Marseille is the second largest city in France, after Paris. The city is located on the beautiful CĂ´te d’Azur and is definitely worth a visit! It is a wonderful city for a city trip or for a beach holiday. Marseille has beautiful sandy beaches where you can completely relax. Get all your Marseille Travel Tips with the Marseille Travel Guide and get the most out of your Trip.
Marseille
For me, it’s not a town I’d go to right away. This is because I have few friends and acquaintances who have been to Marseille. Of course, that’s a bad reason not to go and city really surprised me in goof way. It’s a perfect city to walk. A lot of things are within walking distance, but keep it is hilly. So a pair of good hiking boots would be nice. Don’t you want to take public transport? A 72 hour pass costs about 11 euros. Another option is a tourist pass. It is more expensive but you can also use it in museums.
Vieux Port
The Vieux Port is beautiful place to walk and watch all the nice boats or sit on a terrace with a great view. This part of Marseille was built around 26 centuries ago. The port also makes Marseille one of the most important trading cities in France. Also in the evening it is very cozy. Pay attention to your stuff because there are some strange figures around.
When you walk through the Vieux Port you will automatically see this great mirror. A nice piece of art.
Notre-Dame De La Garde
It’s time to train the calf muscles properly. You can do that easily because you have a lot of hills in the city. On the highest hill you’ll find the Notre-Dame De La Garde, a beautiful basilica at a height of 150 meters. When you’re upstairs you have a beautiful view of course. Keep in mind that it’s better not to bring a hat or cap, because it’s quite windy. You see this giant statue of Mary. It weighs 10.000 kilogram. The story is that Mary has Jesus in her hands. She looks out over Marseille and watches over all the inhabitants of this city. You can visit the church for free.
Cours Julien – Street Art in Marseille
You will find the best street art in the hip neighborhood Cours Julien, with beautiful graffiti. This is also a place for a drink or to eat something. So bring you camera to take pictures to make all your friends and followers jealous.
Le Panier
The oldest district of the city is Le Panier. You can expect beautiful authentic narrow streets, colorful houses and a lot of places and squares where you can sit on a terrace. Are you looking for antiques? There are a lot of shops, only they are closed on Mondays!
Porte d’aix
In Marseille you also find the sister of the Arc de Triomphe from Paris. This is a smaller version and called Porte d’aix. This is the old gateway to Marseille. I think if you would take a picture here with the text “greetings from Paris” a lot of people would fall for it đ
Château d’if
When you are done with you partner… You could theoretically, leave him or her at “Château d’if”. This is the old prison on an island off the coast of Marseille. It is not a bustling attraction, but at least chill. I liked the boat trip to the island on a beautiful sunny day. You can check the opening hours and more information with the direct link to Château d’if.
You have to travel by boat to the island. Keep in mind that the website to book tickets often does not work. So that means queuing up.
It’s not really a wild ride but it’s a nice point to have seen and settled down. From here you can take the boat to the island Frioul. Known for water sports and fishing.
Calanque
If you want to do something out of town you can visit a natural park. It’s called a Calanque. You can go there by taxi or public transport, but we’ll took a scooter. Keep in mind that it is a nature reserve park with high rocks, deep valleys and a beautiful sea. Bring some extra water and snacks, because there is not possibility to buy food and drinks at the Calanque.
Beach Marseille – Plages Escale Borely
Plages Escale Borely is located around 3 kilometers from the Marseille city center. It is one of the most popular beaches along this part of the coast for people who enjoy sailing and windsurfing. Along this stretch, you will find a wide variety of bars, cafĂŠs, and restaurants.
Palais Longchamp
What do you do when you have something to celebrate? You and I are probably throwing a really good party. Here in France they really unpack, with this big palace, Palais Longchamp. It was built to celebrate that the city got a canal with water supply. The building comes from 1862 and the water comes back in this beautiful fountain. Would you like to visit a museum? You will find 2 museums in the building and a beautiful garden to walk in.
