I love Castles and this is so far the best I've ever been too. It's completely surrounded by a wall and has lots of restaurants and shops within the castle walls, has a draw bridge entrance and the whole place is so well preserved and they are continuing to work on it. It's free to enter and walk around. I visited twice in 3 days, once at night which was amazing seeing it all lit up and then again the next day and it looked even better.

My wife and I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Cité de Carcassonne, and it was an experience we'll cherish forever. From the moment we stepped inside the medieval walls, we were captivated by the rich history and vibrant atmosphere. The variety of shops and restaurants within the Cité was truly impressive. It felt like stepping back in time while exploring the charming cobblestone streets, filled with unique boutiques and eateries. Whether we were indulging in local cuisine or browsing for souvenirs, there was something to delight every sense. The self-guided tour of the ramparts and castle walls was a highlight of our visit. The opportunity to walk atop these ancient fortifications, with breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, was simply awe-inspiring. We could feel the weight of centuries of history as we followed the well-marked paths, and it provided a deep appreciation for the preservation efforts in place. Overall, our visit to the Cité de Carcassonne was an enchanting journey through time and culture. We left with hearts full of admiration for this remarkable place and its ability to transport visitors to a bygone era. If you're looking for a destination that combines history, ambiance, and culinary delights, look no further than the Cité de Carcassonne. It's a must-visit for anyone seeking a truly unforgettable experience.

Fantastic place to go! We only stopped for 2 hours here so could not get to see everything but we are definitely going back and staying overnight in Carcassone. The castle was amazing and its history was brought to life. The shops, restaurants and cafes were also very interesting if we had more time. We parked quite near the centre in a huge car park with loads of space but noticed that parking in the street would have been nearly impossible.

Cité de Carcassonne is a fun day out for the family with plenty of activities to do. Can be very hot walking around the city during summer but there is shade to use as cover. Make sure you arrive in the morning before all the tourists arrive to ensure a enjoyable trip. There are a vast number of restaurants and cafes to get drinks and food. Although, the tourist souvenir shops can be quite expensive, so if you are looking to go on a budget, maybe avoid them. Overall Cité de Carcassonne is an enjoyable day trip that doesn’t get boring too quickly.

Beautiful beautiful place. I’ve been in Carcassonne for 4 days and have visited the castle and the nearby areas 5 times. Every side of it and every street around it has a different view, opening new perspective on the castle. It’s absolutely stunning both from Inside and outside. It is free to get through the main gate and explore this little ‘town’ but if you want to go on a tour, including going up the walls, it will cost about €9. It’s about 25min walk from the heart of Carcassonne. The castle has many restaurants and cafes inside its walls, as well as the only restaurant with a Michelin star, inside the hotel, in the picture it’s all covered in green plants. Also, in the centre there is a beautiful church, basilica, also free to enter, with really stunning stained glass.

What an amazing place with amazing views and vibes. Quite easy to reach castle in toy train also main entry is free but we have to pay to get inside a museum inside castle so plan your day if you want to enjoy more time inside. Loads of souvenirs to buy inside and also lots of restaurants which offer great food... Overall i would love to comeback anytime 😀😍

This castle offers an incredible viewpoint that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. The castles are enormous and breathtakingly gorgeous! If you intend to come, I suggest packing comfortable running shoes because the castle tour is very long.

Nice place to visit. Old town (cite) is amazing and the whole city is beautiful. I recommend going to the castle if you like such type of stroll. Waiting around the cite, the city center, along the river is a very interesting and relaxing way of spending time. As in France in general, take care of the timings for meals. Pretty much closes down at 2pm, reopens at 7pm and close down again at 10pm

Amazing medieval city and castle. Had a quick visit but would need more time to really appreciate it. You can walk around inside the city for free but you have to pay to go inside the castle. Wonderful history to take in everywhere you look. There is a car park which we were lucky to find a space in during August, as the sign said it was full.

