Roman Theatre of Mérida

Mérida, once Augusta Emerita, capital of Roman Lusitania, has some of the finest Roman ruins in Spain. The highlight is the theatre, built around 15 BC, with its two-storey stage of marble columns, and still used for a classical theatre festival in summer. Next door is the amphitheatre.

A combined ticket covers the theatre and other sites, including the Temple of Diana, the long Roman bridge over the Guadiana, and the Los Milagros aqueduct. The National Museum of Roman Art has superb mosaics.