Making Choices on Camino: Torremejia to Merida

 "Nature always finds a way to restore balance."

Via de la Plata Stage 9

Choices and Decisions on Camino

We woke at 4 AM to the sounds of pilgrims backing and shuffling out into the dark. Many were anxious about reaching Mérida early, worried that the municipal albergue, said to have only ten beds, would already be full. Others were planning to push beyond the city altogether, daunted by the high cost of accommodations in the popular tourist destination. The result was a steady stream of early risers heading down the trail.

For us, today promised to be a shorter stage, just 16 km from Torremejía to Mérida. That brings us to roughly 200 km from Seville, where we first set out on the Via de la Plata. Mérida is one of the best-known cities on this route, celebrated for its extensive Roman ruins and archaeological treasures. Situated about ten stages from the start of the VDLP, it is a natural place for many pilgrims to pause and rest. Unfortunately, as is often the case in larger towns, lodging comes at a steep price. The least expensive room we could find was 150 Euros a night - a sobering contrast to the more modest pilgrim accommodations in rural Spain that we’ve grown accustomed to.

To Merida on the Via de la Plata

Today's walk was not overly inspiring, but then again, approaches to large cities rarely are.  It did, however, end in a very interesting place, reaffirming our idea that each day on the Camino holds something new, and each day is interesting in its own right. 

The day began around 7:00 AM, when we headed downstairs for breakfast in the hostel's bar.  The same bartender who was on duty last night was still there, serving drinks to the same locals and making breakfast for the pilgrims as well.  We greatly appreciated the toast and café con leche she made for us, and marvelled at her patience in dealing with the boisterous chaos and endless stream of loud requests from local men, who may well have been in the same seats throughout the entire evening.

We set off around 7:30 AM into a warm, overcast morning. The trail led us out of town toward the highway, where we were meant to pick up a gravel track running alongside the road. Along the way, we passed several pilgrims boarding a bus.  Some were nursing injuries, others having announced the night before that they were finished with the Via de la Plata. We wished them well on their future journeys before turning off the pavement and following the path into the nearby fields.

We soon discovered that the rain we've had over the past couple of days had turned the path into thick, sticky red mud that immediately coated our shoes, making them feel heavy and awkward.  It was slow going, too, as the mud was soft and slippery in many unexpected places.  It reminded us of the prairie mud we encountered on the Trans Canada Trail in Saskatchewan, which has earned the nickname 'prairie gumbo.'

Navigating Camino Mud

Despite the difficulties, we stuck to the track for the first few kilometres as we passed a factory and trekked along the edge of olive groves and vineyards.  To one side were the steep rocky slopes of a beautiful hill that poked up out of the plain like the spine of a dinosaur.  To the other side was a beautiful sunrise that sent long fingers of light down through the clouds like spotlights.  Unfortunately, the natural beauty of the hilly landscape was somewhat marred by utility wires running in every direction imaginable.

After a few kilometres, the track began to deteriorate into a river mud.  The result being that at one point, it got so wet we had to climb up a steep embankment to the highway in order to continue, following in the footsteps of a Norwegian pilgrim who was just ahead of us.

A while later, we picked up the path again, only to have to double back through ankle-deep mud in order to cross a set of railway tracks.  Next, we had to again climb back to the road when we came to an impassable stream crossing. It was slow and somewhat frustrating going, but it made us think about how much the trails change over the course of the year.  Tracks that are wet and soggy in spring or winter might be hard as concrete in midsummer?

Highway Walking

Eventually, the Camino arrows moved up onto the highway itself, and we walked the shoulder of the road for several kilometres. Walking only a few feet from fast-moving cars and trucks is never something we particularly enjoy.  In this case, there were a lot of garbage trucks roaring past, because the highway skirted the regional dump, and the sweet, sickly smell of garbage soon filled the air.  There were a lot of buzzards, vultures, and gulls circling around above it, but they did little to enliven the experience.

After a few hairy kilometres, we followed the arrows back across the highway, through a large patch of shattered glass, over a wire fence, and back onto the muddy track.   At one point, we passed the truck stop hotel that was an option for lodging last night.  Continuing on, we were glad for the decision that we had made. 

Things didn't improve much when, a short distance later, we found ourselves walking through a biofuel factory which seemed to convert both animal dung and wood chips into fuel pellets.  The smell was overpowering and quite unpleasant, encouraging us to keep up a lively pace as we followed the track out into the countryside.

