On Friday 4th November, some of us went to the most wonderful Roman site at Castulo and then to the City of Linares.
After our breakfast stop, we continued to Castulo, where we watched an explanatory video in the modern Visitor’s Centre and then walked through the site with Elena Sanchez, our Guide from Granada University.
Spa layout with underfloor heating
Looking down on the wonderful mosaic
Mosaic Los Amores and close up
After explanations along the way, we finally arrived at the huge mosaic “Los Amores”. Whilst there, we heard that 2 more mosaics had been found during the Summer of 2017. The site archaeologist was thrilled to see us (after many school children), he took off his shoes, and got down to show us the new mosaics. He explained that the condition was quite poor, as the materials used then had not lasted well. He has an ap on his phone, which he gave to Elena to show us, how the rooms would have looked. This is possible because the colours of the remains of the walls are still in tact –
it was really amazing.
Elena Sanchez explaining details of the Roman site.
Elena explaining more about the new mosaics
Mosaics discovered in Summer 2017
We then adjourned to the Museum in the Town Hall, which is an 18th C building, a former Grain warehouse, then a Prison now reformed as a Cultural centre with exhibits of Bullfighting and Flamenco where we watched a most informative video about Linares. We then adjourned for lunch and re-convened at the Archaeological Museum where Elena talked us through some of the artefacts from the Castulo site.
As a complete contrast, we finished our day’s visits, at the Foundation of Andres Segovia – what an amazing musician who had no formal training to play the guitar. The staff in the Museum were clearly delighted to have so many adults
interested in the man and his music, that we had to curtail the visit to board our bus for the journey back to Nerja.
However, they host annual International Guitar Concerts in November and I will see if we can arrange a visit next November.