Old Town of Cuenca, Spain

The old town of Cuenca is one of the most spectacularly sited historic cities in Spain — a medieval fortress town perched high on a rocky spur between the deep gorges of the Júcar and Huécar rivers, in the mountains of Castilla-La Mancha. Founded as a stronghold by the Moors and taken by the Castilians in the 12th century, it grew into a royal town and bishopric, and its remarkably well-preserved medieval fabric, dramatically adapted to the cliffs, led UNESCO to list the historic walled town in 1996. Tall houses rise straight from the edge of the ravines, and steep, winding streets climb to the old upper town.

What to See

The town’s unmistakable emblem is the Casas Colgadas, the “Hanging Houses” — a row of medieval houses with wooden balconies that project out over the sheer drop of the Huécar gorge, seemingly clinging to the very edge of the cliff; one of them houses the excellent Museum of Spanish Abstract Art. From the footbridge (the Puente de San Pablo) strung across the gorge there is a heart-stopping view of the houses against the rock. In the upper town, the Plaza Mayor is framed by the Cathedral of Cuenca, one of the first Gothic cathedrals in Spain, and lined with cafés, while narrow lanes lead up to the castle quarter and viewpoints over both river valleys. The interplay of coloured houses, cliffs and gorges makes the whole town a photographer’s dream.

How to Get There and Practical Information

Cuenca lies in the mountains of Castilla-La Mancha, roughly midway between Madrid and Valencia, and is very easy to reach: high-speed AVE trains from Madrid take under an hour to the Fernando Zóbel station just outside the city, from where buses run up to the old town, while the old town itself sits above the modern lower city. Wandering the streets, squares and viewpoints is free at any time, while the museums and the cathedral charge modest admission. The old town is steep, so wear comfortable shoes, and it is worth staying into the evening, when the Hanging Houses and cliffs are floodlit; the surrounding Serranía de Cuenca also offers beautiful mountain scenery for those with more time.