Carcassonne expansions
Inns & Cathedrals vs Bridges, Castles & Bazaars
Short answer: buy Inns & Cathedrals first. Inns & Cathedrals is the first Carcassonne expansion to buy. It adds a sixth player and bigger scoring without changing the game's feel.
Pick Bridges, Castles & Bazaars first instead if this sounds more like your table: Bridges, Castles & Bazaars is worth it once you've exhausted Inns and Traders. The tile auctions suit groups that like bidding.
| Question | Inns & Cathedrals | Bridges, Castles & Bazaars |
|---|---|---|
| Our label | Buy this first | Depends on your group |
| Buy order | #1 for Carcassonne | #4 for Carcassonne |
| What it adds | 18 tiles with inns and cathedrals, a big meeple, 6th-player pieces and 50/100 point tiles. | 12 tiles, castles that grow small cities, bazaar tile auctions, and 12 wooden bridges. |
| What it fixes | Lets a sixth player join and adds big-score gambles without much extra rules. | Rescues awkward road and small-city spots; adds auctions. |
| Type | Expansion | Expansion |
| Players | 2–6 players | 2–6 players |
| Rules load | About the same rules load | Adds more rules |
| Best for | Best for casual groups | Best for experienced groups |
| You need first | Just the base game | Just the base game |
| Price guide | — | — |
| More | Inns & Cathedrals details | Bridges, Castles & Bazaars details |