Skyrim Best Cities

[Laura N Gerard]

Playersare spoilt for choice when it comes to the best city in Skyrim, as many have their advantages, such as structures, NPCs, and general aesthetic and climate. However, they can also have disadvantages, such as problematic characters, dangerous guilds that lurk in the shadows, and freezing temperatures that might dismay players from ever stepping foot near said city again.

Updated on January 24, 2024 by Jake Fillery: Skyrim cities remain as hot spots for players to visit, and there's a good reason for that. Each of the nine holds in Skyrim holds interesting characters, points of interest, and a set of quests to send them across the snowy plains of Skyrim. If players want to get the most out of Skyrim, or just find a nice place to raise a family and build a house from the ground up, then learning a little something about the best cities in Skyrim will probably aid the player on their quest, regardless of a dragon invasion or not.

Winterhold is perhaps the worst place to live in Skyrim. It used to be a major city that held a grand importance to Skyrim. Yet, now it is little more than a small village that holds the renowned College of Winterhold. There are barely any surviving houses and inns in Winterhold, and the climate is so far up North that everything freezes, and crops do not grow.

There was a geological disaster that occurred in Winterhold called The Great Collapse. This saw the devastation of storms and tidal waves hit Skyrim, which forever crippled Winterhold. However, the College of Winterhold was left unharmed and still thrives as a school for magic, which is the true selling point of Winterhold.

Not only does Windhelm have a freezing climate, a cold and claustrophobic city design, but it houses a serial killer known as The Butcher. To make matters worse, the Nords that live in Windhelm relegate elves and other races to the Gray Quarter, and hurl abuse at them in the hopes they will leave Windhelm and Skyrim to the Nords.

Dawnstar is one of the quieter cities in Skyrim. The sun always seems to shine in Dawnstar, despite the rough weather of snow that ravishes the land. Dawnstar is mainly used as a trading town more than anything else, and those that venture here can expect an array of fish, smithing materials, or even a Daedric Museum to tickle their fancy.

The City of Stone, Markarth is a sight to marvel at for those interested in the Dwemer. Markarth is a major city, rich in silver mines, forced labor, and defense. Practically everything is made of stone in Markarth, which makes it the safest hold in all of Skyrim for residents to hide when a dragon is attacking. Even the Jarl boasts that the beds are made of stone, except he is completely literal in his meaning, causing some discomfort when sleeping.

Whiterun is essentially the heart of Skyrim, and the defensive capabilities of wood and stone make for a strong structure to hold against attacks from war or dragons. Dragonsreach is also a great capital that houses the Jarl, as well as the skeleton of the dead dragon Numinex.

It's probably safe to say that no other place in video games has been more frequented and visited than Skyrim. The game has been going strong for nine years now and it will likely remain popular come its 10th year in existence as a complete game. Skyrim will always be a home for many players who have gone in other open-worlds as it's one of the most recognizable.

Of course, when taking a virtual vacation in the land of the Nords, it doesn't hurt to plan out an itinerary. After all, Skyrim's holds and provinces are not made equally and some are worth more of your time than others. So don't just jump into a new game without some newfound appreciation for the cities and large towns of Skyrim. Climb in the back of our cart and we'll be off to the crown-jewels of this war-torn Tamriel province.

Updated November 16, 2021, by Sid Natividad: With the release of Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, we all get a new and upgraded vacation stay in Tamriel's coldest province once again. As always, Skyrim's roads and wilderness are fraught with loud bandits, pesky dragons, and terrifying mudcrabs. It's best to stay in the cities, to be honest.

Thankfully, there are many things to do in each of Skyrim's major holds and settlements. Apart from the usual sightseeing and real-estate shopping, you can also attend to the main story or quest offering of said city. Hence, we've listed down what makes each city special or notable as far as questlines go. So that maybe you attend to them first before lollygagging.

We're not even sure why this one continues to be called a "hold." It's clearly less than a hamlet by the current timeline of the game and the only notable structure is that weird mage college from afar that has a questionable curriculum.