Absolutely stunning walled castle. Definitely get the audio tour. About a 30 min walk from the train station. The town inside the wall is very touristy..best to head back to the lower town for meals, etc. Just remember that many restaurants close at 2pm. We didn't have advanced tickets, but arrived when it opened at 10am and got in without any problems.

Amazing city, amazing castle. Carcassone is really a beautiful and unique place to visit. Walking through the medieval city gates, we were impressed with the quaint narrow streets, the many restaurants and shops, and all the lovely views by the ramparts. You could wander around all day taking it all in. Well worth a visit! We had a 7 and 2 year old with us, you can have a stroller. It’s not easy but totally doable.

I really loved this place. It's somewhere I've wanted to visit ever since I saw a photo of it several years ago. You can easily spend a day wandering the streets and taking in the beautiful surroundings - lots of quirky shops to visit. Still pretty busy when I visited (September 2023) but everybody was friendly and courteous. Can be a little expensive but nothing too crazy. If you speak some French, even badly, people will really appreciate you trying! A tour of the castle and ramparts is also highly recommended and not too expensive (around €9). Formidable!

Rich history! Get transported back in time with a visit to Carcassonne. The medieval walled off city is a treat for the history buff and lover of knights in shining armor. Best to have the whole day to explore. Tons of fun shops and a free history boardwalk of what life looked like back in the day.

The medieval town is amazing. Beautiful place to walk around with great shops and restaurants inside the walls. There is also a Petit Train to take you on a tour for a small fee. Also do not miss the haunted house which is great fun👍

This medieval city is so unique with its castle within a castle structures. It still breaths the medieval times, although almost all buildings have been modified to fit shops or restaurants. They might have gone a bit more withholding on that part, that's why it's a 4 for me, as I like the fact it's being used, but not everywhere they took in account the history and authenticity. Worth a visit you ask? Definitely!!

Great place to visit we normally come in the summer when it's very busy. It's a lot quieter this time of year but not as many shops and restaurants open. Nice to see this fab place at different times of year. Visited the castle and ramparts today. Weather not great but the inside parts were nice and warm.

Lovely walked city with plenty of places to eat and various tourist gift shops. €9 (children free) to enter the castle and Ramparts but worth it for the views alone. Can get busy so booking advised. Lots of steps. Jousting shows 3 times a day during the summer months.

What a stunning place! The massive fortification bring you back to medieval times. There are a lot of nice, narrow streets to steal around and there are great views at every corner. Very pleasant was the fact, that in November the number of tourists are way down and it was very pleasant and almost empty everywhere. Definitely worth a visit.

Lovely historical city on the river. Booked an apartment on city edge and walked in for evening meal. Next morning walked into walled historical city. Pedestrian area with many cafes and shops. Local lake and water slides is great fun

We did not enter the historical citadel, we just wandered around the exterior area and visited a restaurant for lunch. It's all been very well restored and we had a great time. Amazing views from the entry / bus stop area as well as how spectacular the castle is. Worth noting it was very busy so if you don't like crowds you're better off visiting this place in the off season.

An awesome place, a must visit. Got the train from Toulouse and spent 6 hours walking around the Castle and could easily have spent 6 more hours just walking through the cite. Epic views, try visit on a clear day.

Massive and beautiful castle, with rich history. It's a little bit crowded but it's still a must visit. Entrance in the inner castle is free for EU residents between 18 and 25 so I took advantage of that.

There is a jaw dropping moment when you first cross the drawbridge and walk up the cobbled street. You are transported back to medieval times and, although it's quite commercial and "touristy", the architecture has been lovingly restored and maintained! There are many shops, some selling very good quality art and some selling tourist trinkets and everything in between! There's a wonderful choice of restaurants to choose from and, surprisingly, very reasonably priced! A great place to wander around for a few hours!

