Things to Do in Perpignan: 12 Great Tips for the City and Beyond

Our Top 3 Hotel Picks for Perpignan

Before we get into the best things to do in Perpignan, here are our picks for the three best hotels in Perpignan:

Nyx Boutique Hotel: affordable, owner-run hotel in a great location between the city center and Perpignan’s train station. Breakfast is delicious and the cozy rooms have everything you need for a city break.

Dali Hôtel Perpignan: modern hotel in a fantastic central location. Beautiful, well-appointed rooms. The highlight is the rooftop terrace with views of the historic center.

Mas Latour Lavail: beautifully decorated guesthouse in a fantastic, peaceful setting just outside Perpignan. Stylishly furnished rooms, delicious breakfast, and a small outdoor pool.

All Perpignan Highlights on One Map

So you have a clear overview of where each attraction in Perpignan and the surrounding area is located, we’ve marked them all on a map.

Highlights in Perpignan

Sights in Perpignan

First up, we’d recommend setting aside a classic sightseeing day in the city. One day is more than enough to see the most important things to do in Perpignan’s historic center.

These Perpignan must-sees shouldn’t be missed:

• Cathedral of Perpignan
• Palace of the Kings of Majorca
• Campo Santo
• Les Halles Vauban
• Castillet

Beyond these highlights, make sure to just wander through the charming old quarter of Perpignan and soak up the beautiful buildings and alleyways.

Visiting a Market in Perpignan

Set aside one morning for a market visit — and we mean one market in particular: the Marché Cassanyes. It’s an absolute Perpignan classic.

It runs every day from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM at the Place Cassanyes, and you’ll find everything from regional produce to clothing and all kinds of odds and ends.

Other great markets worth checking out include the Marché République, which has a strong focus on organic food, and the clothing market Marché Place des Poilus.

Beaches and Coastal Towns near Perpignan

The Most Beautiful Beaches near Perpignan

Once you’ve explored the main attractions, it’s time to hit the beach! The weather in Perpignan is usually perfect for a swim, and the nearby coastline is gorgeous.

Our top three beach picks near Perpignan:

Beach at Argelès-sur-Mer: The coastal town of Argèles-sur-Mer sits just south of Perpignan and boasts a stunning seven-kilometer-long sandy beach. Perfect for a vacation with kids and super easy to reach by train.

Plage de Paulilles: This is a real local favorite — tucked between Port-Vendres and Banyuls-sur-Mer and surrounded by beautiful nature. Its secluded location means it’s rarely crowded, and the scenery is seriously stunning.

Canet-en-Roussillon: This nine-kilometer-long sandy beach is the closest to Perpignan and super easy to reach by bus. The beach is so wide you can really spread out and soak up the sun — plus there’s a lovely beachfront promenade.

Port-Vendres and Cap Béar

Not just about the beach? Want to explore the impressive coastal landscape around Perpignan too?

Then Port-Vendres is one of our favorite spots. It’s a beautiful coastal town, and the surrounding nature is absolutely breathtaking.

You can walk from town along the coast to the Cap Béar lighthouse, passing lovely little beaches along the way. Rather drive? You can take the car straight to the lighthouse too.

At Cap Béar, a stunning panorama awaits — open sea, rocky cliffs, and a great spot for a picnic before hiking down to one of the nearby beaches.

Day Trip to Saint-Cyprien

Saint-Cyprien is an especially great day-trip destination if you’re visiting Perpignan as a family. There’s one attraction here that makes kids and water lovers’ hearts beat faster: the Aqualand water park in Saint-Cyprien.

The park features water slides plus a bubble pool and a wave pool. Tickets cost 32 euros and can be purchased on the Aqualand Saint-Cyprien website.

But Saint-Cyprien isn’t just about the water park — it also has a great, long beach and the popular Saint-Cyprien marina to explore.

Inland and Mountains near Perpignan

Mountains of the Pyrenees

If you love the mountains or are a serious hiking enthusiast, you’re in luck — the area around Perpignan has a spectacular mountain landscape too. Just a few kilometers from the city, the Pyrenees begin, and on a clear day you can already spot their peaks from town.

Tourism here is far less developed than in, say, the Bavarian Alps — which means the Pyrenees are much less crowded. You’ll definitely need a car to get there, though.

A beautiful summit close to Perpignan is the Pic du Canigou. The hike starts in the village of Vernet-les-Bains. Nearby you’ll also find the Cascade des Anglais waterfall — a considerably shorter trail and a great alternative to the strenuous summit hike.

Les Orgues d'Ille-sur-Têt

Les Orgues are a genuine natural wonder. These stone formations, millions of years old, are made of clay and sandstone and have slowly eroded into a truly peculiar shape over time.

They remind us a little of Bryce Canyon in the USA and the earth pyramids near Bolzano. Their name — Les Orgues, meaning the organs in English — comes from someone who thought they resembled organ pipes. We think that’s a bit of a stretch, but honestly, the sight is really cool!

Les Orgues are about 30 minutes by car from Perpignan. Alternatively, you can take the train from Perpignan’s main station to Ille-sur-Têt in about 20 minutes, then walk for around half an hour.

Admission costs 5 euros for adults, with discounts available for children and students.

The Medieval Village of Castelnou

Another standout near Perpignan is the village of Castelnou, which is also close to Les Orgues — you can easily combine both in a single day.

