Free entry
- Time needed: 30-45 minutes
- Note: Check opening times carefully, as they can be limited (often closed Mondays and midday)
- Getting there: The theatre is in the old town, walkable from most hotels in central Cádiz
Where We Stayed & Ate
Stay: Hotel Playa Victoria - Beach hotel with excellent location and 20 minute walk to the theatre
Eat: Chiringuito El Potito - Typical Spanish restaurant on the sand
Almuñécar: The Industrial Empire
Unique SiteNot all Roman ruins celebrate entertainment, religion, or engineering—some reveal the gritty economics that powered the empire. In Almuñécar, on Andalusia's Costa Tropical, the excavations at Parque El Majuelo expose a massive fish-salting factory where Romans produced garum, the fermented fish sauce that was one of the ancient world's most valuable commodities.
Dating from the 1st to 4th centuries AD, this cetaria (fish-processing facility) consists of multiple large stone vats where fish—primarily mackerel, tuna, and anchovies—were salted and left to ferment in the Mediterranean sun. The resulting sauce, garum, was shipped throughout the empire and commanded prices rivaling fine wines.
The site preserves the industrial infrastructure remarkably well: you can look down into the salting vats, trace the water channels that supplied the facility, and see where workers would have processed tons of fish. It's a fascinating glimpse into the Roman economy's industrial scale—this wasn't subsistence fishing, but mass production for an empire-wide market.
The ruins are set within a beautiful botanical garden featuring tropical plants, creating an unusual juxtaposition of ancient industry and lush greenery. Above the site looms the Castle of San Miguel, built by Moors on Roman foundations.
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| Roman Fishery Salt Vats are the lessor known site. The city also has an Aqueduct and Roman baths. - Almuñécar |
- Location: Parque El Majuelo, right near the beach and town center
- Entry: Free
- Time needed: 45 minutes to an hour
- Best time to visit: Late afternoon when the sun isn't as intense
- Combine with: Castle of San Miguel (climb for panoramic coastal views) and the small archaeological museum
- Bonus: Almuñécar is a working Spanish beach town, not a tourist resort—great for experiencing authentic coastal Andalusia
Where We Stayed & Ate
Stay: Hotel Ibersol Almuñécar Beach & Spa — Comfortable beachfront hotel with good amenities and affordable suites
Eat: Restaurante La Terraza Mesón — Traditional Spanish cuisine with excellent fresh fish and steak
Bonus: The One That Got Away – Seville & Itálica
Next on the List Game of Thrones SiteNo guide to Roman Spain is complete without mentioning Seville, yet somehow, in six years of travel, we still haven't walked the streets of Itálica. Located just 15 minutes outside Seville in the town of Santiponce, this was the first Roman city founded in Hispania and the birthplace of two of Rome's greatest emperors: Trajan and Hadrian.
While we haven't visited yet, the stats alone make it a priority for our next trip. Itálica boasts one of the largest amphitheatres in the entire Roman Empire (seating 25,000 people), which served as the "Dragonpit" in Game of Thrones. Unlike many sites where modern cities were built on top of ruins, the "Nova Urbs" district of Itálica was abandoned, meaning its wide avenues and mosaic-filled houses remain incredibly intact.
Inside Seville proper, we're also planning to visit the Antiquarium, an archaeological museum located underneath the famous "Mushrooms" (Setas de Sevilla), which preserves Roman street levels and houses discovered during the plaza's construction.
- The Plan: We intend to take the M-170 bus from Seville's Plaza de Armas station, which drops you right at the entrance.
- Strategy: Since it's an open-air site with little shade, we are saving this for a winter or early spring trip to avoid the legendary Seville heat.
- Key Target: The Amphitheatre creates a perfect loop for walking, and we want to see the subterranean pits where the beasts were kept.
Planning Your Roman Spain Journey
After six years of exploration, here's what we've learned about experiencing Roman Spain:
If You Only Have a Weekend
Priority: Mérida (full day) + Segovia (half day from Madrid). This combination gives you the best-preserved Roman complex in Spain and the most impressive engineering feat.
For a Week-Long Roman Road Trip
Suggested route: Madrid → Segovia (day trip) → Mérida (overnight) → Carmona (stopover) → Cádiz (overnight) → Málaga/Almuñécar → Córdoba → return to Madrid. This circuit covers diverse site types and includes beautiful non-Roman sights along the way.
Best Times to Visit
- Spring (March-May): Ideal weather, wildflowers, fewer crowds. Our favorite season for ruins.
- Fall (September-November): Still warm but not scorching; harvest season for food lovers.
- Summer (June-August): Hot—especially in interior sites like Mérida. But you can catch Mérida's Classical Theatre Festival.
- Winter (December-February): Fewer tourists, atmospheric light, mild in coastal areas. Segovia under snow is magical.
Practical Considerations
- Transportation: Spain's rail network (Renfe) connects most major Roman sites. Rent a car for flexibility reaching smaller sites like Carmona and Almuñécar.
- Language: English is limited outside major tourist areas. Download Google Translate and learn basic Spanish phrases.
- Opening hours: Many sites close Monday and/or during midday hours (2-5 PM). Always check in advance.
- Combo tickets: Look for combined passes in cities like Mérida—they offer significant savings.
- Guided tours: While not essential, local guides at major sites like Mérida add valuable historical context.
Beyond the Big Eight
Spain holds dozens more Roman sites we haven't yet explored. Tarragona (Roman Tarraco) was Hispania's provincial capital and preserves an amphitheatre, circus, and aqueduct. Lugo in Galicia maintains the world's only completely intact Roman walls. Zaragoza has a river port and theatre. The list goes on.
Every region of Spain seems to hide Roman treasures—from underwater ruins off the Costa Brava to mountain-top fortifications in the north. Our six-year journey has only scratched the surface.
Share Your Roman Spain Discoveries
Have you visited any of these sites? Found Roman ruins we haven't covered? We'd love to hear about your experiences. Drop a comment below or connect with us on social media.
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