Location: Province of Cuenca
Top Things to do in Province of Cuenca
- 1. Oficina de Turismo de Buendia
- 2. Parque Natural de la Serrania de Cuenca
- 3. Historic Walled Town of Cuenca
- 4. Puente de San Pablo (Saint Paul Bridge)
- 5. Museo de Arte Abstracto Espanol
- 6. Mina Romana Cueva del Hierro
- 7. Museo Fundacion Antonio Perez
- 8. Ventano del Diablo
- 9. Cathedral of Cuenca
- 10. Segobriga Archaeological Park
The 10 Best Things to Do in Province of Cuenca, Spain
Cuenca is one of the five provinces of the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. It is located in the eastern part of this autonomous community and cover over 17.141 square km. It has a population of 203.841 inhabitants- the less populated of its autonomous community. Its capital city is Cuenca and the province is compounded of 238 municipalities.
Restaurants in Province of Cuenca
1. Oficina de Turismo de Buendia
Overall Ratings
5 based on 166 reviews
Reviewed By Elein M - Madrid, Spain
Aprovechando las vacaciones de semana Santa nos hicimos una excursión por Cuenca a la Ruta de las Caras y el pueblo de Buendía, he de decir que la ruta es preciosa, entre árboles se encuentran estas rocas de tipo caliza donde unos escultores han labrado la piedra y nos muestran rostros de gran tamaño, es super bonito!!!, además vas bordeando el pantano de Buendía, te puedes bajar a la zona de la playita y pasar también un buen rato, nosotros fuimos con niños y disfrutaron muchísimo!!!, tiene una zona de merenderos entre pinares muy acogedora, el camino para llegar esta en buen estado, asfaltado y señalizado. Luego en la tarde habíamos concertado una visita guiada para visitar el Museo del Carro, La iglesia de la Asunción de nuestra Señora y el museo de la Botica. Nuestro guía Alberto un joven amable y muy profesional, nos explicó muchos detalles y curiosidades en todos esos rincones que visitamos, se nos hizo muy amena la visita, los tres sitios están muy bien conservados y merece la pena conocerlos, rememorando nuestra historia. Para comer en el pueblo hay unos cuantos sitios de menú, no se paga parking en ningún lugar.
Por último decir que mi peque y su amigo salieron contentísimos, queriendo volver otro día para repetirlo todo!!!. Y creo que si... que volveremos seguro, porque es ideal para ir en familia!!!.
2. Parque Natural de la Serrania de Cuenca
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 377 reviews
Reviewed By Teabag - England
We enjoyed our walk around the enchanted city with our guide. It is surprisingly shaded and easy walking with wide areas between the rock formations. It was fun trying to guess what the oddities were nicknamed before being told or Reading the information boards. Place was spotless with no litter or graffiti and few visitors during a weekday when we visited. There were some interesting plants and trees and we used our binoculars to watch the circling buzzards and small birds we encountered. It took us a couple of hours to walk round at a slow pace and was worth every cent of the couple of euros entry. A very pleasant way to spend a few hours away from the city.
3. Historic Walled Town of Cuenca
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 850 reviews
Reviewed By NikolaCelic - Dubrovnik, Croatia
When Arabs conquered Iberian peninsula in the begining of 8th century, they realised advantage of great defensive site, positioned on the limestone ridge, between Jucar and Huecar rivers and they built a fortress-town known as Kunka. Up to that moment place was uninhabited and they have built a fortress town where the architecture follows natural landscape. Alfonso VIII of Castille captured the town in 1177 and Cuenca became Royal town with an episcopal see. The Christian town was built over the Arab one and began to spread itself down from the crest of the hill.
Oldest part of the city, or the Upper town, where most important pallaces and churches reside, was developed in ascending, spinal manner (today represented in shapes of Calle Alfonso VIII, Calle San Pedro and their parallel streets), adapting itself to the topography of the cliff formations. Main gate of Upper town was Arco de Bezudo (place of castle ruins), connected with drawbridge to the working class quarter of Barrio del Castillo. Its central location is reserved for Cathedral, bellow whom is possible to exit the city via San Pablo bridge to the San Pablo monastery. Lowest point of Upper town is around Plaza Mangana, fortified area in ruins and from there spreads Lower town, made in more concrentic style. Two more working class quarters, medieval in origin, lay outside Lower town walls: Barrio de San Anton and Barrio de Tiradores. Special nature of the defensive site of the Upper town and lack of space within the walls, tightened on cliffs towering the river Valleys, has resulted in the construction of an unusual vertical architecture, with exceptional examples like first scyscrappers (or rascacielos in Spanish) in Europe in Barrio de San Martin and hanging houses (or casas colgadas). From almost anywhere in Cuenca spreads an amasing view on surrounding area, my favourites were little terrace/squares on lateral sections of Upper town. Above mentioned quarters and parts of the city are ones protected by UNESCO as World heritage.
Beside being one of centers of Spanish modern art, with absoulutely unique sacred and secular arhitecture and great landscape location, Cuenca also have that perfect mix of natural, even a bit of rural feeling. Just take some of trekking paths that spreads from city to countryside or nearby hills. I absolutely recommend route starting from Casas colgadas, passing San Pablo bridge, then keep going on foot from San Pablo monastery for about 30 min along a path that leads you on hilltop Cerro del Socorro. You will be relaxing bellow monument devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and rewarded with perfect Panorama view of entire city.
