Cuenca

Have you ever heard of Cuenca, Spain? Don't worry, I hadn't either. My fabulous aunt and uncle suggested it before my adventure began, and I'm sure glad they did. It's off the beaten tourist path and inconvenient to get to from Madrid. It's in the Casta-La Mancha region southeast of Madrid. The major draw are three hanging houses, casas colgadas, that hang off the cliffs they are built upon. Not only that, but one of the houses is an art museum! Cuenca is a medieval city in every sense of the word with castles and a very narrow, hilly old town. In fact, the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I wandered, got lost, tried to speak Spanish with the locals, and had the best time!