On my way back from Valencia to Madrid, I stopped by Cuenca. Although small, it is a beautiful city that is worth seeing. If you have limited time, this city can definitely be a day trip as well. It is about 3 hours by train and 2 hours by car from Madrid. Pictured below is its Plaza Mayor which has colorful houses that are very picturesque.
The most famous tourist attraction in Cuenca are its hanging houses or "casas colgadas." Although its origin is unknown, it is still very cool to see. There used to be many hanging above and along the Júcar and Huécar rivers, but now these three houses are the only ones left. You can see that the government is trying to preserve them as they are fairly old. The best view of these houses are from the Puente de San Pablo. When I went there was construction from the hanging houses to the bridge. I recommend walking up the Subida a San Pablo to walk across the bridge. This red bridge is somewhere out of a fairy tale. Because it is away from the rest of the city and in the middle of all the nature, you are able to be one with earth. From this bridge, you will get to take in the combination of architecture and nature from a 360 degree point of view. Across from the bridge, you can see the Parador de Cuenca (third picture).
My favorite part of this whole day trip was walking up to the Mirador Barrio del Castillo. This places gives you a view of the entire city and you can see the Puente de San Pablo as well. This walk is about 15 minutes from Plaza Mayor and although uphill, it is a very easy walk. Mostly because there are ruins and landmarks you'll see on the way up. Some historical landmarks I saw walking up were the Portada Antiguo Colegio de los Jesuitas, Muralla y Arco de Bezudo and Ruinas del Castillo de Cuenca. I even stumbled upon a beautiful archway that have a breathtaking view of mountains (first picture).
When you get to the Mirador Barrio del Castillo, you will know because along the walk up, you'll see a strip of restaurants. I stopped by one of the first restaurants I saw on the strip and had their menu del dia. For a starter I had- Salmoreja Cordobes (first picture), entre- Lagarto al brasa (second picture), and for dessert-cheesecake with blueberry toppings (third picture) for dessert. It also came with 1/2 jar of vino tinto (red wine) as a beverage.
This landscape is something I would have in my dream. If you have more time or want to stay in Cuenca overnight, you can take a hike through this trail. I love to hike but due to time constraints I couldn't take the trail. With the scenery I am sure the hike will be nothing but jaw dropping. Coming back down from the Mirador, I spent some time in Plaza Mayor buying souvenirs and got to see the Catedral de Cuenca (first photo) which is also a gorgeous structure. With about two hours to spare until by train to Madrid, I stopped by the Torre de Mangana (second photo). There is nothing major in this area but it was cool to see.
Cuenca is such an underrated city and if you want a place to explore for a couple hours (I only spent six hours here) or for a day, stop by here. The landscape and nature gives off a different vibe. If you're feeling stressed or in need of a small city to relax, walk around and feel at peace with yourself, this is the city to go. This was actually my favorite city in Spain to visit because of how quaint it is.
What is your favorite city in Spain? Did you enjoy going to Cuenca? What did I miss, let me know below!