What a place, spectacular, jaw dropping from every angle. The cite is free to enter, wander freely through narrow streets enjoy the buzz. There are many restaurants, shops and bars plus the cathedral and the chateau and ramparts, the latter of which attract a small fee. You could take photographs all day long, I've just attached a few

The tour of the castle and its ramparts affords glorious views across the "new" city and the surrounding countryside. Audio guides are available. Would absolutely recommend buying tickets on line to avoid the queues at the sales office. Once you commit to the walk be aware that there are numerous pinch points due to the narrowness of the walkways and there are lots of steps up and down as you make your way round. Amazing place. There are a number of car parks close to the Cite. P0 (very close) and P1. Both are an easy (relatively flat) walk to the main entrance.

Been to ten plus towns and cities in France in the past 8 days. This is by far the prettiest and most interesting. Beautiful buildings, ancient and modern blended for visual enjoyment. Lots of nice little shops very walkable. Can't wait to return in a few years

Great place to visit, lots of medieval buildings to see. The wall city is quite compact with lots of quaint narrow streets, making it easy to navigate yourself around. The narrow streets also give lots of shaded areas to escape from the hot temperatures. There are also lots of restaurants and bars or ice-cream parlours for either lunch or just somewhere to have a relax with a drink or ice cream. All the restraunts were either with shades or lovely shaded gardens. We paid the 9.50 euros for the medieval villa and walked along the tops of the castle walls, which gave great views of the old city within the walls and panoramic view looking over the old town of carcassonne. A memorable day. It would be fantastic at night with the lights on.

This is pretty much everything I hoped it would be, minus medieval knights and jousting. My wife says they probably have those in Peak season, so if you are coming here, you might consider looking up the activities, including the light shows, and other things that looks like they do on a seasonal basis. However, even coming at any time of year, I think is a worthwhile visit period a massive fortress on top of a hill that seriously impresses.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must visit for anyone transiting from Bordeaux, through Toulouse, onto Barcelona, Montpellier or Nice. Truly stunning fully intact medieval settlement with many shops, bars, restaurants, cafes and places of interest. There is ample inexpensive parking adjacent. Schedule your visit around lunch or dinner. A few hours to a half day will do for many. Enjoy!

An amazing experience. Went on the self-guided tour and also walked through the shops inside the walls. Best first castle experience ever!

Some great views of the surrounding area when up on the ramparts. Free to get in and Inside lots of shops and restaurants. We also took the train which goes around the outside of the building giving a history lesson in multiple languages.

Beautiful city within acient walls, many restaurants, shops, cafes and lovely castle museum. Most shops open at 10, restaurants 19:30, brekfast available from 9. The castle museum opens at 10.

The castle itself is huge, amazing, the structure and architecture is wow! You can go from left to right, go to the small events they have, after that mostly everything are small shops for souvenirs. Enjoy!

Beautiful fortified city to visit. Wear sturdy shoes. If it is hot/sunny, know there is very little shade.

Nice place, lot of work has been done to refresh the site. You only have shop and restaurant inside. The few rooms left for people living in the old city are now rent for Air Bnb... It feels like like Disney land at some point

Superb experience. No words just emotions. A lot of restaurant inside the walls. Check reviews prior.

An incredible restored ancient walled city that is definitely worth the time to stop and explore - an hour or two would suffice - or make a special trip to visit. Many stores and restaurants are closed due to the lack of tourists stemming from the ongoing pandemic which makes it easy to find parking and extra good service in the locations which remain open.

Carcassonne was granted two UNESCO World Heritage sites. One is the whole castle complex itself, the other is the castle you pay for a visit. After visiting the castle, I was looking for the other. The restaurant owner told me about the fact that it’s actually one castle inside a big one, which made sense to me then. The castle complex is massive, bigger than Le Mont Saint-Michel. However, I think Le Mont Saint-Michel is more impressive for the architecture and the overall atmosphere. It doesn’t mean that Carcassonne is not worth a visit, but if I can only recommend one to a foreign tourist, Le Mont Saint-Michel is definitely a go-to. You can also find a lot of vine yards around the castle as well as Pyrénées at the background. The countryside view adds more agreeable touches to the castle. Some trails around the castle are definitely good for a walk to get away from other tourists. If you happen to be here in July, don’t miss out on the fireworks on Bastille Day. The fireworks and illumination at the castle is world class.

