Cheap city break Perpignan

Perpignan at a glance

When is the best time to visit Perpignan?

April to June and September to October are the ideal months: 20 to 28 degrees Celsius, few tourists and affordable hotel rooms. July and August are hot (sometimes above 35 degrees) but also busier and more expensive. Perpignan averages 300 sunny days a year, which makes even a winter visit pleasant, with 12 to 15 degrees during the day.

That long sunny season is the main reason a trip here works almost all year round: in spring and autumn you get the light and the outdoor cafe culture of the Mediterranean without the summer crowds or the summer prices.

The best areas to stay in Perpignan

• Centre Ville The lively city centre with cafes, restaurants and markets. All the main sights are within walking distance, which makes it the obvious choice for a short stay.
• Saint-Jean A quiet residential quarter with more local character and lower prices. Less touristy than the centre and still an easy walk from the sights.
• Le Castillet quarter Around the iconic red brick town gate, the historic heart of Perpignan, with the prettiest medieval lanes in the city.
• Catalonye quarter With its Catalan flags, bilingual street signs and typical tapas culture, this quarter feels almost Spanish. A good pick if you came for the Catalan side of the city.

Top 5 things to do in Perpignan

• Le Castillet and Musee Casa Pairal The 14th-century red brick town gate is the symbol of Perpignan. Climb the tower for a view over the city; the Casa Pairal museum inside shows Catalan folk life. Entry €2, free on the first Sunday of every month.
• Palace of the Kings of Majorca An imposing 13th-century royal complex high above the city, built by James I of Aragon. Panoramic views over the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean. Entry €9, free for EU visitors under 26.
• Cathedrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste A striking Gothic cathedral from 1241 with an unusual mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements. Free entry, daily from 9 am to 6 pm.
• Forteresse de Salses An exceptionally well preserved 15th-century border fortress, 30 kilometres outside Perpignan on the historic frontier between France and Spain. Entry €9, free for EU visitors under 26. Well worth a day trip by car or bus.
• Les Orgues d'Ille-sur-Tet Unique erosion pillars of reddish rock, 40 kilometres outside the city. A fairytale landscape you will hardly find anywhere else in Europe. Entry €5.

How do I get to Perpignan from the Netherlands?

Perpignan (airport code PGF) has no direct flights from the Netherlands. The most comfortable route is the TGV train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Perpignan in about 5 hours, which combines nicely with a stopover in Paris.

The alternative is flying to Barcelona (BCN) with a low-cost carrier, followed by a train or bus of 1 hour 30 to Perpignan. Count on €109 to 200 return for the whole journey, depending on how early you book and which of the two routes you pick.

Once you arrive, local bus line 6 runs from PGF airport to the city centre for just a few euros. The compact old centre is best explored on foot: Le Castillet, the cathedral and the royal palace are all within a short walk of each other. For day trips to Salses and Ille-sur-Tet a rental car is the easiest option, since both sights sit 30 and 40 kilometres outside the city.

What does a city break in Perpignan cost?

Hotels in Perpignan are affordable: budget accommodation costs around €72 per night, a 2-star hotel €83 and a 3-star hotel €99. Food is around 9 percent cheaper than in the Netherlands: a three-course set lunch costs €20 to 25 and a glass of wine in a bar €3 to 5. Sights barely move the needle either, with Le Castillet at €2 and the cathedral free of charge. For 3 nights including travel, hotel and food you should realistically budget €350 to 500 per person. Add roughly €9 each if you want the royal palace and the Forteresse de Salses, and a rental car if you plan day trips outside the city.