Visit Cuenca from Madrid by bus
Cuenca is one of the most attractive cities in the Community of Castilla-La Macha, thanks to its exuberant vegetation and its rich architectural heritage. It has an extension of about 911 km2 and a population of just over 55.000 inhabitants. Visiting Cuenca is one of the best excursions you can take.
From Muslim strength to financial power due to its looms, from economic decline to the almost total elimination of its population due to pests and diseases, Cuenca has seen it all, and it is reflected in its architecture.
Visit Cuenca and discover a different city
The capital of the province now has two different centers. Unlike many cities where expansion has occurred around, and often at the expense of, the historic core, Cuenca has separated them spatially.
Located between the gorges of the Jucar and Huécar rivers, it has been designated a World Heritage City for its large number of structures. In the heart of the mountains, its historic quarter stretches out on the edge of granite cliffs. The Cathedral, the Hanging Houses and the cobbled streets are havens of tranquility for any tourist looking to escape the stress of the city.
Places to visit in Cuenca
Below are some of the attractions that should not be missed when visiting Cuenca, as well as certain areas that should be explored to get the most out of your visit.
Hanging houses
The Hanging Houses are the icon of the city, located on the Hoz del Huécar. They are made of masonry, with ashlars in the corners and set on corbels. They contemplate the river from wooden balconies that cantilever over the cliff.
The Hanging Houses of Cuenca were created not for the views, but out of necessity, in a Cuenca in which only the edge of the Hoces del Río Huécar remained as a place to build a structure 600 years ago.
Only three of this treasure of popular architecture can be visited: the Casa de la Sirena, which has an inn where you can taste traditional cuisine, and the Casas del Rey, which houses the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art.
Plaza Mayor
It is one of the most impressive and majestic structures in the city. It is the nerve center of the upper part, an ideal area to rest and enjoy an aperitif on one of its terraces. Without a doubt, one of the best places to see in Cuenca.
Here are the Town Hall, a Baroque-style building from the reign of Carlos III with three semicircular arches, the Convent of Las Petras and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace, both from the XNUMXth century. In addition, the Episcopal Palace, which is next to the cathedral, contains the Diocesan Museum.
the sickles
The geological phenomenon on which the historic center of Cuenca was built was created by the gradual but relentless flow of water over the years.
Cuenca, wedged between the Jucar and Huécar rivers, developed until it couldn't take it anymore and expanded into the new Cuenca, to the south of the original one. Currently, these rivers are used by hikers who follow one of the numerous routes in Cuenca, as well as carrying water.
Cuenca Skyscrapers
In the San Martín area, we discovered a group of popular residences, the typical skyscrapers of Cuenca. They have an entrance on Calle Alfonso VIII and are three or four stories high, while at the back they go up to eight or nine stories. When we look at them from the banks of the Huécar river, they look like skyscrapers coming from the same mountain.
San Pablo Bridge
It is located above the Huécar throat. Between 1533 and 1589 a stone bridge was erected, but it eventually collapsed. The current one was built in 1902, made of iron and wood, in accordance with the architectural trends of the time. From this bridge you can see the most characteristic views of the Hanging Houses.
Convent of San Pablo
The Dominican convent of San Pablo is located outside the city limits, in a region of remarkable natural beauty, since it is built on a peninsula of the Hoz del Huécar, quite high above the riverbed and in front of the Hanging Houses . The brothers Juan and Pedro de Alviz designed the church in the XNUMXth century, with a Gothic structure and Renaissance decoration.
How to get to Cuenca?
You can travel and visit Cuenca by bus thanks to Hnos. Montoya, you can make the trip from Madrid to Cuenca without any setbacks and in the most comfortable way. It is the ideal alternative to move and fully enjoy the adventures you want to undertake in a group.
Making this trip by bus is quite accessible to go from Madrid due to its excellent position. Cuenca has had the A-15 motorway for almost 40 years, which connects the city with the A-3 near Tarancón. This journey takes about an hour and a half.
In Hnos. Montoya we take you. Call us or send us an email here.