This historic walled Spanish town is located in Castilla-La Mancha , a region designated with UNESCO status due to its wealth of monuments , with a history that can be traced back around 1300 years . This seriously underrated hidden gem in Spain is most notable for the Casas Colgadas , a series of 15th-century hanging houses which seem to dangle over the side of a cliff with their balconies built to jut out even further over the gorge . They are the only remaining examples of this type of building which was once common in this city . It is possible to enter one of the hanging houses , which is now a modern art museum .
The Casas Colgadas may be what draws tourists here in the brochures , but Cuenca ’ s Old Town is worth visiting in its own right . Along with the hanging houses , it is packed with evocative medieval buildings and fascinating historical sites , including colourful buildings , castle ruins , a 16th-century Gothic Spanish cathedral , and a central square , Plaza Mayor .
Another of the iconic features of Cuenca is the iron and wooden St Paul Bridge ( Puente de San Pablo ) that has ferried people across the gorge for over 100 years . The surrounding nature of the karst limestone mountains , coupled with the scenery around the crystalline Júcar river , provides a fantastic adventure playground , and there are multiple hiking trails of varying difficulties .
Cuenca is a day trip from Madrid ( under an hour by high-speed rail ). However , we recommend you aim to spend at least a few days here to really immerse yourself in the atmosphere of cobbled streets and this part of historic Spain .
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