Places to visit in Cuenca

Top Things to Do in Cuenca, Spain

Places to Visit in Cuenca


Book these experiences for a close-up look at Cuenca.

Top Attractions in Cuenca

These rankings are informed by traveller reviews—we consider the quality, quantity, recency, consistency of reviews, and the number of page views over time.
Points of Interest & Landmarks

What travellers are saying

  • Vadim
    Murmansk, Russia26,794 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Like the Sagrada Familia, Cuenca Cathedral is considered unfinished, although this does not prevent it, like its world-famous Barcelona counterpart, from receiving visitors. Like many things in Spain, the cathedral has an Arab foundation. However, it is invisible. It was built on the site of a mosque. The initiator of the construction was Alfonso VIII's wife Eleanor Plantagenet, daughter of King Henry II of England and sister of Richard the Lionheart. It was precisely because of Eleanor's Norman surroundings that the cathedral turned out not to be Romanesque in style like most of the then Castilian cathedrals, but Norman-Gothic. This is generally the first Gothic cathedral in Spain. The cathedral was built from 1196 to 1257. 63 years is quite a bit by medieval standards. Then the cathedral was rebuilt in the Baroque style. The irony of fate is that the Gothic facade that we see in front of us is the result of a secondary reconstruction from Baroque back to Gothic after the collapse at the beginning of the XX century...
    Written 3 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Vadim
    Murmansk, Russia26,794 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The San Pablo Bridge saves a lot of time for those who decide to cross the Huecar River gorge in the direction of the former monastery of San Pablo. By itself, it does not represent a special architectural value, since it was built a little more than a century ago in 1902 according to the project of José Maria Fuster at Tomas on the site of the collapsed old bridge. However, the old bridge stood for three centuries, and a new 100-meter bridge was built on old supports, putting one 60-meter iron support in the middle. For reliability. The bridge offers excellent views of the Cuenca hanging houses, and this is perhaps the main motive to be on the bridge...
    Written 27 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • ukcamel
    Solihull, UK589 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A delightful place housing modern and abstract art in one of the hanging buildings on the edge if the rocks. Really interesting to be inside one of these buildings and one room houses an original 15th century ceiling
    Written 28 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Vadim
    Murmansk, Russia26,794 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Although anyone who has seen Cuenca associates it with a rock, hanging houses, the toponym Cuenca comes from the Late Latin form "conca" - the valley between the mountains. These are the paradoxes of etymology... Cuenca owes its appearance as a city to the Arabs. Like many other things in Spain, no matter how hard the Catholic Church and the royal government tried to erase it afterwards. .. By the way, almost everything was erased in Cuenca. There is nothing left of the Arabs. The main attractions are located in the Old Town. The most interesting thing is the view of the city from the San Pablo Bridge, first of all Casas Colgadas - hanging houses, one of which houses the museum of abstract art. As it should be in Spain, the main square of the city is called Plaza Mayor. It is irregular, trapezoidal in shape. The entire eastern part of the square is occupied by a cathedral in the Norman-Gothic style. The cathedral began to be built on the site of the mosque immediately after the conquest of the city from the Moors in the XII century, completed only in the XVI century. But the Town Hall building here on the square is already baroque, XVIII century. To see the whole city from a different angle, you need to climb higher to the remains of the fortress wall. There is an observation deck not only with views of Cuenca and the valley of the Huecar River, but also in the opposite direction to the valley of the Jucar River. Perhaps this is the end of the tour of the city. It can be done in half a day, which I did.
    Written 3 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • gliowst
    Singapore, Singapore57 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting thing to take a look. Other than taking photo of the only 3 hanging houses left, one can cross a hanging bridge but as it was raining heavily and my friend did not have her raincoat/umbrella, thus we walked only halfway and ran back. There were few shops and also alleys to explore.
    Written 6 November 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • ukcamel
    Solihull, UK589 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful museum in an old building housing a delightful array of modern art. Different styles and media and a surprise in almost every room. Beautifully curated
    Written 28 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • GuyStrohmenger
    Oedt, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderfull walking experience at the Callejones de las Majadas. Very spectacular rock formations that you walk through. Roughly 2 kms long, relatively narrow through the rock formations and easy to navigate with a well posted directional route, Extra-ordinary rock formations. Easy to find, roughly 2 kms outside Las Majadas & signposted. I have also visited the famous ' Cuidad entcantada' which is about 10 kms away but was more impressed with this experience.
    Written 12 August 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • AlbertSalichs
    Manresa, Spain11,524 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Museo de Paleontologia de Castilla la Mancha is the paleontology muse and it is located in the surroundings of Cuenca, far from the old town. Here you can see some models of dinosaurs and other animals, which lived some time ago. Really, this part is very nice, especially for children. Also, in the museum you can learn about the history of the region and see some skeletons and fossils. Also, from here you can see very nice views of the city. Very interesting for adults and children.
    Written 4 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • hans-jaguar
    Santa Comba Dao, Portugal22,328 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    It can be not easy to believe, but it is real the “Science Museum of Castilla-La Mancha” is located in the medieval city of Cuenca. The museum opened its doors in the year 1999. The new and old contents of the museum collaborate in the understanding of a general objective or “strong idea”. The museum is a “Must visit” place when walking in the old tow. It is an experience you will not forget that soon.
    The tour proposed by the museum is a journey to planet Earth, to its past and to its future, below its surface, to its interior: earth and fire, and on earth, air and water; and outer space, all filled with emptiness and energy, and matter, and forces, and all of LIFE.
    Written 13 June 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Phi Somchai
    Bangkok, Thailand3,795 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a lookout point and you will have a great view of the Walled city of Cuneca. It was very windy and cooling here due to the altitude and openness of the place.
    Written 23 February 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • AlbertSalichs
    Manresa, Spain11,524 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Plaza Mayor de Cuenca is the main square of the city, and it is located in a high point of the old town, in Castilla-la-Mancha Region. It is a curious square, because it has an irregular shape. In fact, it seems that a street gets wider and it is very nice. Here, you can see two of the most important buildings of the city: the town hall and the cathedral. Also, here you can find some bars/restaurants with a local atmosphere and it is a very good place to begin to walk around the old town.
    Written 4 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Gordon W
    Tonbridge, UK62 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An easy walk on a well marked trail around the fortress town of Alarcon. Stupendous views back to the castle/parador, pleasant ramble through open countryside and some pine forest . About 7.5km in length, takes about 3 hours or so, with plenty of stops for photos and rest. Middle section rather dull and exposed to full sun - so take a hat and plenty of water. Walk route is available on MapMyWalk app.
    Written 24 April 2017
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.