Having a great vacation needn’t cost the earth. By making a few clever adjustments to your travel plans, you can have a whale of a time on a minnow-sized budget. Use a budget airline, downgrade from a four-star to a three-star hotel, don’t eat out for every meal; if you’re not on honeymoon and just out for a good time, then these are all ways to cut costs without cutting corners. By way of example, here’s how you can enjoy a low cost spur-of-the-moment trip to Perpignan.
Get There Cheaply
You can fly direct to Perpignan from Dublin with Ireland’s national airline, but if you wanted to fly to another nearby airport such as Carcassonne, you could save money by booking with a budget airline and renting a hire car to take you to Perpignan. Perpignan is located close to Spain, so if you wanted to visit Spain while you’re there, you’ll probably need a car anyway.
Staying Cheaply
That’s your flights and car hire sorted. Now lets get a great deal on a hotel? Again, hiring a car before you arrive can help you here. By booking a low cost motel just outside of the city such as the
Première Classe Perpignan Sud, you can save considerably without sacrificing comfort.
What To Do 
Before you travel, it’s a good idea to check out in advance what’s going on. If you can visit Perpignan during one of many festivals that occur in the region such as the
Jazzebre, you’ll discover a lot of the entertainment is completely free. The Place de la République hosts festivals year round, with some of them centering on traditional celebrations such as the Good Friday celebration of Procession de la Sanch. But, in most cases, these festivals are held in the open-air markets and are free to bystanders.
Seeing the Sights is Free
Perpignan used to be the capital of the kingdom of Majorca, and you can still see a lot of Spanish influences. Driving around the countryside or hopping across the border to take in the sights, sounds and tastes of Spain costs very little. If you’re feeling up to it and the weather is good, you could hire a bike and cycle around.
Eating and Drinking
The trick to eating and drinking well is cutting your costs in other areas. So if you’ve taken the above advice, you should have more money in your pocket for sampling the area’s cuisine. Be sure to check out Grand Café de la Poste in Place de Verdun for excellent Catalan-influenced cooking, as well as the best coffee in town. In fact, you’ll discover many of the cafes in the surrounding areas offer set lunches for excellent value. After lunch, why not take a stroll around the old town to take in sites, such as the Cathédrale St-Jean and St-Jacques Church – two superb examples of the 14th century architecture to be found in Perpignan. While you’re at, don’t miss the historic Palace of the Kings of Majorca, a stunning castle. Again, check in advance for free tours of the interior, which happen throughout the year. Perpignan might look lavish but you won’t need a king’s ransom to enjoy its attractions.
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