5 Wonderful Medieval Walled Cities to Explore

1. Carcassonne, France

Carcassonne was one of the first Medieval walled cities that I ever saw and is probably my favourite. It is located in the South-West of France, near the border with Spain. We had traveled by train from Barcelona and decided to stay one night within the walls of this magical city.

This imposing city sits on the summit of a hill overlooking the surrounding countryside and is one of the best preserved medieval walled cities in the world. With its glistening turrets, 52 towers and 2 concentric walls totaling 3 kilometers of ramparts, it is the stuff of fairy tales.

The origins of Carcassonne dates back to 300-500years BC! The original town, which was an essential stopover between Narbonne and Bordeaux, prospered thanks to the wine trade. During the Middle Ages, with invasions by the Germanic people, fortifications started being built, beginning with 1200m long city wall. Fast forward to the 11th century and the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse was built. This period of prosperity ended with the beginning of the Crusades.

In the 13th Century, Carcassonne started taking on the appearance it has today, with a second wall and rampart being built. Under the reign of Phillip the Bold and his son Phillip the Fair (love the names!), Carcassonne became almost impregnable. A period of decline followed, until in 1840 the city regained its letters of Nobility, the basilica became listed as a historic monument, and restoration work began.

Entering the city through the medieval drawbridge sets the scene for what lies within. Entry is free and just wandering the cobblestone streets is fascinating. There is so much more to see though, wander along the ramparts, join a guided tour to learn the secrets and history of the city. Tour the 12th century castle located within the walls of the city. Sign up for the numerous Medieval workshops, camps, and activities that take place regularly. You can even hire VR goggles to get a real feel for what life was like in the Middle Ages in Carcassonne.

Time your visit, as Carcassonne castle is a UNESCO world heritage site, and is the second most visited historical monument in France, outside of Paris. Every July Carcassonne hosts a huge music and arts festival that attracts even more visitors, so it can get quite crowded.

We stayed in the Best Western Hotel within the walls of the city and my favourite dining experience by a country mile was at the Michelin Star restaurant La Barbacane. I was traveling with my kids and was so happy to see that a Michelin star restaurant had a kid’s menu! The staff were wonderful, and the food was superb, they even personalize your menu and allow you to take it home with you. A truly unforgettable dining experience.

Speaking of children, if you are traveling with the kids, this place should definitely be on your itinerary. They will love it! All the history they learn about at school will come to life for them. Big kids too, like me, that love history, will love this place.

2. Dubrovnik, Croatia

We were only in Dubrovnik for 1 night before setting sail on a Croatian cruise of the Dalmation coast. Therefore, we chose to stay near the marina rather than within the city walls. Having said that, we spent our whole time in Dubrovnik exploring the walled city. After sorting out a mobile data issue I was having, which took a lot longer than I had hoped to sort out, we caught the local bus from the marina to the city gates.

My one must-do in Dubrovnik is to walk the walls of this spectacular medieval walled city. We purchased our tickets, which weren’t cheap, but you simply have to do it! Enter the city through the elaborate Pile Gate, built in 1537. From there, head down the ramp to pass through the inner gate and into the main square. There are a few different entry and exit points along the wall, but to reduce congestion, everyone has to walk in the same direction. We chose the closest entry to the main gate. Walking the wall, take in the magnificent view of the Old Town and out over the Adriatic Sea. Admire the forts and towers that date back to the 16th century, as well as the marina.

All that stone can make things a little heated. We were there in September, and we worked up quite a thirst walking those walls. Only one thing for it really….a refreshment break at the wonderful Buza Bar! Located on the rocks outside the city walls, it offers exceptional views of the sea, sunsets and daring patrons swan diving into the ocean! We loved our time at Buza bar, but no time to linger…. we had a walk of shame to do!

Once you have completed the city wall walk, explore inside the walled city itself. Highlights were the Franciscan pharmacy, dating back to 1317, it is perhaps the oldest operating pharmacy in Europe. Any Game of Thrones fans will know that Dubrovnik was the filming location for the fictional King’s Landing. The iconic scene where Cersei does her walk of shame was partly filmed on the Jesuits Staircase. Of course, we had to re-enact it, as did everyone else on the stairs. In fact, we were told that shop owners and residents along that street are cursing the day they agreed to filming, because all they hear day-in, and day-out is one word on repeat – SHAME! 😂

We loved the walled city of Dubrovnik, and if you are in Croatia, you should definitely put aside a day to explore within those walls.

