Cuenca – A Day trip from Madrid
Hola Chicos!
After a few days of 38C degrees plus heat in Madrid, I suggested to my kiddos that we head out of Madrid for a day trip. I knew that Cuenca was located up in the hills about an hour by train away and that it was another UNESCO World Heritage site famous as a historic walled city and its hanging houses. That was about the extent of our planning. So we booked our Renfe train tickets and off we went.
The Renfe Train departed from Atocha train station in Madrid. The forward train cost 11.70€ and the return train cost 27.80€ per person. I think this was because the return train was the fast train, although we really didn’t have a choice. We always book the cheapest fares available although they are non changeable.
On arrival at Cuenca train station we found that the station is literally in the middle of nowhere and we couldn’t see the town. A quick google maps search told us that buses left every hour to the town centre, so we caught the local bus line #1 to the Plaza Mayor in the old city. One thing that I have learnt about traveling around Spain is that all of the towns have a Plaza Mayor and generally it is the best place to get your bearings and begin your day. The bus cost 2.15€ per person and took about 15 minutes. It was an uphill trip though the modern lower city and the road gets narrower and begins to wind back on itself as you head up into the old town.
Cuenca is located across a deep spur that descends into the deep gorges of the Júcar and Huécar rivers. As usual the Plaza Mayor is dominated by an entrance gate and the Cuenca Cathedral. There is a fee of almost 5€ to enter the Cathedral and I think this also gained you access into the Museo attached to it. I am unable to report on the Cathedral as we did not enter it much to my disappointment. I have a personal issue with having to pay to enter a place of prayer regardless of how historic it is. I believe that religious buildings should be open to all people at all times as a place of refuge. It is fabulous that these buildings also house some of the world’s best artwork but I do not believe that we should have to pay to enter a house of God. Enough ranting… I knew that I would enjoy Cuenca by how few tourist focussed shops and cafes were in the Plaza Mayor. There were around twenty or so tourists sitting in the shade of the Cathedral looking a little disappointed by having made the trip to the town and having seen the hanging houses within the first five minutes and then wondering how to spend the hours before their return train departed.
We headed down to the gorge to check out the Las Casas Colgades or the hanging houses. These houses are built on rock above the gorge and their balconies hang out seemingly unsupported over the gorge. Only three of these houses still stand today but in years past this type of housing was common in the City of Cuenca. One of the houses is operating as a restaurant.
We crossed the gorge by walking across the Puente de San Pablo or the Bridge of Saint Paul. The best photos of the hanging houses are from the centre of the bridge. The bridge was originally built from stone in the 1500’s but it collapsed and today the bridge is made of wood and iron. It is forty meters high and it is supported by the remains of the old bridge. Walking across the bridge is not for the faint hearted. I made sure that I walked well in the center of the bridge with my son in front of me. Not for his safety but for mine. I was not taking any chances, I knew that at some point of the crossing he would get the fantastic idea to scare the crapola out of his Mother. Ha…I wasn’t born yesterday boyo!
It would seem that in the past Cuenca must have been considered an important religious seat. The town not only has the Cathedral but also a Church of Saint Peter, a Church of Saint Michael, a Church of Our Saviour, a seminary, the old convent of Saint Paul and the Bishop’s Palace. Not to mention the Monument devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on top of the Cerro del Socorro overlooking the whole city.
We headed down to the river for a picnic lunch in the shade. We have learnt from past experience that taking a simple jamon baguette or a salad box for a picnic lunch is far more enjoyable than a heavy menú del dia on a hot day. Not to mention much less expensive.
From the river we could see that there was a path zig zagging all of the way up the gorge past the old city to some ruins and a look out. We decided to head back up the road to the Plaza Mayor past the Cathedral and through the back streets of the old town where we joined a path up to the look out. From here we walked down the zig zagging track through the old town into the new city centre to the bus station. I am so happy that we took the zig zagging path and got off the tourist paths. It really made our day and I just couldn’t imagine being one of those disappointed tourists sitting in the shade of the Cathedral. On arrival at the bus station we were pleasantly surprised to find an ice cream shop right next door. For once the kids finally got their icecream at the end of the hike. After our icecream we took bus #1 back to the train station to meet the fast train back to Madrid.
Hasta Luego chicos y mil besos!