Valencia

Today was another day of travelling, we were on the move from Madrid to Valencia with a stop in the medieval town of Cuenca.

Cuenca is a little different to the other towns in that the Romans didn’t settle this area. It was up to the Moors in the 8th century. It is located on top of a spur with two deep gorges on either side making it easy to defend.

The town is known for its hanging houses which seem to hang over the cliffs. I for one would be wary about stepping out on some of those balconies as they are a few hundred years old and don’t look real secure.

There is also a large cathedral that was started on in the 12th century. The main square was also very picturesque.

We walked down across the Bridge of St Paul to the former convent (now a high end hotel) which gave a good view of the hanging houses.

We then had a couple of hours drive to Spain’s 3rd largest city (after Madrid and Barcelona), Valencia. As the name suggests this city is a big producer of agricultural products specifically oranges (and olives).

We had a drink with the the group followed by dinner in an Italian restaurant off the main square. The buildings at night are well lit and there are lots of people out walking. One thing that surprised me was the footpaths seem to be paved with red marble, very nice!Read more