Hotels in Cuenca

Cuenca is one of Spain's most dramatic small cities, its medieval old town perched on a rocky ridge between the gorges of the Júcar and Huécar rivers and protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is best known for the Casas Colgadas, the hanging houses whose balconies jut out over the Huécar cliff. One of them holds the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art, an unexpectedly serious collection for a city of around 55,000 people.

The Gothic cathedral on the Plaza Mayor and the walk across the iron San Pablo bridge are the other essentials, and the strange karst rock formations of the Ciudad Encantada lie a short drive away. Be honest: the upper town is steep, cobbled and hard work with luggage, and it can feel half-empty after the Madrid day-trippers leave, since the high-speed train station sits well outside the centre. Stay in the old town for the views and evening atmosphere, or in the flatter lower town if you're driving and want easier parking and more restaurants.