The jagged contours, crenelated city walls, grey slate turrets, and burly watchtowers of Carcassonne’s medieval hilltop citadel—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—are just as impressive up close as from afar. More than four million visitors arrive each year to walk the ramparts, visit the Château Comtal, and dive into the warren of cobbled lanes, museums, and monuments within the Cité Médiévale. A half-day visit is enough to cover the top things to do in Carcassonne, leaving time to visit the nearby Lastours Châteaux and Canal du Midi, or sample some local wines.
Huge crowds descend on Carcassonne in summer, and the medieval citadel provides a spectacular backdrop for the Festival de Carcassonne (mid-June through August) and Bastille Day celebrations (July 14). If you want to avoid the crowds and the long lines, time your visit for May-June or September-October instead—as the majority of the attractions are outdoors, you’ll be glad for the cooler weather too.
Free shuttles run between the modern town and the hilltop medieval city from April through October. Outside of this time, you’ll need to take the local bus (there’s no service on Sundays) or walk—it’s about a 20-minute uphill route. The citadel is a car-free zone during the day, but you can park by the entrance and head in on foot to explore the cobblestone lanes and ramparts, or hop in a caleche (horse carriage) for a scenic tour.
Don’t just admire the views from the ramparts—stroll around the outer walls of the citadel, too. Follow the footpaths around the outside of the city walls from the Aude Gate, or enjoy views of the hilltop citadel from the Pont Vieux and Pont Neuf bridges along the Aude River below. While in town, hire a bike and spend an afternoon cycling along the shores of the Canal du Midi for a different take on the area.
