Carcassonne is a hilltop town in the south of France. It’s famous for its walled city (Citadel) containing a castle. At night the outer walls of the citadel are illuminated beautifully. The citadel itself is set apart from the more modern city of Carcassonne by a river, however it still feels like very much as a part of the city. It seems like the city just kept expanding and at some point the walls and fortifications weren’t necessary anymore.
Today the old citadel is mostly a tourist attraction. There are many little shops and restaurants but catering mostly towards visitors. Entering the citadel is free, but visiting the castle and some parts of the ramparts costs a small entry fee. It’s definitely worth visiting though as the views from the castle walls are spectacular. The castle is also a fairly interesting build with good insights into how the fortifications worked against invaders. E.g. having the gate towers open towards the courtyard so that the defenders could still shoot down invaders that have managed to take over a gate tower.
Inside the citadel there’s also a huge stage for events such as concerts, theatre etc. taking place in Carcassonne.