There are nine distinct cities in Skyrim, and each of them has its own Jarl, laws, and colorful characters that help make the world of Skyrim more interesting to the Dragonborn. The culture within each city, and the stories within make them all worth visiting due to what they hold. Yet, with 9 cities in Skyrim, players might ask what ones are the safest, and which ones would they like to move into that don’t make them feel like they’re going to be a target of the Dark Brotherhood or the sole protector against a dragon attack.

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Players are 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.

9 Winterhold

Home To The College Of Winterhold And A Desolated City

Jarl of Winterhold

• Korir

Points of Interest

• College of Winterhold - A vast magical school, remaining standing despite the great collapse of Winterhold itself
• The Frozen Hearth - A rare warm place in Winterhold, where mead helps with the freezing temperatures

Notable Quests

• First Lessons - Join the College of Winterhold and begin the journey of a student mage
• Dungeon Delving - Retrieve the Helm of Winterhold for the Jarl

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.

8 Windhelm

The City Of Kings, Cold And Filled With Prejudice

Jarl of Windhelm

• Ulfric Stormcloak

Points of Interest

• Palace of the Kings - Where the Jarl seeks audience with his council
• Calixto's House of Curiosities - An odd shop, with an odder shopkeeper
• Temple of Talos - A holy shrine to Talos, a deity outlawed by the Thalmor

Notable Quests

• Innocence Lost - Help Aventus Aretino's request to assassinate the caretaker of Riften's orphanage, and seek an audience with the Dark Brotherhood
• Blood on the Ice - Discover the killer that is plaguing the streets of Windheldm
• Joining the Stormcloaks - Prove that there is ice in the Dragonborn's veins and join the Stormcloak rebellion

Windhelm is another Skyrim city located in the Northen region. It’s known as the City of Kings, and is a fitting title, considering the Jarl is Ulfric Stormcloak, the very man who murdered the High King and plunged Skyrim into a civil war regarding the true ownership of the realm and Nord pride. However, this very pride is the inherent issue with Windhelm, as it is home to some extreme bigotry.

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.

7 Dawnstar

Rich Mines, Hard Labor, Plagued By Nightmares

Jarl of Dawnstar

• Skald the Elder

Points of Interest

• The White Hall - Home to the Jarl and his court
• Dawnstar Sanctuary - A secret Dark Brotherhood sanctuary, frozen in time and a lack of use
• Silus Vesuius's House - A museum dedicated to the history of the Mythic Dawn

Notable Quests

• Pieces of the Past - Find the scattered pieces of Mehrunes' Razor to reassemble the deadly Daedric blade
• Waking Nightmare - Save the people of Dawnstar from their dreaded nightmares caused by Vaermina's curse

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.

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There is nothing inherently wrong with Dawnstar. That is if the people of Skyrim can ignore the sleepless nightmares that plague their city. There just isn’t much to Dawnstar to keep it interesting amongst the other nine-major cities. Yet, that is within Dawnstar’s best interest, to be a safe place to work and rest.

6 Morthal

A Deep Marsh With Vampiric Hauntings

Jarl of Morthal

• Idgrod Ravencrone

Points of Interest

• Highmoon Hall - Where the people of Morthal seek audience with their Jarl
• Moorside Inn - The depression inn where the townsfolk drown their sorrows in mead
• Thaumaturgist's Hut - A humble alchemy shop, filled with oddities

Notable Quests

• Laid to Rest - Investigate the house fire that claimed innocent lives, and uncover an insidious vampiric plot
• Rising at Dawn - Find Falion, the only hope of curing vampirism before it is too late

Morthal seems relegated and different from other cities in Skyrim. Morthal is located within the marshes of Hjaalmarch and was built within swamp-like areas. It’s nice to get away from the freezing temperatures, but the swamplands make Morthal a far cry from an attractive city, especially when its size is more boastful of an average town than anything else.

There isn’t much that residents can do in Morthal, other than experience herbalism and alchemy because of the plant life around their hold. However, there are some dangers in Morthal, as rumors of a vampire mistress hang heavy over the innocent town.

5 Markarth

The City Of Stone, Forged By Dwemer, Invaded By Forsworn

Jarl of Markarth

• Igmund

Points of Interest

• Understone Keep - Residence of the Jarl, as well as an ancient Dwemer building harboring darker secrets
• Hall of the Dead - Where the dead are laid to rest, and where a cannibal cult feasts
• Cidhna Mine - A forced labor prison camp owned by the Silver-Blood family

Notable Quests

• The House of Horrors - Assist Molag Bal in taking revenge on a servant of Boethiah
• The Taste of Death - Prepare a dinner for the Lady of Decay and her secret followers
• The Lost Expedition - Discover the fates of the expedition in Nchuand-Zel

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.

Markarth is the place to be for those fascinated with the Dwemer, as the city is built upon the ancient ruins of Dwarven designs. It’s also one of the richest cities, due to its influx of silver. However, the trip to Markarth is dangerous, and to make matters worse, a Forsworn conspiracy looms over the large city, that is ripe with shops, inns, and interesting residents.

