The fascinating archaeological site of Ruinas Romanas de Valeria is located just outside the village of Valeria, 34km south of Cuenca. Though not as extensive as the nearby ruins of Segóbriga, Valeria is less known to tourists meaning you'll have the rare, evocative pleasure of wandering around the site of a former sizeable Roman town without the distraction of coach tours and school groups. The location is fittingly sublime, set amid meadows and flanked by dramatic gorges.
There are also remains of a medieval church and castle crowning the hillside. Stretching below this, dating from 82 BC, are the remains of a forum (the best preserved in Spain), as well as a basilica, four reservoirs (used for water supply), urban streets and the well-preserved remains of a vast extravagant fountain stretching over 80m in length with 12 spouts. There is also the original casa colgada here, its upper floor still clearly constructed to cling to the rock side, with the lower floors visible below. The views of the surrounding ravines are magnificent and probably little changed in 2000 years.
The visitor centre is located by the entrance and has a modest display of photographs and explanatory plaques, as well as a well-preserved Roman Corinthian capital excavated from the site. There is also a short audiovisual film about Valeria's history.
