The compact old centre is best covered on foot; most of the main sights are within 15 minutes' walk of each other, and the pedestrianised streets make the experience reasonably pleasant. A free electric shuttle (La Petite Citadine) loops through the centre and is useful if the heat or distance becomes a factor. Perpignan also has a tram line connecting the station to various parts of the city, though for the monuments it adds little beyond what walking achieves.
Bicycles can be hired from stands near the station area through the city's Vélomagg scheme. For Canet-Plage, bus line 1 from the centre takes about 20 minutes and runs frequently enough to be genuinely useful. A car is practical for the Côte Vermeille (Collioure, Banyuls, the coast road south to the Spanish border), the Cathar castles to the north and west, and the Pyrenean foothills — none of which are well served by public transport, and all of which reward the flexibility of driving at your own pace.