4 Falkreath

A Mundane City With A Large Nord Graveyard

Jarl of Falkreath

• Siddgeir

Points of Interest

• Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary - Near to Falkreath lies the secret sanctuary of the Dark Brotherhood
• Falkreath Graveyard - A large gravesite filled with dead Nords
• Dead Man's Drink - Drown sorrows within Dead Man's Drink, Falkreath's inn

Notable Quests

• A Daedra's Best Friend - Help Barbas reunite with Clavicus Vile, a Daedric Prince of Trickery and Bargains
• Ill Met By Moonlight - Assist a werewolf in Hircine's Great Hunt

In one of the rare warmer climates of Skyrim, players can find Falkreath toward the Southwest. Falkreath is warm, vibrant, and full of thriving green plant life. It’s a nice location to visit and is housed in a delicate forest. There’s also the Daedric shrine of Clavicus Vile, Haemar’s Shame, fairly close by, in which those that visit the city may see the wandering Barbas, the loyal hound to the Daedric Prince.

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Another interesting hotspot of Falkreath is the graveyard, which houses many fallen Nords, who died from the many battles long past. It’s a sight to behold and pay respect to fallen warriors that bled for Skyrim, and shows just how much the Nords honor their dead. Although, this may make Falkreath a morbid visit for some.

3 Solitude

Capital City Controlled By Imperials And Thalmor

Jarl of Solitude

• Elisif the Fair

Points of Interest

• Blue Palace - Residence of the Jarl and her court, including a vampiric mage
• Bard's College - Home to up-and-coming bards
• The Winking Skeever - A somewhat unfriendly inn

Notable Quests

• The Mind of Madness - Solve the mystery of the Pelagius Wing and meet Sheogorath himself
• Joining the Legion - A starting point where players can prove themselves and join the Imperial Legion

The capital city of the province of Skyrim, Solitude is a sight to behold once players enter the well-guarded gates. Solitude thrives, even if that is at the command of the Imperial Legion. Solitude is encased in stone walls, protecting the city and the people from threats of dragon attacks and civil war invaders. It’s one of the safest places to visit in Skyrim and one of the best cities. That is if those have the coin to afford a house here.

Solitude is the capital for a reason. It’s bustling with life, opportunity, and a great many wares for residents to flex their wealth. However, for true Nords of Skyrim, Solitude may not feel like a welcome place, especially with the public executions and Thalmor Embassy. However, Bards College is a nifty addition.

2 Riften

Home To The Thieves Guild And Other Shady Dealings

Jarl of Riften

• Laila Law-Giver

Points of Interest

• Riften Jail - Home to criminals, including Sibbi Black-Briar
• The Ragged Flagon - Deep in the Cistern lies members of the Thieves Guild like Delvin Mallory and Vex
• Honorhall Orphanage - Adopt a child, but only after Grelod the Kind has been assassinated

Notable Quests

• Unfathomable Depths - Uncover Dwemer memories deep within an ancient city
• A Chance Arrangement - Begin the steps to join the Thieves Guild with Brynjolf

In the Southeast of Skyrim, Riften can be located. This city sprawls over a giant lake, built upon wooden structures and piers. It’s not the safest place to survive a dragon attack, and all it takes is a well-lit match for the city to burn to ash thanks to its wooden design. However, with such a tight-knit community, a day like that should never come to pass. Especially whilst under the protection of the Thieves Guild.

However, that lies the problem. The Thieves Guild has their base located deep in the Ratway. Having the headquarters of the Thieves Guild within Riften is a cause for concern for many who live in Riften, especially those who don’t want their wares and valuables stolen. If players can get past the potential corruption and thievery, Riften is one of the most beautiful cities in Skyrim.

1 Whiterun

Home Of The Companions, The Heart Of Skyrim

Jarl of Whiterun

• Balgruuf the Greater

Points of Interest

• Dragonsreach - The Jarl's residence, and a trophy room for a slain dragon
• Belethor's General Goods - A great place to sell odds and ends, that sort of thing
• Jorrvaskr - Home to the Companions

Notable Quests

• The Whispering Door - Investigate what's wrong with the Jarl's son and discover the secrets of the Whispering Lady.
• Missing In Action - Uncover a Nord conspiracy to save a Stormcloak from Thalmore chains.

In the very center of Skyrim, there lies the city of Whiterun. Whiterun will be the first visit of many players upon their freedom from Helgen and for good reason. It’s a peaceful and neutral city that takes no side. Stormcloaks and Imperials are welcome, but only in their opinions, not their battles. The citizens of Whiterun believe in hard work and simpleness that help forge a strong community. Even if the civil war has turned some ancient clans against each other.

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.

Skyrim

Platform(s)

PC , PS3 , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Xbox One X , Xbox Series S , PS4 , PS5 , Switch

Released

November 11, 2011

Developer(s)

Bethesda

Genre(s)

RPG , Action , Adventure