Another lovely memorable visit and glad able to updated bringing back many nice time in our lives. Happy to share it with my reading public in my blog, thank you for reading me! Here I need to talk again about Cuenca!
And we came down the mountains of the Serrania de Cuenca to visit the main city , Cuenca. Unesco World Heritage Site! Indeed is worth the trip and as we rented a house nearby , we came often here in our trip. I will try not to repeat pictures shown elsewhere already.
You have a wonderful local Adif train station at Calle Mariano Catalina 10 in city center, and an AVE or fast train station outside of town by Avenida Cerro de Estrellas s/n going out towards the N420 direction Mota del Cuervo at about 5 kms or 3 miles; many buses connects with city center Cuenca. The main bus terminal is in city center by the train station adif with buses to many cities including Toledo and Madrid!
We were lucky while here to see briefly the Fiesta de San Juliàn August 24th,2017 ; the traditional feast of the town in honor of their patron Saint. Also, we saw the 7th stage of the Vuelta de España, the bicycle tour passing by Cuenca all the way to the Alto del Castillo (13C ruins see post).
In Cuenca ,there is plenty to see and even in two stays in the area we have not seen it all; time is precious. We have been by the Tunel de Alfonso VIII entrance by the Calle Alfonso VIII. Then, there is the emblematic bridge or Puente de San Pablo (see post) built in 1902 replacing one done between 1533-1589. This bridge connected with the monastery of San Pablo ,today a nice (see post) it. Between the monastery and the casas you see the great canyon or hoz del rio Jucar river passing underneath. Inside the Casa Colgadas there is now a museum of Abstract art (see post) showcasing many artists including Fernando Zobel.
There are the Monasterio de la Concepcion Fransiscana, built in 1504, managed by the order of the immaculate conception the same as in Toledo. Monasterio de Madres Benedictinas, or the Religiosas de San Benito dedicated to the Our Lady of Contemplation built in 1448 at the corner of today streets of Gonzalez Francés, Posito ,and Esperanza. The Convent of San Pedro de las Justinianas built in the mid 18C; Convent of Merced managed by the order of the Merced Calzada built between the 16C and 18C in baroque style. The Church of San Salvador started in the middle ages; a water fountain was built here in 1534 to bring water to the neighborhood. The Church of San Pedro, high up by the old castle very old church site of many battles for control of the city from the 15C. The Casa Consistorial or city hall in in the Plaza Mayor ,here since the 15C done in baroque style.
The bridge or Puente San Antonio or San Anton crossing the river Jucar and built in the 18C , and at the other end you see the Church of Virgen de la Luz that houses the divinity of the city. Hospital Santiago Apostol (St James) built in 1511 and still in use as a hospital today!!! Early 16C see the Casa del Corregidor and served as prison abandoned by 1541 today is just a building. The modern Museo de Cuenca museum opened in 1974 with the history of the area from earlier times to now.
There is so much to see many more museums and art houses , local craftman such as Fernando Moya where we shopped for souvenirs home decoration. The good old Confiteria Ruiz for sweet goodies, and the Panaderia Granier with great breads, sweets and pizzas to go. The La Licoreria offers a great selection of liquors , juices, sodas and wine from all over Spain and you can buy by the bottle or the case.
Don’t forget to climb over to the Tour Mangana (see post) to see the city from an old site with ongoing excavations. Climb the old city narrow cobblestones to the old Castle and the Puerta de Bezugo gate (see post). The city has great public transportation in buses and now a tourist train little train that takes you all over the old town hilly streets . You can go to the modern world at El Mirador shopping center anchor now by Carrefour and many nice stores we buy shoes at Ulanka and video games at Game as well as fashion for the young men at Inside. More on the shopping here: https://elmiradordecuenca.com/
And of course, the one thing to see if time is short other than the Casas Colgadas is the Cathedral of Saint Mary and Saint Julian (Catedral de Santa Maria y San Juliàn). (see post) It is located in the Plaza Mayor in the old section of town on a hilly street leading to the old castle. It began as a gothic style as the builders came from Normandy France sent over by Leonor Plantagenet, the wife of king Alfonso VIII of Castile and sister of Richard the Lion heart. It has a huge amount of treasure of an inmense value since it began to be built in the year 1196; the exterior was renovated in the 16C and the façade renovated in the 17C. Finally, all was renovated in the 20C as we see it today.
The new tourist office of Cuenca! https://www.visitacuenca.es/es/ciudad-y-paisaje-urbano
Again , a lasting impression of a nice town and friendly folks, nice family vacation, wish we had more days lol!!! Cuenca is in, we love it!!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 