Two towns, one river, ten riddles: Carcassonne as a game
The Carcassonne scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. From the tree-lined Square André Chénier to the twin towers of the Porte Narbonnaise you cover 4 km, about 46 minutes on foot across 10 stops, and riddles, stories and breaks fill the rest of roughly 2 hours, starting whenever you open the game.
Highlights include Place Carnot with its Neptune fountain, the Cathédrale Saint-Michel, the medieval Pont Vieux over the Aude, the Basilique Saint-Nazaire, the Château Comtal and the double ramparts of the Cité. Carcassonne is two towns in one, the flat grid of the Bastide and the walled Cité on its hill, and this walk connects both.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 46 min · 4 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
From the Bastide to the Cité, across the Aude
Answers carved into gates and fountains
Each of the 10 stops sets one riddle, and the clue is always in view: a detail on Neptune's fountain, the rose window of Saint-Michel, the stonework of the Porte de l'Aude. Sharp eyes and some logic do the job, no history degree required.
A pig, a viscount and an architect
Solved riddles unlock Carcassonne's stories: Dame Carcas, who according to legend fooled Charlemagne's besieging army with a well-fed pig, the Trencavel viscounts who built the Château Comtal, and Viollet-le-Duc, whose restoration from 1853 gave the Cité back its towers. Prefer listening? Dame Carcas, the Trencavels and Viollet-le-Duc all feature in the audio narration too.
Level lower town, then the climb
The 4 km take about 46 minutes on foot: first the flat grid of the Bastide Saint-Louis, then the Pont Vieux over the Aude, then the steep path up to the Porte de l'Aude. Google Maps shows the way between stops, and once you are through that gate the hardest part is behind you.
Lunch inside the walls, a pause on the bridge
No clock runs against you, so a long lunch in the Cité or a halt on the Pont Vieux to look back at the walls fits in easily, and you can carry on later or another day. Between the bridge and the gate, the app also points you to a few places for a meal or some shopping.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Day trippers, families and groups heading for the Cité
A day trip that covers both towns
Many visitors only go up to the Cité. This game also takes you through the Bastide, past its cathedral and main square, and joins the two halves by the medieval bridge, all in about 2 hours, which suits a stop on a road trip across the south of France.
Kids who want a real castle with a moat
Kids get a real castle with its own moat and towers, wooden galleries on top of the walls, gargoyles on the basilica and the tale of the pig thrown over the ramparts. An adult plays in each team, and the climb to the Cité is short, if steep.
Colleagues regrouping under the Narbonne towers
Teams of up to 5 players, each on their own phone, can leave Square André Chénier a few minutes apart and gather at the Porte Narbonnaise at the end. The game uses only public streets, paths and bridges, so nothing needs booking apart from the tickets.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
Renate –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Immer wieder super! In Carcassone wäre ein Hinweis gut gewesen, dass sich das Spiel auf die ganze Stadt bezieht, wir sind zunächst nur von der Burg ausgegangen, haben deshalb die Stationen durcheinandergebracht. Machte aber auch nichts!
Nadia– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Super idée qui a permis de visiter aussi bien la ville basse que la cité en haut. Par contre trop de textes (on a eu l’impression d’un copié collé Wikipedia !). Nous n’avons pas apprécié de ne pouvoir revenir en arrière dans le jeu ou même de recharger désormais le parcours pour par exemple mettre des noms de monuments sur les photos. Mais le choix des étapes du jeu reste sympa. Prévoir pour des ados ou adultes. Les plus jeunes enfants ne seront pas attirés à mon avis par ce jeu là.
Eli-Norway –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Cooper-Slovakia –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Lucy-Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Lucy-Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Elijah-Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Mateo-France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Cooper-Russia –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Genesis-Germany –
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Emily-Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Eleanor-France –
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Zoey-France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Kitty– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Ik vond het erg leuk om te doen. Zo zie je plekken in een stad die de moeite waard zijn en met achtergrond informatie. Waardoor een plaats meer gaat leven. De app werkte prima en de opdrachten waren leuk om te doen.
Spain –
Collected on GetYourGuide
No me quedó claro cómo proceder (culpa mía). Está bien porque te lo da todo hecho y se integra perfectamente en Maps. Hay que bajarse la aplicación para que funcione, pero no da problemas. Sería bueno que dijeran que NO HAY LUGAR FÍSICO al que llamar o acudir si hay dudas. Ahora que sé cómo va, repetiría porque es cómodo
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Le principe est sympa pour découvrir la ville. Les énigmes sont un peu trop simples.
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
parfait