The Serranía de Cuenca provides several excellent excursions within an hour of the city. Roads through the limestone plateau pass through pine forests, river gorges, and villages that have changed little in centuries.
Ciudad Encantada (35 km north) is the most-visited day trip: a natural park of eroded limestone formations given fanciful names — the Tormo Alto, the Tobogán, the Cara del Hombre. The walk through the formations takes about 90 minutes and is suitable for all fitness levels. It's popular with Spanish families at weekends; go on a weekday morning for a quieter experience. Drive via the CUV-9141 road from Cuenca through the village of Villalba de la Sierra.
Nacimiento del Río Cuervo (60 km northeast) is one of Spain's most beautiful river sources: the Cuervo emerges from the hillside in a series of small waterfalls draped in moss and ice in winter. The walk from the car park to the source and back takes under an hour. Combine it with a stop at one of the small restaurants in Tragacete village.
Uclés (55 km southwest) is an almost-deserted village dominated by a vast 16th-century monastery that served as the headquarters of the Order of Santiago. The scale of the building relative to the tiny population is surreal. The interior can be visited; the views across the plain from the monastery walls are wide and empty.
Las Hoces del Júcar — the gorges cut by the Júcar river south of Cuenca, accessible by driving downstream from the city. The gorge deepens as you go south and the road clings to the cliff; a series of small reservoirs and abandoned mills mark the route. Stop at Villalba de la Sierra for lunch.