Carcassonne

As someone who is obsessed with Medieval stories and costumes, I never would have imagined that one day I would be wandering in a Medieval city. Cité de Carcassonne is the largest, most well-kept citadel in Europe at present. It is undoubtedly the most impressive citadel I have ever visited.

Carcassonne's beauty is unique. The solemnity of the architecture can be found nowhere else. I wandered around the citadel, tried to explore every corner. Some streets were packed with shops and restaurants, but there were also a couple of quite little alleys with flowers wildly in blossom. Away from the crowd, I've never felt so peaceful like this. It seemed like history was under my fingertips. Each wall, each brick was still telling the stories of the long, tortuous history of Carcassonne. But I also sensed the passion embodied in this lovely Southern French town.

Getting to the core of the citadel required tickets, but I highly recommend you to visit inside. It was such an in-depth discovery of the medieval culture for me. That feeling of stepping into history was surreal. The exhibition inside introduced the restoration of the cité and how the research was continuing today, to explore more of the past. The view from the tower was truly breathtaking. Far away, houses with red brick roofs, lush trees, and blue mountains were in sight. Under the bright sun, everything looked like straight out from a painting. I felt time had slowed down here.