WHEN tourist cities in Spain are mentioned, the names of Barcelona and Madrid are among the first to be mentioned, but there is a lot to recommend Cuenca as a place to visit.
Founded by the Moors, Cuenca is set in the mountains of east-central Spain in the Castilla-La Mancha region.
It retains its historic walled town with steep cobbled streets and medieval castle ruins.
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Perched on a limestone spur high above the Jucar and Huecar rivers, it’s most famous for its well-preserved ‘casas colgadas’ or hanging houses.
Cantilevered over the Huecar gorge, they seemingly cling to the cliffs’ edges.
This World Heritage City also has a modern side and is a centre of abstract art- less than two hours drive from Madrid.
It’s worth climbing the hills and winding streets into the centre of this town to enjoy the amazing views.
The Plaza Mayor is recommended with the arcaded Town Hall and the Cathedral, which dates back to the late 12th century.
Behind the cathedral, a street leads to the famous Hanging Houses- the symbol of Cuenca.
Three of them can be visited: Casa de la Sirena (there is a restaurant inside) and the Casas del Rey, home to the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art, with works by famous artists like Tapies, Chillida and Saura.
To get spectacular photos of the hanging houses, you should cross the iron footbridge of Puente de San Pablo.
At the other end is the San Pablo Convent and one of the best places to spend the night in the city, which looks even more stunning at night in the floodlights.
Cuenca will also surprise you with curious places like the ‘skyscraper’ of the San Martín district or the tunnel you can walk through on Calle Alfonso VIII.
If you like museums, there are plenty to visit like the Antonio Saura Foundation, the Antonio Perez Foundation, and the Science Museums.
And if you’re interested in local traditions, the Easter Museum is devoted to the city’s most famous fiesta.
On and around the Plaza Mayor you will find plenty of bars, although other areas also have good restaurants, such as the Castillo district in the upper part of the town- always bustling thanks to its pavement cafés and viewing points over the gorge.
And if you want something different, there are more modern restaurants with signature cuisine, flamenco taverns, and a bar carved out of the ground floor of a palace.
The natural side of the city can be enjoyed most in summer, when you can have a dip in the Hoz de Jucar swimming area.
Another option is walking the Cerro del Socorro route, or if you want to see a really unusual place, you take a 30 kilometre trip to see the eroded rocks of Ciudad Encantada, some of which are shaped like animals or humans.
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