My Favorite 5 Walled Cities in Europe
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist
One of my favorite things to do in Europe is visit the old walled cities of Europe.
A walled city is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. From ancient to modern times, they have been used to enclose settlements and provide protection for those living in the city.
Almost every town in medieval times that could built defensive walls did so—they were essential to survive the harsh times of yesteryear.
Today, walled cities have become obsolete due to improved weapons and aircraft used in modern warfare. The good news is that the cities that did not destroy their old walls now usually are special places where you can enjoy a bygone era that survives in today’s modern world
So, let’s explore together and learn about my 5 favorite walled cities and see Anne’s pictures of these wonderful places.
Tallinn, Estonia.
The inspiration for this blog is that Estonia Independence Day is February 24 and we are publishing it on 24 February 2022. I am starting off with the walled city gem of Northern Europe—the old Town of Tallinn.
Tallinn Estonia old town is a great place to visit. It is the oldest capital city in Northern Europe. With 1.9 km of its original city wall still standing, Tallinn has one of Europe’s best preserved medieval fortifications—it has cool gates and 20 defensive towers.
A large part of what gives Old Town its fairytale charm is the system of walls and towers that surrounds it.
The old town is divided into lower and upper towns—and it is just a charming, fun place to explore. We have been there 2 times and are ready to go back soon.
York, England.
York has been defended by walls since Roman times. It has the most intact walls of any city in England.
We walked some of the walls and it was great to see this old town from the large walls. Inside the walls, the York Cathedral is especially impressive and there are other medieval half-timbered buildings and areas that are neat to visit.
The walls had 4 main gates which restricted entrance into the town, provided protection and were also used to collect tolls. In our opinion, York is a good place to visit.
Carcassonne, France.
Since the pre-Roman period, a fortified settlement has existed on the hill where Carcassonne now stands. It is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town, with its massive defenses encircling the castle and the surrounding buildings, the narrow streets and its fine Gothic cathedral.
Here is a small part of these massive walls:
The walls have 53 towers and 5 barbicans (A barbican is a fortified outpost or gateway or any tower situated over a gate or bridge). There is a castle inside the walled city complete with a drawbridge. It is the largest walled city in Europe.
We stayed inside this walled city, really enjoyed the sights and got to eat cassoulet—a regional specialty dish of beans, duck and sausage—great food—Anne now makes at home for us.
There are 2 main gate entrances to the city. They are the Narbonne Gate and the Aude Gate.
Narbonne Gate Carcasonne, France
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany.
Only 3 towns in Germany have completely intact city walls (Nordingen and Dinkelsbuhl are the other two) and the walls of Rothenburg are considered by most as the best.
This may be the best-known walled city in Europe and is very popular as a tourist destination. Rothenburg is Germany’s best-preserved walled city. Part of the walls have covered walled walkways and can be walked and provide great views of the city.
The walls are about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) long and covered, with several towers and entrances at the gates. Rothenburg is usually very crowded during the day but if you stay overnight, it is awesome place to visit. We stayed overnight and really enjoyed our time here.
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Dubrovnik is known as the pearl of the Adriatic. This walled city is considered to be among the great fortification systems of the Middle Ages.
The walls are about 1.940 meters long and 25 meters high (82 feet) at some points. It has 17 towers, 5 bastions and 2 angular fortifications and a fort all incorporated into the walls. There was even a moat around the land portions.
The city at one time was defended by 120 cannons. These fortifications were never breached, but diplomacy skills of its leaders rather than military might was probably the reason Dubrovnik never fell to its enemies, according to some historians.
We have walked portions of the walls and the views are stunning. There is a lot to see inside the walls and good restaurants—this should be a place you go to also.
Our Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed this report. There is just so much history to see in Europe and its structures help you learn about times past.
We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.
When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.
Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!
ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent
