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The medieval town of Cuenca interest many tourists mainly due to the hanging houses. These 15th century dwellings are built on a protruding rocky outcrop on the edge of a deep ravine. The appearance of the houses makes many wonder how it is possible that the buildings have managed to maintain this shaky balance over the centuries.
The remaining houses can be visited free of charge. These are now the home for a museum of Abstract Art. On the other side of the Huecar river, a former monastery offers a breathtaking view of the medieval town on the rocky plateau and the ravine. The two parts of Cuenca are connected by the narrow San Pablo walkway, which is less suitable for those with a fear of heights.
Yet charming, Cuenca with its approximately 55,000 inhabitants and a UNESCO World Heritage Site has much more to offer visitors. Anyone who wanders around the old center is thrown back in time hundreds of years. The scars of long-term Moorish rule are visible everywhere. The ruins of an old Arab fortress and the remains of a city wall, built for the occupiers as early as the 8th century, bear witness to the hundreds of years that the local population has been groaning under the yoke of the Moors.
An important attraction of a later date is the cathedral, which was built in the 12th century. This place of worship is known as the first to be built in Gothic style in Spain. Anyone who wants to relax after wandering through the old center would do well to settle down on one of the many terraces on the Plaza Mayor.
Another special attraction is the 'Enchanted City', which is located 26 kilometers from Cuenca. In the Serrania de Cuenca Natural Park, a remarkable landscape has been modeled over the centuries by the Jucar River. Erosion has gradually removed softer layers of the soil. This is how rock formations have emerged, which have irregular shapes. Whimsical enough to let your imagination run wild and to see recognisable shapes in the rocks. Anyone walking around in this remarkable area has to decide for themselves whether nicknames like the turtle, the bridge, the hippopotamus and the mushroom are appropriate or not.
The 'Enchanted City' has lured several filmmakers ('Conan the Barbarian' and James Bond's 'The world is not enough') to the area for shooting.
