Comparison · Marseille vs Nice · France
Marseille vs Nice
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Earth777, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Marseille for Vieux-Port, Calanques and lower day-to-day costs; choose Nice for Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice. Marseille is generally less expensive, and the two are about 159 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 159 km
- Less expensive
- Marseille
- Best time for Marseille
- May–June and September–October
- Best time for Nice
- May–June and September–October
Side by side
| Marseille | Nice | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | France | France |
| Known for | Vieux-Port, Calanques and Bouillabaisse | Promenade des Anglais, Vieux Nice and Cours Saleya market |
| Best time to visit | May–June and September–October | May–June and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 5 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $160–$260 | $180–$320 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Expensive |
| Warmest month | July, 30°C (86°F) | August, 28°C (82°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 12°C (54°F) | January, 13°C (55°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 12 | 10 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 8 |
| Beaches | Plages du Prado | Public beaches of the Promenade |
| Airports | MRS | NCE |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Marseille for…
Vieux-Port, Calanques and lower day-to-day costs. Founded by Greek sailors around 600 BC, Marseille is France's oldest city and its second largest, a working Mediterranean port wrapped around the Vieux-Port harbour. The golden statue of Notre-Dame de la Garde watches over the old Panier quarter, the MuCEM…
Choose Nice for…
Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice. Nice is the largest city on the French Riviera, curving around the Baie des Anges behind the 7-kilometre Promenade des Anglais. Its Italianate old town, Vieux Nice, packs baroque churches, the Cours Saleya market and socca counters into a few lanes below…
Top sights compared
| # | Marseille | Nice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notre-Dame de la Garde | Promenade des Anglais |
| 2 | Vieux-Port | Vieux Nice |
| 3 | MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean | Cours Saleya market |
| 4 | Le Panier | Castle Hill (Colline du Château) |
| 5 | Vieille Charité | Place Masséna |
Food compared
| Marseille | Nice |
|---|---|
| Bouillabaisse | Socca |
| Panisse | Salade niçoise |
| Chichi frégi | Pan bagnat |
| Navettes | Pissaladière |
Which is cheaper?
Marseille is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $160–$260 per person there, against $180–$320 in Nice (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Marseille on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Marseille and Nice are about 159 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 4 days in Marseille and 5 in Nice.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Marseille or Nice cheaper?
Marseille is usually less expensive: about $160–$260 a day mid-range against $180–$320 (estimates).
+Is Marseille or Nice better for a first trip?
Pick Marseille for Vieux-Port, Calanques and lower day-to-day costs, or Nice for Promenade des Anglais and Vieux Nice.
+How far is Marseille from Nice?
About 159 km in a straight line.