Planning a trip to Cuenca

A dozen high-speed AVE trains leave Madrid’s Atocha and Chamartín stations daily, arriving an hour later at Cuenca’s Estación Fernando Zóbel. The one-way fare is 30€–40€. You can get cheaper Avlo tickets from around 20€ if you’re willing to travel early. For information, visit renfe.com or call 91-232-03-20. Note that Cuenca’s train station is located well outside the city. A Line 1 bus will take you the rest of the way, winding uphill to the old town. You’ll need change to pay the 2.15€ fare.

There are six buses a day from Madrid’s Estación Sur. The one-way fare is 20€ and the trip takes about 2.5  hours, arriving at the bus station on Calle Fermín Caballero, 20. For schedules, visit avanzabus.com or call 91-272-28-32. From the bus station, L1 or L2 local bus will take you up to the old town, costing 1.20€.

By car from Madrid, take the A-3 to Tarancón, then the A-40, which leads directly into Cuenca. As you climb the hill toward the old town, you’ll find public parking at Aparcamiento de Mangana, Calle Alfonso VIII (mangana.parkings.info; 16€) with an elevator to take you to the top, or free parking at Parking Castillo, Calle Larga, at the top of the town next to the castle.

The tourist office at Plaza Mayor, 1 (tel. 96-924-10-51), is open Monday to Saturday  10am to 2pm and 4 to 7pm (until 8pm in summer), Sunday 9am to 3pm. Pick up a useful map.