Farm Tracks and Fields

After this, the final few kilometres into Merida were on a dirt track across open fields.  This was a relatively pleasant approach to the city, and we tried to take a few minutes to appreciate the peaceful calm of the countryside before diving into the crowds of the city.  It felt like we'd had to come face to face with all the uglier sides of human development today, from waste to electricity towers, to highways and factories, before we had earned the privilege of entering the more pleasant areas.

Our farm track eventually joined with a road that passed a group of communal gardens, then followed a long wall topped with broken glass bottles and a dilapidated complex with dogs and a horse chained up outside. Finally, we walked under a bridge, which amazingly had a home with chickens tucked right under it, and emerged onto a riverside walkway. 

There, sitting across from the wide, brown, slow-moving waters of the Guardiana River, was the modern town of Merida, once the thriving Roman colony of Emerita Augustus.

Merida and the Puente Romano

As we drew closer to Mérida, the approach was less than inspiring. Abandoned properties lined the way, and garbage littered the shoreline, a sharp contrast to the historical treasures the city is known for.

By 11 AM, we were walking into Mérida across the Puente Romano, the great Roman bridge that spans the River Guadiana. At 790 metres long, 12 metres high, and supported by 60 arches, it is considered the longest surviving Roman bridge in the world. Built at the end of the 1st century AD, it remains an awe-inspiring entry point to the city.

Mérida itself is steeped in history. Founded in 25 BC by Augustus under the name Emerita Augusta, it became one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire in Hispania. Today it boasts some of the best-preserved Roman architecture in Europe, from the amphitheatre and circus to the Temple of Diana, the Arch of Trajan, and of course, the bridge we had just crossed. Its museum is renowned, and the entire city has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stepping off the bridge, we passed by the walled Alcazaba, the Moorish fortress that still guards the entrance to town. All around us, the streets thrummed with life.  Police patrolled busy corners, and tourists filled every square. The sheer energy of Mérida was both impressive and overwhelming after the quiet rhythm of the past few days on the trail.

Following a long section of these gorgeous stone walls, we walked into the heart of the modern city.  It was raining again, and we were finding the traffic and crowds of people in the city a little overwhelming.  It was still only 10:45 AM, so we found a café and sat down outside under the covered awning for a café con leche.  

Exploring Emerita Augusta

After this, we dropped off our backpacks at the hotel as it was too early to check in and set out to explore the city in the rain.  

Teatro Romano de Merida

The Teatro Romano de Mérida is perhaps the most spectacular of the city’s archaeological treasures, a perfectly preserved reminder of how art and spectacle once flourished in Augusta Emerita. Built in the late 1st century BC (16-15 BC) under the patronage of consul Vipsanius Agrippa, it could hold around 6,000 spectators who gathered here to enjoy plays, poetry, and political ceremonies.

The structure was later renovated in the 2nd century CE and again in the 4th century CE when a new facade and decorative elements were added.  Apparently, despite its size, it was abandoned after the fall of the Roman Empire and slowly began to fill in with earth, with only the upper tier of seats remaining visible.  As the centuries passed, the visible seats were then referred to as “the Seven Chairs” where, according to local legend, seven Moorish kings decided the fate of Merida. 

The stage is richly decorated with soaring columns and niches that once held statues, creating a backdrop that still radiates grandeur. Around the theatre lie additional ruins, including the remains of an arcade and gardens, which give a sense of the broader cultural complex that once surrounded it.

Walking into the space was breathtaking, and as we stood in the center of the orchestra, gazing up at the towering stage front and the sweep of stone seating, it was easy to imagine the excitement of audiences two thousand years ago. Even today, with the theatre still used for concerts and the famous Mérida Classical Theatre Festival, it feels alive, a place where the echoes of Rome continue to resound.

As we concluded our tour of Merida’s Roman theatre, it began to pour rain.  As such, we stepped into a nearby tourist pub to have a cold beer to get out of the rain.  

Casa del Anfiteatro

Stepping out of the Teatro Romano de Mérida, we wander towards the Roman Circus in town, only to discover the Casa del Antiteatro, a Roman-era villa and archaeological site situated between the two.

Stepping through the gates of the Casa del Anfiteatro was like entering another layer of time - one less concerned with imperial grandeur and more focused on the rhythms of daily life. Centred around a porticoed courtyard with a fountain and garden, the home’s layout suggested a refined blend of luxury and utility.

Mosaics still seem lifelike underfoot, their imagery ranging from marine creatures to grape harvests, to sexuality, to mythological figures like Venus and Cupid, hinting at both leisure and symbolic meaning.

