Santiponce / Itálica
Via de la Plata
Italica deserves a half-day even if Roman ruins aren't normally your thing. Founded in 206 BC, this was the first Roman settlement in Hispania and the birthplace of emperors Trajan and Hadrian.
Before you reach the ruins, the Monasterio de San Isidoro del Campo is at the southern end of town. It's free, but they only open the doors on the hour — time your arrival. Continue north along the main road to the Teatro Romano, then to the Anfiteatro. The amphitheatre held 25,000 spectators and is one of the largest in the empire. Fans of Game of Thrones will recognize it as the Dragonpit from Season 8.
The mosaic floors in the excavated houses are remarkably well preserved — the Casa de los Pajaros and Casa del Planetario are highlights. Much of what was portable has been moved to the Museo Arqueologico de Sevilla for safekeeping.
Italica was founded by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus to settle Roman veterans wounded in the Battle of Ilipa during the Second Punic War. It grew into one of the great cities of Roman Hispania. Trajan, born here in 53 AD, became the first emperor from a province rather than Rome itself. His adopted son and successor Hadrian — of wall fame — was also from Italica.
The camino leaves Santiponce along the same road that it came in on. Shortly after passing the archaeological site of Itálica it once again does a little dance around the highway on-ramps. Here, keep on this road to pass under the highway. Immediately after the last ramp (the northbound one), the camino splits but the split is not really marked.
The official route, at times flooded, leaves the road to follow a path on your left. This is the preferred route when it is passable and it is a straight path towards Guillena.
The alternate route adds about 5km to the camino but may be the only option after heavy rains. The start of it is not marked and you need only to continue along the road where the official route leaves it. Keep to the left side of the road and mind the traffic. The camino gets to the edge of a large town called La Algaba but doesn’t actually enter it. Instead, it skirts around the town to the left and you soon have the option to walk along a dirt path adjacent to the road.... or along the road if needed. Keep an eye open for the signs, and arrows, which will eventually lead you away from the road (left) along a dirt road. This path is well marked and used by service trucks for the local industry. It passes through citrus groves and the occasional cotton field before rejoining a different road to enter the village of Torre de la Reina.
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