3. Visby, Sweden

Visby is the Capital city of Gotland, in Sweden’s Stockholm Archipelago. It is a top summer holiday destination for Swedes and has a fascinating history. Designated as a protected monument in 1810 and a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995, Visby’s origins date back to the Stone Age! It become an important location along the shipping routes between Russia and western Europe. Foreign traders settled on the island as early as the 9th century BC. By the 13th century it was known as the ‘Queen of the Sea’, then followed a period of decline, the Black Death plague, and then prosperity again.

The medieval heritage of the town can be seen today in the 13th century wall, 3.6 kms long and 9 metres high, that surrounds the city. Several city gates and 27 defensive towers are still intact. There are approximately 200 warehouses that are now private homes, that date back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Church and cathedral ruins are scattered throughout the city, it really is an amazing place to wander though.

Visby is known as the City of Roses and the namesake flowers are everywhere in the city, as well as statues of Rams, the symbol of the city. We stayed in the cute Hotel St Clemens, right in the heart of the walled city. There is a courtyard at the rear of the hotel that backs onto a church ruin…. talk about coffee with a view!

Every August, Visby and the island of Gotland host a medieval festival with a wide range of activities, including jousting! When we were there in July, preparations for the festival were underway. You can read more about the highlights of our stay in Visby here.

4. York, England

York has been occupied by both Romans and Vikings over the centuries. Medieval York was England’s second largest city and became wealthy through the wool trade. In the 15th century it became involved in the war of the Roses (a series of English civil wars fought over control of the throne), and the white rose is still the symbol of the city.

Henry VIII made York the capital of his Northern church and the stunning York Minster is still one of the most powerful churches in England. York survived WWI and WWII bombing attacks and is the best preserved medieval walled town in England.

Make sure to visit the Minster, it is huge with beautiful stained-glass windows, and impressive central nave. I especially liked the astronomical clock, which was installed in 1955 as a memorial to the airmen operating in the area that were killed in WWII. You can also walk the city walls, which we didn’t get the chance to do when we were there.

Another place you can visit in York is the iconic Clifford’s tower. Originally built by William the Conqueror to subdue the rebellious North, it has served as a royal mint, a medieval stronghold, and a civil war garrison over the centuries. It is also the location of a terrible massacre that occurred in 1190, that saw York’s Jewish community trapped inside by a violent mob. Today you can tour inside, learn the history and climb the stairs to the new deck and enjoy the view.

Once again, we stayed in a Best Western hotel. This one, Dean Court was located right near the Minster, which we could see out of our bedroom window. Having seen the Minster and Clifford’s Tower, don’t miss wandering down the Medieval main street, known as The Shambles, with its buildings dating back to the 13th century.

5. Lucca, Italy

Lucca, located in Tuscany, became a Roman colony in 180BC. It became prosperous through the silk trade in the 11th century. Centuries of political changes and battles ensued, until in 1805 it was taken over by Napoleon, who put his sister in charge, and then finally in 1847 it became part of the Italian State.

The city walls remained intact as the city expanded, even though they no longer held military importance. The walls became a pedestrian promenade ringing the old town. They were even used as a car race-track in the 20th century! Today, they are still fully intact, and you can stroll around them, or as we did, hire a push bike and ride around them!

There are many medieval churches and basilicas in Lucca to see as well as the main town square of Piazza Anfiteatro, which occupies the site of the ancient Roman Forum. Like so many Medieval walled cities, Lucca holds regular medieval festivals. When we were there, we were lucky to see a parade for one of these festivals, with participants in medieval dress carrying banners and archery equipment.

Make sure you set aside a little time for shopping while in Lucca. The leather shops there are wonderful! I may, or may not, have purchased a handbag or two during our visit.

I love history, and I love learning the history of the places I visit. If you are like me, then I highly recommend adding a Medieval walled city to your travel itinerary, the history of these places is immense! Plus, they are just gorgeous looking cities. So many photo opportunities!