Carcassonne Castle (Cité de Carcassonne) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of different ways to experience Carcassonne Citadel (La Cité de Carcassonne) in the south of France. Looking at traveler ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are your top options right now:

• Cité de Carcassonne Guided Walking Tour: Private Tour

• Toulouse: Carcassonne Day Trip by Coach with Audio Guides

• Cité de Carcassonne and Wine Tasting Private Day Tour from Toulouse 

Carcassonne Citadel—aka the medieval district of Carcassonne—is free to visit. However, some sites within the medieval district have an entry fee. For example, the famous Château Comtal requires an entry ticket, which costs €13 for adults in the low season and €19 in the high season; advanced booking is recommended.

The Château Comtal is the standout sight in the Carcassonne Citadel, but there are many other must-sees around the district’s cobblestone streets. The Basilica of St. Nazaire with its Gothic-Romanesque architecture, the medieval ramparts, and the old town gates of Porte d’Aude and Porte Narbonnaise are all highlights of the district.

Yes, and you can walk around the whole perimeter of Carcassonne’s medieval ramparts safely and for free. It takes around two hours to complete a loop of the ramparts, during which you can soak up views over the medieval district and the scenic Corbières region, and read about the ramparts’ history from information boards.

Yes, the Carcassonne Citadel makes for a fun family day trip, as long as it’s planned well. Skip busy summer weekends when crowds can give the place a chaotic edge, and leave ample time for the ramparts. There are often activities for kids taking place, with highlights including tours by armor-clad guides and scavenger hunts.

Yes, there’s a wide choice of restaurants inside Carcassonne Citadel, from casual dining restaurants to fancier Michelin-starred affairs (where prebooking is essential). There are no eateries inside the Château Comtal, but in the wider citadel district, there’s no shortage of options from breakfast time until dark.