4. Puente de San Pablo (Saint Paul Bridge)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By NikolaCelic - Dubrovnik, Croatia
Construction of San Pablo Monastery began in 1523 on cliffs across Cuenca by command of the canon priest Juan del Pozo, a monk belonging to the Dominican order. Brothers Juan and Pedro de Alviz were in charge of the building project; Pedro worked on the convent and the cloister and Juan on the church. Monastery was ruled by Dominicans up to the catastrophic Peninsular war in early 19th century, after which was handed over to the Pauline order, who were based here until 1975, when they left due to the possible collapse of the building. In the 1990s the convent was restored as historical hotel.
Parallely with the construction of monastery complex, bridge of San Pablo was built from 1533 to 1589, over the gorge of Huecar river, aiming at connecting the Cuenca with its most important monastery. Original bridge was an ambitious building of stone, where its 110 meters span was suppurted by five arches. Perhaps it was over-ambitious; first damages were reported in 1779, followed with serious stoneslide in 1800 which culminated in 1891 when one arch totally collapsed. Unfit for repairings anymore, it was destroyed by dinamyte in 1895 and seven years later current bridge was built of iron and wood but supported by the lower remains of the old bridge.
Today, San Pablo bridge is one of Cuenca`s first class landmarks and offers unique experience and views and Monastery of San Pablo is possible to visit on ground floor level with its cloister, because it holds nicely fit caffe/restaurant. Attached to Monastery complex is Church of San Pablo, which today holds gallery of modern art also worthy of visiting.
5. Museo de Arte Abstracto Espanol
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 779 reviews
The Museo de Arte Abstracto Español in Cuenca exhibits a permanent collection of 129 paintings and sculptures by Spanish artists of the Abstract Generation of the 1950s and 60s (Millares, Tàpies, Sempere, Torner, Rueda, Zóbel, Saura, among some thirty other artists), as well as other artists from the 1980s and 90s.In 1980, the founder of the Museum, Fernando Zóbel, donated its collection to the Fundación Juan March, which then incorporated it into its own collection. Situated in the Casas Colgadas (Hanging Houses) of the city of Cuenca, in a late-fifteenth-century medieval building, property of the city, the Museum has undergone various renovations and, in 1994, inaugurated its galleries for temporary Exhibitions.
Reviewed By Tinde_K - Moscow, Russia
Curious collection of abstract art spread across couple of rooms of one of the hanging house. The views from the museum are nice too. The artworkd themselves are interesting, though I guess not everyone's cup of coffee, but abstract art from Cuenca is actually quite famous.
6. Mina Romana Cueva del Hierro
Overall Ratings
5 based on 67 reviews
Reviewed By alberto c
Pues muy chula la visita.
Cuesta 6 euros y dura 1 hora aprox.
Visitas una cueva-mina y te explican un poco la vida y que se extrae de ella.
Recomendable.
7. Museo Fundacion Antonio Perez
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 126 reviews
Reviewed By Candide57 - Hobart, Australia
This is a vast gallery that has been installed into a sprawling convent which provides for a variety of gallery spaces (including courtyards opening onto the edge of the gorge). The collection is broad and provocative (I don't think the nuns would have approved). Bibindum (the Michelin Man) is a bit of a motif and crops up around the place. A quirky collection of objects is worth a visit on the lowest level. Excellent collection and surprising to come across in Cuenca.
8. Ventano del Diablo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 322 reviews
Reviewed By kasejason - Chicago, Illinois
We stopped here on the way back from Ciudad Encantada and were happy that we did. A quick walk from the parking area leads to a small spot with two windows. These windows are set into the rock and offer great views of the surrounding landscape. While here, we also noticed that there was a path leading down to the river below from the parking area. If we had had more time, we would have checked this out as well, but we were a bit tired and decided to skip it this time. If you have spare time during your visit here, it might be worth a hike down, as the water looked very clear and inviting.
9. Cathedral of Cuenca
Overall Ratings
4 based on 1 reviews
Una Maravilla por Descubrir, un lugar único en el mundo, La Catedral de Cuenca, descúbrela. La Catedral fue comenzada por canteros galos entre los años 1182 y 1189 (siglo XII) continuando las obras durante todo el siglo XIII. La Catedral con toda seguridad se construyó sobre la Antigua mezquita árabe de la ciudad. Se considera como la primera Catedral gótica realizada en Castilla, siendo consagrada definitivamente bajo la advocación de Santa María en el año 1208 por el obispo Rodrigo Ximénez de Rada. No obstante, la construcción de la Catedral comienza en los finales del románico, por lo que es natural que en la Catedral encontremos resistencias románicas frente a las novedades góticas del momento.
Reviewed By PAC6750 - London, United Kingdom
Very beautiful building and unlike any other Cathedral ive visited. Very useful handheld personal guide device that is included in the very reasonable 4.3 euro entry cost you push the appropriate number at numerous points of interest and the guide tells you all you could need to know.
Probably the smallest Cathedral ive ever visited - in and out inside an hour but def worth a visit if you are in town - I wouldn't recommend a special trip on its account though.
10. Segobriga Archaeological Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 231 reviews
Reviewed By SarahC0805 - Gloucester, United Kingdom
An excellent city with many partially or fully uncovered sites. Theatre, Amphitheatre, forum and more with information boards . The paths are mostly easy to walk and the views are excellent. Some parts unsuitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs or people with walking difficulties. But you can still see the most important areas. Fascinating history.
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