Things To Do in Cuenca

The new city that spreads out at the base of Cuenca is lively, but it’s of limited interest to sightseers. Plan to stay up the hill in the old city and take plenty of time to stand and stare—Cuenca itself is the star. Plaza Mayor is the social center of the old town, flanked by the Baroque arch of the city hall on one side and the cathedral on the other. A palette of pastel and earth colors on the tall house fronts provides a lovely backdrop to the outdoor cafes.

All the main sights are close at hand. Just west of Plaza Mayor, the Mirador de San Miguel overlooks the green hillsides of the Júcar valley. Climb (or take bus L2) along Calle San Pedro past the gate of Arco de Bezudo for wonderful vistas across the craggy gorge. East of Plaza Mayor is the dramatic Puente de San Pablo, an iron and wood footbridge that spans the 60m-deep (200-ft.) Huécar gorge between the old city and the parador. Unless you’re prone to vertigo, cross the bridge for exhilarating views of Cuenca’s casas colgadas (hanging houses, one is pictured at the top of the page). The A footbridge is suspended over a 60m (197-ft.) drop.

Speaking of the hanging houses, these extraordinary structures were built into the sheer rock, and date back some 600 years. They were originally constructed as private residences for wealthy Cuencan families—you can still see a noble crest, attributed to the 15th-century clergyman Obispo Valero, on one façade. A panorama of the city painted in 1565 shows that there were once many more of them, but most were demolished in the early 20th  century. The best preserved and most celebrated examples are on Calle Canónigos, perched high above the Huécar gorge.

Over the centuries they have undergone many changes, adding features such as the cantilevered wooden balconies that jut out dramatically. In the 1960s, the abstract artist and art patron Fernando Zóbel was looking for a suitable site to house his collection. He leased them from the city, had them restored by local architects, and launched the next chapter in their history. Two of them form the Museo de Arte Abstracto Español while the third has been transformed into a fine dining restaurant.

Cuenca's streets are narrow and steep, often cobbled, and even the most athletic visitor will tire quickly. But you shouldn't miss it, even if you have to stop and rest periodically.