Carcassonne Travel Summary

Carcassonne is home to the magnificent medieval walled citadel which is one of the best preserved and largest fortified cities in Europe.

The Best Travel Guide to Carcassonne is segmented into 2 key travel themes to immerse you into everything Carcassonne:

An introduction and brief history to this wonderful town;
What to See;

Hope you enjoy it! Carpe Diem!

1. An introduction and brief history to this wonderful town

Carcassonne is home to the magnificent medieval walled citadel which is one of the best preserved and largest fortified cities in Europe. Located southern France’s Languedoc area, medieval citadel, La Cité is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Set high up on a hill, Carcassonne’s ancient walled city picture postcard perfect. The Citadel comes with drawbridges, towers and atmospheric cobbled streets and was reputedly the inspiration for Walt Disney’s The Sleeping Beauty.

The citadel’s fortress has 52 towers, 2 outer walls covering almost 2 miles, and a drawbridge providing access to a keep and is spectacular lit at night. Twice daily there are medieval jousting displays between the walls.

La Cité’s streets are lined with souvenir shops, crafts boutiques, restaurants, and museums. La Cité is linked to the new town by a beautiful Stone bridge which is also spectacularly lit at night.

2. What to See

The Narbonnaise Gate

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The Narbonnaise gate, located to the east, was built around 1280 during the reign of Philip III the Bold and was made up of two enormous spur towers
It owes its name to its orientation towards Narbonne

Château Comtal

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The Château Comtal (Count’s Castle) is a medieval castle within the Cité of Carcassonne, the largest city in Europe with its city walls still intact.
The castle was restored in 1853 by the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997

Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus

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The Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus is a Roman Catholic minor basilica situated in the fortress of Carcassonne
The original church is thought to have been constructed in the 6th century during the reign of Theodoric the Great, ruler of the Visigoths

Explore La Cité

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It is a delight to explore La Cite with its narrow cobblestone streets and Medieval buildings
You can spend a day exploring the La Cite which boasts several excellent artisan shops and café-restaurants