Across Spain

mérida, pearl of extremadura

20-12-2011

history and beauty are joined in this emblematic city. agusta emeritus, nowadays known as mérida,  was in past the lusitania capital and residence of rich retirees warriors. today, it is considered, undoubtedly, the oldest capital and the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in spain. discover it! 


monumental sightseeing: capital of extremadura region, in this splendid city the roman legacy is still present in almost every little corner, once there  the visitors will be able to appreciate emblematic buildings like the public library or the great complex of the council, perfectly surrounded by gardens and paths over its two different and beautiful bridges, ancient and modern. other charming monuments are  roman bridge, crossing the river guadiana at its highest navigable point, this bridge is the longest surviving bridge from ancient times and one of the most picturesque,the roman theatre,  located in the archaeological ensemble of mérida is one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in spain, also declared a world heritage site by unesco in 1993 and aqueduct of miracles, the best known of three conductions in mérida, the whole work is a masterwork of engineering; from the dam to the underground conduction, as well as the elevated system of arches, which gives the name to the aqueduct, the temple of diana and the arch of trajan complete this must see.

 
 


 
  wineries: the vineyards and wine production is spread out across all extremadura. it is a culture and an activity that has been developing along centuries to establish itself as one of the most important products of the region. with an only one denomination of origin, the "ribera del guadiana" wine,  covers six sub-areas. in all of them, the wines respect an adequate level of quality, maintaining the characteristics of each area, but also all sharing varieties, forms of cultivation, production and breeding. there are four different main flavours: bite, sweet, salad and sharp, although its combination can cause infinite varieties.  wines from extremadura belong to a category of highly differentiated and consolidated wines, which occupies an important market segment in bottled wines. in addition, its quality and price levels are in an excellent competitive position versus other types of wine, representing an important feature for the marketing of wine production in extremadura. in this region are cultivated two different kinds of grape; in one hand the white grape with varieties like alarije, borba, cayetana blanca, chardonnay, chelva, malvar, viura, parellada, pedro ximénez and verdejo. in the other hand the red grapes like bobal, mazuela, monastrell, tempranillo, garnacha, graciano, merlot, syrah and cabernet sauvignon. thanks to this wide variety of grapes in extremadura are elaborated both white wine and red as rose wine. some of the most remarkable wine cellars are ruiz torres, habla, granada, santa marina and carlos plaza among others.
 

natural parks & birdwatching: not far from this road are the national parks of monfragüe and cornalvo. its main attraction lies in the relatively good state of conservation of its habitats, such as its mediterranean woodland and shrubland, dehesas (a unique ecosystem in the world where is produced by traditional techniques the best iberian pork products) and rivers, as well as its diverse scenery, all making for an area exceptionally rich in birdlife. concretely, the monfragüe park is a world biosphere reserve and a 'special protection area for birds', located in northern cáceres, and has been declared a place of world humanity heritage by unesco for its stunning scope of diverse, natural landscape. differentiate a toed eagle from a golden eagle, observe the flight of black vultures, see endangered species, even discover the nest of a bird of prey ... are some of the  thousand of reasons to plan a getaway to this privileged corner of the province of cáceres. finally, if your visit coincides with the international ornithological tourism fair (fio), which normally is held in the small town of villareal de san carlos before the arrival of spring, will be a pleasant and rewarding experience to see the birds with professional ornithologists and naturalists from all the world.
 

distance from lisbon by motorway: 3hours

distance from madrid by motorway: 3hours 40 minutes