© ParadoresHotelParador de Mérida
Why we like it: Parador in the Convent of Jesús, from 1725, over the old Roman forum, with a cloister of Roman columns, archaeological garden, pool and sauna.
Duration2 nights in Mérida
From MadridAbout 3 h 45 by car
KilometresAbout 340 via the A-5
Best timeMarch – May · October – November
Getting thereCar via the A-5; Renfe train
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Madrid on Friday at 16:00 and sleep two nights in Mérida. Book the hotel, Saturday's lunch and Sunday's visit to the Golfines de Abajo beforehand.
Friday
- 120:00Arrival and dinner
You arrive in Mérida and have dinner at the Parador restaurant, from 20:30 to 23:00, in a Baroque convent above the forum. Afterwards, a walk to the illuminated Temple of Diana.
Saturday
- 19:00Theatre and amphitheatre
At opening time, before the groups. Buy the combined ticket, €17: it includes the Alcazaba, the Casa del Mitreo, the circus and the rest of the Consorcio's monuments.
- 211:00National Museum of Roman Art
Opposite the theatre, €3; on Saturdays it is free from 14:00. If you would rather have everything explained, swap the morning for the “Mérida al completo” tour from Activa Tours, with guide and tickets.
- 314:00Lunch at Tuétano
Holm-oak embers next to the Alcazaba, with Roman remains under a glass floor. Afterwards, its rooftop looks over the wall.
- 416:30Alcazaba, Roman bridge and aqueduct
The Moorish fortress with its cistern, the bridge over the Guadiana on foot and, in the last light, the pillars of the Milagros Aqueduct.
Sunday
- 110:00Monumental Cáceres
An hour along the A-66. Climb the Torre de Bujaco, enter through the Arco de la Estrella and take the guided visit of the Golfines de Abajo palace, at 11:00 or 12:00, for €3.
- 213:30Lunch and the drive back
Lunch at the Parador de Cáceres restaurant, inside the walls, and set off for Madrid: you arrive around 19:30.
Mérida is about 340 km from Madrid, close to three and three-quarter hours along the A-5 without stops. It is a lot for one day but perfect for a weekend: all of Saturday for Roman Augusta Emerita, a World Heritage Site, and on Sunday, on the way back, a morning in Cáceres, which is an hour away and on the road home via Trujillo.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Where | Who for |
|---|---|---|
| Parador de Mérida | Convento de Jesús, next to the Plaza de España | For sleeping in a Baroque convent above the forum, with a pool and archaeological garden |
| ILUNION Mérida Palace | On the Plaza de España | Five stars with a rooftop pool, triple rooms and pets accepted |
| Nova Roma | Calle Suárez Somonte, 450 m from the theatre | A practical three-star, with parking and close to the station |
How to get there from Madrid?
Take the A-5 to Mérida, passing Navalmoral de la Mata and Trujillo. If you leave on Friday at 16:00, you arrive in time for dinner. On the way back, on Sunday, take the A-66 to Cáceres and from there the A-58 to Trujillo and the A-5 to Madrid: it is about three hours twenty from Cáceres. There is also a Renfe train from Madrid to Mérida, but to do Cáceres on Sunday the car is more convenient.
And with children?
It works very well. In Mérida, under-13s with their family do not pay for the combined ticket and under-18s do not pay for the museum; the amphitheatre and the Roman circus are what they like most. In Cáceres, the Torre de Bujaco and the family visit to the Golfines, free for under-12s. The ILUNION has triple rooms and so does the Nova Roma.
And in summer?
In July and August midday goes above 35 °C. Change the order: theatre first thing, museum in the hot hours and Alcazaba at dusk. In return, the Classical Theatre Festival fills the nights at the Roman theatre.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Mérida, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Mérida
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Park Once and Walk
Mérida sits at the junction of the A-5 and the A-66: 60 km from Badajoz, 70 from Cáceres and 200 from Seville. The monumental complex is covered on foot, so the car is for getting here, leaving it, and coming back for it to visit the Roman circus and the Proserpina reservoir, which are on the outskirts.
70–130 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayNova Roma, with a car…
- Getting aroundPark when you arrive and…
- EatingTuétano, next to the Alcazaba…
- ServicesTourist office next to the…
Where to stay
- Nova Roma, with a car park run by the hotel
- Parador de Mérida, two minutes from the Plaza de España
- ILUNION Mérida Palace, on the same square
Getting around
- Park when you arrive and walk to the theatre, museum, Temple of Diana and Alcazaba
- By car, the Roman circus and the Proserpina reservoir, about 8 km away
Eating
- Tuétano, next to the Alcazaba, Wednesday to Sunday
- Parador restaurant, every day
Services
- Tourist office next to the Roman theatre
By Train and on Foot
Mérida is one of the few cities in Extremadura that works well without a car: there is a Renfe train from Badajoz, Cáceres, Seville and Madrid, and the station is a quarter of an hour's walk from the centre. Once here, everything essential fits into a stroll; only Proserpina calls for a car or taxi.
60–110 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayNova Roma, 800 m from…
- Getting aroundOn foot, from the station…
- EatingTuétano, open for lunch and…
- ServicesTrain station on Calle Cardero
Where to stay
- Nova Roma, 800 m from the station
- ILUNION Mérida Palace, on the Plaza de España
- Parador de Mérida, beside the square
Getting around
- On foot, from the station to the theatre in about 15 minutes
- Guided tour with Activa Tours, tickets included
- Taxi from the ranks at the station and the Plaza de España
Eating
- Tuétano, open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday
- A de Arco, next to the Arch of Trajan
Services
- Train station on Calle Cardero
- Bus station on Avenida de la Libertad
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
© ParadoresHotel
ILUNION Mérida Palace
Why we like it: Five-star hotel on Plaza de España, with a rooftop pool-solarium, family triples, accessible rooms and pets accepted.
Nova Roma Hotel
Why we like it: Three-star city hotel in the historic centre, 450 m from the Roman theatre and 800 m from the station, with parking, 24-hour reception and triples.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Plaza de España | Hotels and restaurants, ten minutes from the theatre | |
| Theatre and museum | Calle José Ramón Mélida, with the ticket office and tourist office | |
| Next to the station | Hotels within walking distance of the train, a quarter of an hour from the centre |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Mérida
Tuétano
What to order: holm-oak grilled meats and the artisan cured meats; if you have time, one of the two tasting menus
A de Arco
What to order: what is in season and the menu of the month from its gastronomic days; ask for a table beside the arch
© ParadoresParador de Mérida Restaurant
What to order: grilled Retinta beef sirloin or lamb caldereta with shepherd's bread omelette; for dessert, repápalos
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
If you can, leave on Friday at midday: that way you can have dinner without rushing and stroll through illuminated Mérida.
We'd skip it
Leaving the Golfines palace for Sunday afternoon: that day there are only morning visits.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Madrid to Mérida?
About three and three-quarter hours by car, some 340 km along the A-5.
Is it worth combining Mérida and Cáceres?
Yes. They are an hour apart and Cáceres is on the way back to Madrid.
Where to sleep in Mérida?
At the Parador, at the ILUNION Mérida Palace on the Plaza de España or at the Nova Roma, near the theatre.
Do I need to book tickets?
In Mérida, no: there is no capacity limit. In Cáceres, it is wise for the Golfines, because the visits are for small groups.