Cuenca: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

The province of Cuenca combines the characteristic La Mancha plain with the Serranía, the most mountainous area of Castilla-La Mancha. This landscape of contrasts extends from wide plains to a mountain world with forests, gorges, unusual rock formations and waterways. Those choosing Cuenca as a destination may wish to rent a holiday apartment.

Cuenca Fernando Zóbel railway station offers high-speed, long-distance and regional connections.

Landscape and Nature

The Serranía de Cuenca Nature Reserve encompasses extensive forests, unusual rock formations, deep gorges and waterways from the mountainous region. As a Natura 2000 protected area, the ZEC-ZEPA Serranía de Cuenca includes the Serranía de Cuenca Nature Reserve and numerous natural monuments.

One of the prominent natural attractions is the Ciudad Encantada. It was declared a Sitio Natural de Interés Nacional in 1929 and consists of rock formations shaped by water, wind and ice.

History and Architecture

The Casas Colgadas were built in the late Middle Ages; most were rebuilt in the 16th century. Another defining structure is the present-day Puente de San Pablo: the iron bridge was inaugurated on 19 April 1903 and is considered an important example of Eiffel-type iron-clad architecture.

Construction of the Catedral de Santa Maria y San Julián began after the city was conquered towards the end of the 12th century; its essential core was built in the 13th century. The originally Gothic cathedral preserves its original rib vaulting as well as a characteristic triforium.

The Convento de San Pablo was built from 1523 onwards as a Dominican monastery, making use of the gorge’s rock structure. Today, the former monastery houses the Espacio Torner, where numerous works by the artist Gustavo Torner, who came from Cuenca, can be seen.

Museums and Collections

Cuenca’s museums are concentrated within a compact, pedestrian-friendly area, allowing visitors to walk between the institutions. The Museo de Cuenca displays archaeological finds from sites throughout the province of Cuenca across three exhibition levels.

The MUCMA Museo de las Ciencias de Castilla-La Mancha is located in two buildings in Cuenca’s old town. Its areas include astronomy and a planetarium, time machine, treasures of the earth, history of the future and laboratory of life.

The Museo Tesoro de la Catedral is located on the ground floor of the Palacio Episcopal. It displays works that summarise eight centuries of the history of the Diocese of Cuenca. The Fundación Antonio Pérez extends across four floors with more than 30 rooms and displays works by contemporary Spanish and international artists from Informalism, abstraction and Pop Art.

The Museo de la Semana Santa occupies two floors of the former Casa de Los Girones in Cuenca’s old town. Through a multimedia presentation, it conveys the impressions and emotions of Semana de Pasión in Cuenca.

The Las Hoyas palaeontological site in La Cierva (Cuenca) is considered an international reference site for the Early Cretaceous. The Museo de Paleontología de Castilla-La Mancha in Cuenca displays fossils, finds and dinosaur reconstructions from the region’s most important sites. The Museo de Arte Abstracto in Cuenca displays works by recognised Spanish artists, including Picasso and Goya.

Trails, Activities and Events

The Hoces de Cuenca hiking trail is registered as SL-CU 10 and passes through a mixture of urban areas and paths along the rock walls of the old town. The Paseo del Júcar is a short walking path along the banks of the Júcar near the city of Cuenca and offers views of various parts of the city.

Horse riding, climbing, via ferrata routes and canyoning are available near the city of Cuenca. In Cuenca, the Semana de Música Religiosa accompanies Semana Santa, which takes place in March or April according to the lunar calendar.

City History and Regional Cuisine

The gardens of the Huécar gorge, known as the „Hocinos“, traditionally formed the basis for supplying the city of Cuenca with fruit and vegetables. Cuenca’s traditional cuisine includes Morteruelo, Ajoarriero and Zarajos; the dishes are prepared with regional ingredients and recipes passed down through generations.

Other Locality Pages

Cuenca, Tragacete, Tarancón, San Clemente, Monteagudo De Las Salinas, Landete, Chillarón De Cuenca, Alarcón, Olivares De Júcar, Casas De Benítez, Jábaga, Cañamares, Belmonte, La Alberca De Záncara, Villamayor De Santiago, El Provencio, Villar De Olalla, Vara De Rey, Fuentelespino De Haro, Barajas De Melo, Uña, Arcas, Casas De Los Pinos, Villarrubio, Honrubia, Mota Del Cuervo, Motilla Del Palancar, Enguídanos, Beteta, Casasimarro, Víllora, Cañada Del Hoyo, Villaescusa De Haro, Uclés, Cañete, Villalba De La Sierra, Palomera, Garaballa, La Frontera, Fuentes, Mariana, Chumillas, Pineda De Gigüela, Olmedilla De Alarcón, Talayuelas, Las Valeras, Sotorribas, Huete, Villanueva De La Jara, Pozorrubielos De La Mancha, Cólliga, Campillo De Altobuey, Laguna Del Marquesado, Molinos De Papel, Castillo De Garcimuñoz, Carboneras De Guadazaón, Villar De La Encina, Carrascosa Del Campo, Iniesta, Fuertescusa, El Picazo, Cardenete, El Cañavate, Rada De Haro, Almonacid Del Marquesado, Casas De Fernando Alonso, Los Hinojosos, Solera De Gabaldón, Pajaroncillo, Villares Del Saz, Zafra De Záncara, Huélamo, Valverdejo, Rozalén Del Monte, Salvacañete, Villar Del Maestre, Atalaya Del Cañavate, Villar Del Humo, Priego, Puente De Vadillos, Valverde De Júcar, Buendía, Piqueras Del Castillo, Solán De Cabras, Jabalera, Torrejoncillo Del Rey, Casas De Garcimolina, Valhermoso de la Fuente, Saelices, Buenache de la Sierra, El Peral, Reíllo, El Simarro, El Arrabal, Palomares del Campo, Bascuñana de San Pedro, Yémeda, Casas de Roldán, Horcajo de Santiago, Las Majadas, La Peraleja, Ribatajada, Mira, Los Eustaquios, Valdeganga de Cuenca, Verdelpino de Huete, Valdecañas, Pozoseco, Valdemoro-Sierra, Almodóvar del Pinar, Poyatos, Villanueva de Guadamejud, La Almarcha, Villar de Cañas, Las Zomas, Villanueva de los Escuderos.

For the higher-level travel overview: Castilla-La Mancha.