A small private bath complex adjoins the living quarters, and beyond, remnants of an early mausoleum speak to the cycles of life and memory that unfolded within these walls.

Although overshadowed by Mérida’s grander sites, the Casa del Anfiteatro offered something more intimate: a glimpse into how real people once lived in the shadow of  the Roman empire. Recent excavations suggest this may have been more than just a private residence - possibly a place of lodging or semi-public baths catering to visitors coming for spectacles at the nearby amphitheatre.
Walking the raised pathways above the site, we were struck not only by the architecture but also by the layers of time exposed in the earth - Roman mosaics, later burials, and fragments of aqueduct systems that once sustained the city.

It reminded us of the beauty, routine, and meaning of everyday life in Roman Europe.

Afterwards, we walked over to the nearby Roman Circus.  

Roman Circus

The Roman Circus of Mérida, once a grand arena for thrilling chariot races, is one of the city’s most impressive archaeological sites. Built in the 1st century AD and large enough to hold nearly 30,000 spectators, it was modelled on the Circus Maximus in Rome.  It was constructed around 20 BC and located outside the city walls. 

After purchasing our tickets, we were able to explore the attached museum and learn about its structure and influence.

Afterward, we were able to freely walk the huge grounds where the stands and tracks once stood.  Standing here, it’s incredible to imagine the roar of the crowds that once filled its vast 400-meter track. 

We took the opportunity to trace the long spina that once divided the course and picturing the races that made this venue one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the Roman world. 

Ultimately, it was truly amazing to be able to walk and explore such an expansive piece of history, standing in the very space where Roman citizens once gathered for spectacle and excitement.

Acueducto de San Lazaro

As we left the Roman Circus and made our way back toward the historical centre of Mérida, we came across a low-lying aqueduct. We didn’t pause long to explore it, but later learned that this was the Acueducto de San Lázaro. 

Despite its modest height, it is remarkably well preserved, another reminder of the ingenuity and engineering skill of the Roman Empire. Built in the first century to carry water into Emerita Augusta, it was eventually joined by three other aqueducts that together supplied the growing city.

Temple of Diana 

Our next stop was the Temple of Diana, which is one of the city’s most beautiful Roman ruins.  Its tall columns rise impressively above the modern square. Once a sacred site at the heart of Augusta Emerita, it still conveys a sense of grandeur, though to us its atmosphere felt somewhat diminished by the heavy modern restorations that frame it. 

The Temple of Diana in Merida, built in the 1st century, was once one of the main public areas here.  

When we visited, the plaza was overflowing with people for the Festival of Literature, flamenco music echoing through the streets, and the crowd so dense that we could only weave our way through before escaping. It was a striking reminder of how this ancient temple, once dedicated to the divine, now stands at the intersection of history, culture, and the lively rhythm of modern Spanish life.

Portico del Foro

Wandering on, we would next venture past the Portico del Foro, which offers a glimpse at the city’s Roman forum.  Built in the 1st century AD, this grand colonnade of columns and marble decoration framed the civic heart of Augusta Emerita, where temples, statues, and public buildings created a space of authority and ceremony.

What remains today are only a fragment of the larger complex that once existed.  

Nevertheless, the rows of Corinthian columns, broken capitals, and decorative statues still standing in place hint at the splendour of the original forum. 

Above the columns with large carved medallions with the heads of Jupiter-Amon and Medusa.  

As we wandered along the fence line that protects the remains, tucked now between modern streets and apartment blocks, we were struck by how this echo of Rome still quietly shapes the city, a reminder that daily life here has been unfolding for two millennia.

Trajan’s Arch

Wandering and meandering without direction through Merida, we next found, unexpectedly, the Trajanic Arch among the city streets, its weathered granite blocks still forming an impressive gateway more than 15 meters high, seemingly spanning between two modern buildings.

Once faced with marble and marking the entrance to a sacred precinct, it would have framed processions and linked the heart of Roman Augusta Emerita to its temples and civic spaces. 

Today, the arch stands alone, a striking reminder of that grandeur, and as we walked beneath it, we found ourselves imagining the crowds who once passed through on their way to ceremonies and festivals. Though surrounded now by modern shops and traffic, it retains a quiet dignity, a fragment of Rome’s presence woven into the daily rhythm of the city.

Capitoline Wolf

Returning to the riverway that we had crossed to enter Merida, set amid a roundabout was a statue of the Capitoline Wolf.  This monument is of a she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome. 

