Free walking tours in Cuenca and what to see

Must-sees

The Hanging Houses are the image of Cuenca, leaning out over the Huécar gorge. One of them houses the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art. To see them head-on, cross the San Pablo bridge, made of iron and high above the river. On the other side is the old convent of San Pablo, now a parador.

The old town, a World Heritage Site, sits on top of a hill between the gorges of the Júcar and the Huécar. On the Plaza Mayor stands the cathedral, one of the first Gothic cathedrals in Castile. Walk up Calle Alfonso VIII, with its colourful houses, to the Castillo quarter and its viewpoint. The Mangana tower and the walk along the Júcar gorge are also worth it.

Free tours and guided visits

Free tours cover the old town from bottom to top: Calle Alfonso VIII, the Plaza Mayor, the outside of the cathedral, the Mangana tower, the Hanging Houses and the San Pablo bridge. They tell the city’s story from its conquest by Alfonso VIII and the legends of its streets. There are also night-time routes. Among the paid visits, a guided tour of the cathedral is worth it. The most popular trip is the Ciudad Encantada, with curiously shaped rocks, about thirty kilometres away. Another option is the source of the Cuervo river.

How long to spend

A full day is enough for the old town, the Hanging Houses and a museum. Two is ideal: the second for the Ciudad Encantada in the morning and the gorge walk in the afternoon. The old town is steep, so wear comfortable shoes. From Madrid, the high-speed train takes less than an hour, although the station is outside the city.

Where to stay

Sleeping in the old town lets you see the streets at night, with the gorges lit up and no groups. There are few hotels, some rural houses and apartments, and getting there by car is difficult. The lower, modern town around Calle Carretería has more choice and easier parking. From there you walk up or take the city bus. The parador, facing the Hanging Houses, is another option.