Great wall and views around. It's worth visiting and walking around its medieval streets. There's a parking quite close by. There are a great selection of restaurants and cafes all around. It may get hectic in summer or peak season.

Wonderful place and best time to visit is off season. You can walk and explore for hours. To have a bite to eat best to go slightly outside the citadel as there are nice places and you can see the citadel from the vineyards.. In peak tourist season it becomes too crowded though so try to avoid that.

Heard such a lot about the Cite de Carcassonne that we made it one of the must see sites on our trip from the UK. It was amazing to walk up the road to the Citadel and be stunned by the view. It didn't make any difference that we knew a lot of the buildings had been reconstructed (in fact there was quiet a lot of scaffolding in place on the day of our visit). Just take in it's magnificence and enjoy the stroll through its old streets. There are plenty of places to eat within the complex along with the usual souvenir shops.

One of best castles I visited. Although in the summer expect a lot of people, it's worth the trouble. While castle and fortifications are walkable, is also nice that inside Cite there's normal life and shops. Truly exceptional experience

Stunning castle and medieval city. Make sure to have whole day to experience it. Castle, it's towers and walls are really stunning. Multiple restaurants, souvenir shops, wine bars, ice cream places. Walk around the ramparts is definitely worth it, easiest way to experience it is to book it online upfront.

Such a lovely place to visit, steeped in history, breathtakingly beautiful and wonderful restaurants, places to drink, get a coffee - and of course, don't forget to look around the town too - really nice! Parking is great up by the castle, however I imagine in the summertime you would be lucky to find a space. If you don't mind an extra 10-15min walk, there is plenty of parking at the bottom of the hill in the very safe, clean and incredibly reasonable underground carparks.

The site itself is impressive and we enjoyed the views as we walked from the old town area across the bridge to it. Inside the walls it was very touristy for us (a "mature" couple) but could see it more enjoyable for families with all the shops geared for them. There are a large number of restaurants so one should be able to find one that suits your needs.

Lovely castle to spend a day at, walking around the ramparts in the inner keep etc. Lots of places to eat and drink as well as the usual souvenir shopping. Dogs are allowed but not in the central area and of course not on the ramparts which are via ticket only anyway so be warned. Lovely view from the castle walls.

Amazingly well preserved city, the walls and the chateau comtal are absolutely breathtaking. The town inside is very well suited for tourists, but the narrow streets and vibrant colors make it stunning. I would recommend going on a sunny weekday, weekends are sometimes crowded and hot. For lunch there are many places to eat, restaurants, food stands, but if you prefer finer dining, it would be better to go back into the lower village for lunch. Allover a marvelous tourist destination nonetheless.

It's a very historical and interesting cite... Everything is well structured and maintained! Free to enter and very popular with tourists because there is so much to see and do when you visit this medieval site. Would be a whole day trip to explore, eat local casserole meals, visit the historic church, find some nice artisans shops, soak in the city view (* need to buy tickets to go into the tower area of the castle 🏰 ) It's definitely worth visiting...

This place was awesome! I wanted to stay longer but the kids were done after 1.5 hours of walking around. It was at the end of the day. They won this time but take the time and spend at least a half day checking out all the features and stores. I would love to go back.

Spectacular fortified city of a rare beauty. The double fortifications make it even more baffling. I fully recommend visiting the ramparts and taking the audioguide so you can learn more about the craftsmanship or the history of this place from the medieval age to current days.

Really beautiful old city with fully maintained outer walls. I suspect that it is still lived in, it is self sustaining. The town of Carcassone is not much to visit so we spent all of 4 hours in the cite which was more then enough. You can pay €9.5 to see the museum and get on the walls for a great overview of the town. You can also pay €6.5 just for the walls which I would have done in hindsight. The pics speak for themselves. Also not busy at all which surprised us.