Roman Theatre and Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalup

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Roman Theatre

   The Roman theatre in Mérida is one of the best-preserved in the world, and it still does the job it was built for. It was commissioned around 16 to 15 BC by Marcus Agrippa, Augustus's right-hand man, and the semicircle of stone seats rising up the hillside could hold roughly six thousand spectators. Behind the stage, a tall double colonnade of Corinthian columns was rebuilt in the twentieth century from fallen fragments, and it is the part that most visitors photograph. The curved tiers face south-west, so the evening light turns the stone a deep gold.

   Read the complete Roman Theatre write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Roman Theatre is where the day begins. Next is Old Town of Cáceres.

2. 2. Old Town of Cáceres

   Cáceres has an old town so complete that film crews treat it as a ready-made set, and walking its streets at dusk, when the stone glows amber and the crowds have gone, you can see why. Inside the walls, built largely by the Almohads in the twelfth century, are dozens of fortified mansions, towers, churches and palaces, many built by noble families who made their fortunes in the conquest of the Americas. The towers once had battlements, but Queen Isabella ordered most of them cut down to curb the nobles' power. UNESCO listed the old town in 1986.

   Read the complete Old Town of Cáceres write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Old Town of Cáceres comes up about 75 km into the recorded legs. Next is Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalup.

3. 3. Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalup

   Planning note

   about 212 km into the recorded legs you reach Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalup. Next is back through Old Town of Cáceres.

4. 4. back through Old Town of Cáceres

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Old Town of Cáceres write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Old Town of Cáceres, late in the day. Next is Roman Theatre.

5. 5. Roman Theatre

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Roman Theatre write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Roman Theatre. That is the ride.