Hi
Just wondering where the best roman ruins are in Spain and how near they are to major cities etc
Thanks

The BEST evidence of the Romans in Spain can't be called a "ruin" at all--it's the aqueduct in Segovia! It's still standing, looking much like it probably did 2000 years ago.

If you go to see it, walk up the street that runs parallel to it, to the point where the arches are very close to the ground. You can compose a great "look at me holding up the aqueduct" picture there!

The other place to go would be Merida, where you can visit some more "ruined" ruins!

Another place would be Italica about 5kms or so from Sevilla. It is also the birthplace of two roman emperors. I believe it was Trajano and Hadriano if i'm not mistaken.

On the Costa Brava, not too far from Barcelona, Empuries is one of a cluster of first Greek (6th Century, B.C.) then Roman (3rd Century, B.C.) cities. Much archeological work has been done (and continues) in that area. It's an area where one could get lost for days (i.e., not just a casual thing). Baedeker's Costa Brava guide devotes 3 or 4 pages to that area. It's also a nice beach resort.

You'll also find ruins and a museum in Tarragona. It's worth a visit if you're in the area.

Another fabulous spot for Roman ruins is Merida; they've done extensive work at this site which includes an outdoor theater--it's very impressive.

Thanks everyone thats a great help!

You may find roman ruins (by the way also greek, phenician, cartago, arab and visigothic) almost everywhere in Spain.

Most of the names of historical cities come from the phenician/roman/greek/arab equivalents

Cartago Nova=Cartagena
Emerita Augusta=Mérida
Mirobriga=Ciudad Rodrigo
Gadir=Cadiz
etc

In the Madrid's sierra you may find a more or less well conserved roman calzada (via), which passes exactly between the borders of Madrid, Avila and Segovia.

These romans had curious hobbies...

Fernando

I will add that you may find a better conserved roman road at Puerto del Pico (Pico mountain pass) in the province of Avila. The road comes along the valley to the south of the pass, parallel to the modern road and climbs up to the pass, then it dissappear there. But it's quite well conserved. Anyway it deserves a brief stop only if you are around that area (going to Sierra de Gredos, for example).

Also, probably the nearest to Madrid roman ruins are those at Segobriga, about 150km by A3 highway to Valencia in the province of Cuenca. Rest of a theater and some other constructions, but seems that not everything has been discovered yet. The things of importance found there are conserved at the museum at Cuenca.

Despite there was an important roman town Complutum, nowadays Alcala de Henares, seems that there's nothing left to see there.

I agree that Merida shows the most important ruins in spain, also holds a famous museum about roman era.

The ruins at Tarragona, Cartegena and Sagunto were a bit dissapointing, are a set of disperse rest along the city. Tarragona seems that have a bit more to offer than the others.

Despite the roman past of many cities in spain, that doesn't mean that they have rest left to show. Zaragoza = Caesaragusta was important and there are a few stones showed under the Pilar square and nothing else. The same happens with Valencia (a few stones in a land-lot in the center).

From my opinion the best are:
1-Merida
2-Ampurias
3-Italica
4-Tarragona
5-Segobriga
6-Cartagena
7-Sagunto

In Alcala you can visit a Roman villa just outside town. ask at the tourist office, I think they run free a bus. I'll just add one more spot. It's the ruined city of Claudio Baelum, in Bolonia, just off the road from Tarifa to Cadiz. It's right on the beach too, which is handy, though windy as well.