The Roman necropolis on the western edge of Carmona is one of the most extraordinary ancient sites in Spain. Over 900 family tombs, ranging from simple pit graves to elaborate multi-chambered vaults hewn directly into the rock, fan out across an area of about 10 hectares just outside the old city walls. The scale of it — and the quality of preservation — is genuinely remarkable: this is what a wealthy Roman provincial town looked like from the perspective of death.
The most impressive tombs are the Tomb of Servilia, a large colonnaded enclosure that descends through several chambers, and the Tomb of the Elephant, named for a small stone elephant figurine found inside. A small museum on-site displays objects recovered from the excavations: ceramic grave goods, oil lamps, glass vessels, and the odd piece of jewellery. Allow at least 90 minutes and go in the morning before it gets hot. Admission is free; the site closes on Mondays.