Blog

Days 18-20

Our next stop was a trip across the border to Mérida, Spain in the Extremadura region.  On the way, there were stops at the hilltop fortified town of Evoramonte and its castle founded in 1160, and the World Heritage Town of Elvas which is entirely within a fortified star fort.  The town is also flanked by two smaller star forts.  

Our quest was Mérida and its Roman ruins which rivals most cities in Europe.  The City was founded as Augustus Emeritus in 1 BC.  The Anything you want to see from the Roman era is there:

• amphitheatre (small arena)
• teatro
• roman bridge
• acqueducts
• circus maximum
• sections of original Roman road
• temple of diana
• excavated homes
• mosiacs
• Very fine museum of Roman antiquities

If you go to Mérida…you go to immerse yourself in Roman culture and city planning, however the Plaza de España is a fine center of activity and inspiration for my latest painting study (see Works page or instagram).  Well drenched in the Romans, it’s time to return to the motherland of Portugal.