Cuenca, Ciudad Encantada & Hanging Houses

Cuenca is a small town in the south of Castilla region of Spain, whose historical old quarter is declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has a very unique location which makes the city so special: Located on a rock hill, parts of the town are in 946 metres height! While the new part of the city (“Ciudad Nueva”) is located in the valley, the historic city center is still up on the hill. Going up to see it can be sometimes challenging as the stairs are partly very steep! But it’s definitely worth it to take this way up, as you can see the Plaza Mayor, the cathedral of Cuenca and the hanging houses. 

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Hanging Houses (Casa colgantes)

These houses stand out with wooden balconies, literally hanging from the rock and looking towards the river Jucar. As Cuenca suffered  from constant lack of space, people decided to just build their houses “above” the river, making it look like they are hanging from there.

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Ciudad Encantada

For many travellers, this is one of the most beautiful corners of Spain:
It is a geological site near the city of Cuenca, in which the erosive forces of weather and the waters of the nearby Júcar river have formed rocks into distinctive and memorable shapes.  It was declared a Natural Site of National Interest on 11 June 1929.