Castelnou is tiny but incredibly beautiful, and it’s regularly listed among the most beautiful villages in all of France.

With its ancient buildings, the village feels like stepping back into the Middle Ages. The absolute highlight is the castle of Castelnou, perched right at the top of the hill with a fantastic view over the surrounding landscape.

There’s plenty of parking around the village. By car, you’re looking at about 25 minutes from Perpignan.

Cool Activities near Perpignan

Canyoning near Perpignan

Now things get adventurous! One of the most popular outdoor activities near Perpignan is canyoning. Just outside the city, there are some impressive canyons where you can try this thrilling sport.

About an hour by car from Perpignan, you’ll find the Galamus Canyon — ideal for canyoning.

Climbing, sliding, and jumping into deep water guarantee loads of fun, and it’s a fantastic activity for the whole family too.

Participation is open to anyone age seven and up. All participants should be comfortable swimming, and a head for heights is a must — if you’re afraid of heights, this one might not be for you.

Book canyoning on the Baoussous

Windsurfing in Leucate

Another popular activity near Perpignan is windsurfing. The town of Leucate, with its large lake Étang de Leucate, is a well-known windsurfing hotspot.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned pro, the conditions here work for everyone. One highly recommended surf school in Leucate is the F400 Surf School, run by well-known windsurfing pro Nicolas Akgazciyan.

From Perpignan, Leucate is about 30 minutes by car. By bus line 10, the journey takes just over an hour.

Our Extra Tip: Combine Your Perpignan Trip with a Visit to Spain

Perpignan sits very close to the Spanish border — and more specifically, to the popular Costa Brava. So why not combine your time in Perpignan with a little trip to Spain?

With two weeks of vacation, for example, you could spend one week in Perpignan and then head to Spain for a week.

Costa Brava

The Costa Brava is a stunning part of Spain with incredibly beautiful beaches and charming towns. By car, it’s only about 30 minutes from Perpignan.

Popular seaside spots on the Costa Brava include Lloret de Mar and Cadaqués. Inland, Girona is an absolute must-see. Great beaches include the Gulf of Roses and the Platja del Castell.

Curious about the region? Browse our Costa Brava articles for the best destinations and travel tips:

City Trip to Barcelona

If you’re in the mood for a real big city during your Perpignan stay, Barcelona is an excellent choice. The Spanish metropolis is home to world-famous attractions like the Sagrada Família and Park Güell.

From Perpignan, it’s only about two hours by car to Barcelona. No car? There are also good, affordable Flixbus connections from Perpignan to Barcelona.

Our tip: You can fly into Barcelona and then drive to Perpignan by rental car. Barcelona El Prat Airport is served by flights from major cities across Europe.

For more highlights and advice, check out our travel tips for Barcelona — all our Barcelona articles in one place.

Or dive straight into our most-read Barcelona articles:

General Tips for Perpignan

Now you know all the best things to do in Perpignan. Here are a few more practical pointers to make sure you’re perfectly prepared for your trip.

#1 Getting to Perpignan

Perpignan does have its own airport, but it’s very small with limited international connections. The good news: there are several larger airports in the region with plenty of direct flights from across Europe.

We recommend flying into Barcelona, Girona, Montpellier, or Toulouse and driving or taking the train from there.

• Montpellier Airport (MPL): approximately 1 hour 40 minutes by car from Perpignan. Direct flights available from Berlin and other European cities.
• Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN): just over two hours by car from Perpignan. A major hub served by flights from cities across Europe and beyond.
• Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS): just over two hours by car to Perpignan. Direct flights available from Frankfurt, Munich, and other European cities.
• Girona-Costa Brava Airport (GRO): just over an hour by car from Perpignan. Mainly served by budget airline Ryanair, with connections from Düsseldorf, Weeze, Nuremberg, Karlsruhe, Memmingen, and more.

We always use Skyscanner to search for flights — it’s super easy to navigate and quickly shows you the best connections and prices.

Search flights on Skyscanner

Prefer to skip the flight? You can also reach Perpignan by car.

#2 Renting a Car in Perpignan

The best way to explore the area around Perpignan is by rental car. Most sights in the region are a bit spread out, and many can’t be reached by public transport.

Rental car prices vary by season, so booking ahead and comparing prices beforehand is the way to go — you’ll often find a much better deal that way.

Compare rental car deals on Discovercars

#3 Getting Around Perpignan

In the city center itself, you can easily explore all the main attractions on foot.

For longer distances, getting around Perpignan by bus is super easy — though note that on Sundays, some lines run very infrequently or only on request.

A single fare costs 1.30 euros. Tickets can be purchased from the driver or at a ticket machine (we only spotted machines at the train station). The local bus company is Sankeo — more info on their website, though it’s currently only available in French.

For some towns in the surrounding area — such as Argelès-sur-Mer, Port-Vendres, or Ille-sur-Têt — you can comfortably travel by train. Check connections and buy tickets on the SNCF website.

#4 Best Time to Visit Perpignan

Here’s the great news about Perpignan: the weather is simply fantastic — pretty much any time of year.

Even during the winter months from December to March, temperatures usually hover around 50°F, and most days are sunny.

For us, the sweet spot is May, June and September, October. It’s warm and sunny enough for the beach, but not so hot that sightseeing becomes a slog.

In the peak summer months of July and August, it gets very warm. Great for a beach vacation, but expect the city and beaches to be busy — this is peak season.