Winterhold, for that matter, is by far the most destitute hold in Skyrim after a supposed accident with tsunamis swallowed a huge chunk of the town. Now it's barely recognizable and much less so with its frigid position way up north.

It houses the College of Winterhold which contains the most in-depth spellcaster questline in the game. If you finish it, you get to be the school principal along with some nice robes.

Falkreath is a small and lovely respite from stonewalled civilizations and much like Winterhold, not much is going on in the local area. However, Falkreath is still more desirable than that desolate fridge because of its warmer climate and dreamier haze.

It's surrounded by a forest too, making it a good outpost from all your mountaineering and camping. It wasn't always a part of Skyrim, however, as Falkreath has changed hands many times between the Imperials and the Nords. That sort of explains why it has one of the biggest graveyards in Skyrim.

Clavicus Vile is one of those princes and he has quite a surreal presence in Falkreath via a talking dog who's dealing with employment problems. It's definitely a quest to remember.

Looking for a place that's seemingly insulated from all the Jarl politicking and the Tamrielic province woes? Morthal is one such area and its residents love to distance and isolate themselves from all the disturbances and turmoil inherent in their home province.

It does help that Morthal is surrounded by a marsh, making it less accessible and strategically important compared to other holds. Sadly, this fixation for keeping the local peace and quiet has led to the residents of Morthal being unwelcoming towards newcomers.

Laid to Rest is a classic investigation quest about a burned house and possibly murder and infidelity. You're tasked with finding out the truth behind why Hroggar's house burned down with his wife and child inside it and why the man already has a new lover shortly after the disaster.

It's not located on the mainland as Raven Rock rests at the harbor of Solstheim which is an island between Vvardenfell and Skyrim but nevertheless, it's an important part of the game. Raven Rock is one of the busiest dock cities or towns in the region.

It's home to a bustling population of miners, merchants, and treasure hunters looking to make a profit in the turbulent winds, snow, and sands of Solstheim. Raven Rock is busy and pretty enough especially for those looking for a change of scenery from all the Norse and Viking iconography.

The Earth Stone isn't exactly in Raven Rock's immediate vicinity but it's a short walk away. You'll immediately spot the weird ritual site full of uncanny individuals and if you talk to them, they don't actually know why they're there or what they're doing. It's one of the eeriest ways to set up the happenings in Solstheim.

Dawnstar had a pretty big contribution to the guilds of Skyrim as they popped up like mushrooms after martial law was declared in the province following the destruction of a fortress in the city. With that said, Dawnstar has seen better days.

It doesn't look as fortified as before and its current citizens are suffering from nightmares due to a certain Daedric Prince. In any case, Dawnstar is an important city and holds the key to many rich mines and trading resources, making them a high-activity area. The dragons seem to know that as well.

This is the quest where a Mythic Dawn supporter opens up a museum dedicated to the infamous cult who assassinated Uriel Septim VII and served as the villains in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. They also worship Mehrunes Dagon and the quest will grant the players his legendary dagger.

It might be one of the biggest cities in Skyrim but it's hard to recommend this wretched place for a little R&R. You don't even have to enter the place to experience how bad the corruption in Riften is, simply walking by the gate is enough to get swindled by the guards.

Once you get in, the whole place just reeks of crime and thuggery. Soon enough, you'll realize that the very foundations of the city itself are dishonest work and dirty money. But hey, if that excites you, then head on over to the sewers for some cloak and dagger betrayal.

Near the top of the food chain, of course, is the elusive and mythical Thieves Guild. You don't exactly have to break a sweat trying to get in, Brynjolf will scout you. They're low on members, you see.

Windhelm is a disputed capital of Skyrim because in the current timeline, it houses Ulfric Stormcloak and his army. It's a walled city that also boasts a dock that can connect to Vvardenfell and Solstheim, making its location strategic in Tamriel.

When it comes to size, Windhelm is quite a beast of a stronghold and all the homes and structures are made mostly out of stone to keep out the howling winter winds of Northern Skyrim. Sadly, it's neither the biggest nor most impressive out of all the holds.

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