We have gotten a few questions about our trip to Collioure in the South of France recently so I said I would share a travel guide with you. Collioure is the perfect place for a long weekend away. A location which will allow you to unwind and relax in the sunshine. With a short flight and quick transfers, you will be in the sunshine in no time at all. Below is everything you need to know for you trip.
Where we flew from
Our French adventure began by flying direct to Perpingon from Dublin airport with Aerlingus. AerLingus offer 4 weekly flights form Dublin to Perpingon from April to September. After a short two and a half hour flight, we arrived in Perpingon. We then drove to the picturesque fishing village of Collioure. Although we drove, you can also get a train which costs just €6 and takes only 20 minutes.
Location
Collioure is a Mediterranean jewel just waiting to be discovered in an ideal location between mountains and sea. Situated on the rocky coastline of the Cote Vermeille in the very south of france.
What we got up to
- Tapas – We strolled through the quaint streets of this picture perfect fishing village before heading for some tapas at La Casa Gala Tapas Bar. We got our first taste of the traditional dish of anchoivies – a must during your visit!
- Activities – Collioure is located on the coast so there are a range of water activities to enjoy – diving, snorkelling, kayaking etc. As many of you know, I am a real water baby so when the opportunity came to go kayaking with Kayak Mer along the Cote Vermielle… I, of course, said YES!! An hour a a half on the water costs just €20pp or a half day on the sea with underwater exploration costs just €30pp. Read our full blog post here.
- Be sure to experience the sunset over the village. We would highly recommend seeing it while enjoying dinner at Le Neptune. The views from this restaurant are breathtaking and it is the perfect spot to watch the sunset.
- Make the most of the day and start it with a refreshing swim. Enjoy a walk down to the beach as the village begins to wake up and have a relaxing, peaceful swim as the sun rises. Grab a coffee afterwards in a cute café by the beach and dry off in the sun.
- Be sure to head up the mountains. We went up the mountains on the little train of Collioure which took us on the adventure through vineyards, along picturesque roads and to admire the wonderful views. It’s a 45 minute excursion and costs just €8 for adults and €5 for children. Departing every hour from 10am -7pm.
- Explore Fort St. Elme. I would highly recommend going up to the top. On one side you have fantastic views of Collioure and on the other side you have breathtaking views of the vineyard.
- The last activity we did during our trip was wine tasting so I am about to go meet two local wine makers and learn a little about their wines. We would highly recommend this. A perfect way to spend an afternoon.
Where we stayed
We stayed in the Madeloc hotel. This hotel is situated in a perfect location for exploring the village of Collioure. It is near the beach and the centre of Collioure. It offers bedrooms with speactular views of the mountains and colourful landscape along with a picturesque pool to enjoy the sunshine picture perfect scenery.
Where we ate
We ate in a few restaurants throughout our trip. First, we enjoyed tapas is La Casa Gala Tapas Bar which is located down a colourful, pretty lane and serves unique tapas with a French vibe. For a more formal style of dining, try Le Neptune. The food along with the views make this a dining experience to remember. Try to plan your reservation so you are seated in time to enjoy the sunset over the colourful landscape.
Collioure is the perfect place for a long weekend away. A Mediterranean jewel just waiting for you to discover it.
We explored Collioure as part of a press trip in 2017. Many Thanks to the Collioure Tourism Board for showing us your beautiful village.
