Which Carcassonne expansion should you buy next?

Buy order

Start with Inns & Cathedrals.

1. 1

   Number 1: Inns & Cathedrals

   Buy this first

   Adds: 18 tiles with inns and cathedrals, a big meeple, 6th-player pieces and 50/100 point tiles.

   Fixes: Lets a sixth player join and adds big-score gambles without much extra rules.

   Inns & Cathedrals is the first Carcassonne expansion to buy. It adds a sixth player and bigger scoring without changing the game's feel.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAbout the same rules loadBest for casual groups

   I own this: Inns & CathedralsDetailsBuy Inns & Cathedrals:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)
2. 2

   Number 2: Traders & Builders

   Worth it

   Adds: 24 tiles, goods tokens, builder (extra tile turns), pig for farms, and a cloth bag for tiles.

   Fixes: Adds reasons to finish cities and more scoring depth.

   Traders & Builders is the natural second box. It adds goods and a builder that make turns more interesting.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesFine for any group

   I own this: Traders & BuildersDetailsBuy Traders & Builders:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)
3. 3

   Number 3: The Princess & The Dragon

   Depends on your group

   Adds: 30 tiles, a dragon that eats meeples, a fairy that protects them, the princess and magic portals.

   Fixes: Adds lots of tiles and ways to knock rivals out of features.

   Princess & Dragon is great for groups that want more chaos. Tile-placement purists may not enjoy the dragon.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesFine for any group

   I own this: The Princess & The DragonDetailsBuy The Princess & The Dragon:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)
4. 4

   Number 4: Bridges, Castles & Bazaars

   Depends on your group

   Adds: 12 tiles, castles that grow small cities, bazaar tile auctions, and 12 wooden bridges.

   Fixes: Rescues awkward road and small-city spots; adds auctions.

   Bridges, Castles & Bazaars is worth it once you've exhausted Inns and Traders. The tile auctions suit groups that like bidding.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groups

   I own this: Bridges, Castles & BazaarsDetailsBuy Bridges, Castles & Bazaars:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)
5. 5

   Number 5: Abbey & Mayor

   Depends on your group

   Adds: 12 tiles, abbey tiles to fill holes, plus mayor, wagon and barn pieces.

   Fixes: Makes hard-to-finish features easier to close.

   Abbey & Mayor is solid but not essential. Get it after the first few expansions if you want more meeple options.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesFine for any group

   I own this: Abbey & MayorDetailsBuy Abbey & Mayor:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)Walmart (opens in a new tab)
6. 6

   Number 6: Hills & Sheep

   Depends on your group

   Adds: 18 tiles, hills that break ties, vineyards near monasteries, and a shepherd with a sheep/wolf bag.

   Fixes: Adds a push-your-luck choice and a tie-breaker on hills.

   Hills & Sheep is fine to own eventually but not essential. The sheep add a light push-your-luck twist.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesBest for casual groups

   I own this: Hills & SheepDetailsBuy Hills & Sheep:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)
7. 7

   Number 7: Count, King & Robber

   Depends on your group

   Adds: 22 tiles, the city of Carcassonne with the Count, and King/Robber bonus tiles for biggest city and longest road.

   Fixes: Adds biggest-city and longest-road style bonuses.

   Count, King & Robber is a value box of several small add-ons. It's good if you want lots of variety for the price.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesFine for any group

   I own this: Count, King & RobberDetailsBuy Count, King & Robber:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)
8. 8

   Number 8: Under the Big Top

   Most groups can skip

   Adds: 20 tiles, circus and acrobat tiles, animal tokens and ringmaster meeples.

   Fixes: Adds circus clustering bonuses; little core fix.

   Under the Big Top has fans, but it's hard to find and not essential. Skip it unless you spot it at a fair price.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesFine for any group

   I own this: Under the Big TopDetailsBuy Under the Big Top:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)
9. 9

   Number 9: The Tower

   Most groups can skip

   Adds: 18 tiles, 30 tower floors to capture rival meeples, and a tile dispenser tower.

   Fixes: Adds direct take-that play for competitive groups.

   The Tower lets players capture each other's meeples, which many experienced players don't like. Skip it unless your group enjoys take-that play.

   Usually a better fit for a different kind of group — still fine if it sounds fun.

   Expansion2–6 playersAdds more rulesBest for experienced groups

   I own this: The TowerDetailsBuy The Tower:Amazon (opens in a new tab)Z-Man Games (opens in a new tab)

Rankings are our editorial picks, built from the reviews linked on each expansion page. Last checked 2026-09-27.