9 Wonderfully Walled Cities

Walled cities are usually historic places with turbulent pasts, but today they are often picturesque and seem to have been built more for exploration than defense. And you might think that walled cities exist only in Europe, but actually they can be found all over the world...see for yourself!
1
Carcassonne, France
Carcassonne is perhaps the most magnificent walled city in existence. Located in southwest France's Languedoc region, it's a medieval citadel with no fewer than 53 watchtowers and completely encircled by thick double-walled fortifications. Some of these amazing walls date from the Gallo-Roman period.

2
St. Malo, France
Located in the Brittany region of northern France, St. Malo is a historic port city encircled by walls that seem to be lifted straight out of a pirate movie. And that's fitting because St. Malo gained notoriety in the 19th century as a haven for the French corsairs, or pirates, who made a sport of preying on British ships that ventured too close. You can walk on top of the walls for gorgeous views of the Atlantic.
3
Jerusalem, Israel
One of the most striking things about Jerusalem is its walls. The Old City of Jerusalem is completely surrounded by the walls that Sultan Suleiman I ordered to be built on top of older walls. Construction started in 1537 and was completed in 1541.

4
Nicosia, Cyprus
Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is presently divided between a Turkish Cypriot northern half and Greek Cypriot southern half, but the mighty walls that surround the entire city date from the period of Venetian rule on Cyprus, and were completed in the mid-16th century.
5
Dubrovnik, Croatia
One of the most popular cruise ship stops in the Mediterranean, Dubrovnik is a pearl of the Adriatic located on Croatia's southern shore. The walls that ring its historic Old Town date from the 16th century. 

6
Acre, Israel
Acre, or Akko, is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, and a strategic crossroads location since antiquity. The Crusaders built a sea wall and harbor; the remnants of the walls were fortified by Zahir al-Umar in 1750.
7
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena was founded in 1533, and in 1984 its Spanish colonial walled city and fortress were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The walls are 20 meters thick in place and were built to fend off English buccaneers and French pirates.
8
Fez, Morocco
Morocco's cultural capital, Fez, is redolent of Old World atmosphere, preserved by the medieval walls that encircle its famous medina (old city). The Almohad walls date from the 12th century during the city's Golden Age.
9
Quebec City, Canada
Quebec City is the only walled city in North America north of Mexico. The ramparts of Vieux-Québec were first built by the French. They were later refortified by the British after they seized Quebec City from France following their victory over the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759.