It is one that we have seen before in Spain; several cities have the same statue as symbols of their Roman heritage, including Merida, Segovia (Camino de Madrid), Leon (Camino Frances) and Lugo (Camino Primitivo).

Moorish Alcazaba of Merida 

Across the street from the monument to the founding of Rome is the Alcazaba of Mérida.  Set on the edge of the Guadiana River beside the historical Roman bridge, the Alcazaba is a striking reminder of the city’s layered history. Built in the 9th century by the Moors, it was the first Muslim fortress of its kind in the Iberian Peninsula, designed to guard the bridge and control access to the city.   

Yet within the Alcazaba are the remains of Roman, Visigoth and Arab cultures within the city of Merida. The archaeological remains of the Roman road, wall foundations and main gate were incorporated into the construction of the Alcazaba.

Within its massive stone walls lie traces of Roman and Visigoth materials reused in its construction, as well as a beautifully preserved cistern that once stored fresh water. 

Walking through its crowd-filled courtyards and climbing the ramparts to look out over the river, we were struck by how different it feels from the Roman ruins we had been exploring. More austere, yet equally evocative, the Alcazaba stands as a sentinel between worlds, its presence still shaping the landscape at Mérida’s edge.

Saying Goodbye to Pilgrims

In Mérida, we found ourselves at a crossroads not only geographically, but also socially. Over drinks, we said goodbye to several familiar faces - pilgrims we had seen regularly since Seville. For them, the Via de la Plata had become too much. The albergues were overcrowded, the costs were higher than expected, and the experience hadn’t been what they hoped for. Many decided to take buses north, heading to the Camino Francés or the Camino Invierno, hoping for a route that would feel more rewarding or, at the very least, more relatable. We chatted, shared a toast, and wished them well on their journeys.

Later that evening, we met up with our New Zealand friends for dinner. Their day had been consumed with trying to replace shoes and socks that had literally rotted after so many days of walking in the wet. Like us, their feet had taken a serious beating, and it was a relief to commiserate over shared struggles with laughter and good food.

Afterward dinner, we walked to the local DIA market and purchased some crisps and a couple of bottles of beer to enjoy as we write our journals and edit pictures in our hotel room.  

The question of the night was whether to stay in Merida for another day of exploration or to walk on with those we knew.  The fact that it has now been twenty days of walking along the Via Augusta and Via de la Plata, we were tired and sore.   It did not take long for our mutual desire for a rest day to make the decision for us.  As such, I walked downstairs to reception and made a new reservation – thankfully at the much lower cost of 75 Euros - for us to stay another night here. 

Merida at Night

As twilight settled, we set out again to experience Mérida by night. The city, so hectic in the heat of the day, seemed to soften as the crowds dispersed and the monuments lit up against the darkening sky. At the Temple of Diana, a flamenco concert was underway, the haunting music echoing off the ancient columns. Around the square, a book fair was set up, showcasing beautiful designs and editions, and the surrounding plaza glowed with the energy of families, couples, and groups of friends enjoying the evening air. 

With it now dark out, we left the Temple of Diana and populated squares of town and wandered back to the iconic Puente Romano on the edge of town to photograph it lit up with its arches reflected in the river. Once here, however, it was not the historic bridge that caught our attention but a number of small owls perched on the ancient stones that Sean spotted and which became our focus!

In addition, we began to see bats as they flitted overhead, drawn to the insects circling the lamps along the bridge.  

As we have often noticed on our travels, historic monuments and old architecture are not only cultural treasures, but also havens for wildlife - urban ecosystems where birds, bats, and creatures of all kinds make their homes.  Very cool!

River Walk

Drawn onward, we tried following the river path toward the aqueduct, but quickly realized it was more of a teenage hangout and place for local toughs than a place for two weary pilgrims at night.

We climbed back up to the main streets and returned to the square, where we ended the evening with a glass of wine, watching the city move around us.

As our day came to an end, it was clear that Mérida is dazzling.  With its Roman legacy shining everywhere, it was a wonder to explore, though in some ways it also felt a little like a “Roman Niagara Falls,” with its past repackaged for modern tourism. Still, what Augustus, Tiberius, Trajan, and Hadrian left behind continues to shape this place profoundly, a living reminder of how an empire leaves its mark.

Tomorrow we’ll take a rest day to explore more slowly, wandering through the statues, museums, and ruins that make Mérida such a landmark on the Via de la Plata.

See you on the Way!