Travel guide · France
Marseille travel guide
France's oldest port city, with bouillabaisse, island forts and the Calanques
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Earth777, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
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 museum and Fort Saint-Jean, while boats leave the quays for the Château d'If and the Frioul islands. To the south, the white limestone cliffs and turquoise inlets of the Calanques National Park begin at the edge of the city. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are May–June and September–October.
Key facts
- Country
- France
- Best time to visit
- May–June and September–October
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- MRS
- Mid-range daily budget
- $160–$260 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Vieux-Port, Calanques, Bouillabaisse and Notre-Dame de la Garde
Why visit Marseille
- The Calanques National Park starts inside the city limits, with hikes and boat trips to coves such as Sormiou, Morgiou and Sugiton.
- Boats from the Vieux-Port reach the Château d'If, the island prison of The Count of Monte Cristo, and the car-free Frioul islands in about 20 minutes.
- Bouillabaisse, panisse, navettes and pastis make Marseille one of France's most distinctive food cities, with a strong North African influence around Noailles.
- The MuCEM, the striped La Major cathedral and the Vieille Charité in Le Panier show the city's 2,600-year history as a Mediterranean crossroads.
- Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, Arles and Avignon are all easy day trips by train or coach.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 19 things to do.
Religious site · Vieux-Port
Notre-Dame de la Garde
The neo-Byzantine basilica on a 149-metre limestone hill is crowned by a gilded statue of the Virgin and Child, known to locals as la Bonne Mère.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Waterfront · Vieux-Port
Vieux-Port
Marseille's harbour has been in use for more than two and a half millennia.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Food
- Photo spot
- After dark
Museum · La Joliette
MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean
The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations opened in 2013 in Rudy Ricciotti's cube wrapped in a lace-like concrete lattice.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- Rainy day
- History
Castle · Frioul archipelago
Château d'If
Built in the 1520s on a tiny island off the harbour, this fortress later became a state prison and was made famous by Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours including the boat
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Views
- Iconic
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Neighbourhood · Le Panier
Le Panier
The oldest quarter of Marseille climbs from the harbour on the site of the Greek city.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Shopping
- Art
Historic site · Le Panier
Vieille Charité
A 17th- and 18th-century almshouse designed by the Marseille architect Pierre Puget, with three tiers of arcaded galleries around a courtyard and a chapel with an oval dome.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Where to stay
Vieux-Port is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, food lovers and nightlife
Vieux-Port
The old harbour, fish market and café terraces facing the forts
$$ · Best for couples, culture and solo travellers
Le Panier
Hilltop old quarter of stairways, laundry lines and street art
$ · Best for budget, nightlife, food lovers and solo travellers
Cours Julien and Noailles
Street-art terraces, spice shops and the city's alternative nightlife
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and beach
Endoume and Vallon des Auffes
Seaside residential streets above rocky coves and a tiny fishing harbour
What to eat
- Bouillabaisse — Marseille's famous fish stew is made from several Mediterranean rockfish such as scorpionfish (rascasse) and John Dory.
- Panisse — Chickpea-flour batter cooked, cooled, cut into thick sticks and fried until crisp outside and soft inside, seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Chichi frégi — Long, ridged fritters of dough fried and rolled in sugar, eaten warm from a paper bag on the seafront.
- Navettes — Hard, boat-shaped biscuits flavoured with orange-flower water, said to recall the boat that brought the saints to Provence.
- Pastis — Anise-flavoured spirit that turns cloudy when diluted with five or so parts of cold water.
- Grand aïoli — A Provençal feast built around aïoli, a pungent garlic and olive-oil emulsion, served with poached salt cod, boiled vegetables, eggs and sometimes whelks.
When to go
The best times to visit Marseille are May to June and September to early October, when the weather is warm, the sea is swimmable from June and the crowds are lighter than in high summer. July and August are hot and busy, and fire risk can close Calanques trails. Winter is mild and quiet, good for museums and city walks, but too cool for swimming and often windy.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Mild and sunny with excellent hiking in the Calanques; the mistral can be strong and the sea is still cold. |
| Summer | June–August | Hot, dry and crowded, with warm sea, festivals and evening life on the quays; Calanques access depends on daily fire risk. |
| Autumn | September–November | Warm sea in September, good walking weather in October and occasional heavy storms; prices fall by November. |
| Winter | December–February | Cool, bright and windy, with few visitors, santon fairs in December and sea-urchin season on the coast. |
Getting there and around
Marseille Provence Airport is in Marignane, about 27 km north-west of the centre. Shuttle buses run to Gare Saint-Charles in about 25–30 minutes, and a free shuttle links the terminal with Vitrolles Aéroport Marseille Provence station for regional trains. A taxi takes about 30–45 minutes depending on traffic.
The centre around the Vieux-Port, Le Panier and the MuCEM is walkable, but Marseille is large and hilly. The RTM network runs two metro lines, three tram lines, buses and boats; the beaches and the Calanques are reached by bus.
Plan your days
Two days covers the Vieux-Port, Le Panier, the MuCEM and Notre-Dame de la Garde. Four days adds a Calanques hike or boat trip, the Château d'If and Frioul, and a day trip to Cassis or Aix-en-Provence.
Practical information
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- French
- Plugs
- Type C and E sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink; carry plenty when hiking, as there are no fountains in the Calanques.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number)
- Tipping
- Service is included in restaurant prices by law.
Bag snatching and pickpocketing are common around Gare Saint-Charles, the Canebière, the Vieux-Port and on the metro, so keep phones and bags secure. In the Calanques, summer heat and fire-risk closures are the main concerns: start early, carry water and check the daily access map; the mistral can also make the sea rough.
Flights to Marseille
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Marseille?
Two days covers the Vieux-Port, Le Panier, the MuCEM and Notre-Dame de la Garde. Four days adds a Calanques hike or boat trip, the Château d'If and Frioul, and a day trip to Cassis or Aix-en-Provence. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Marseille?
The best times to visit Marseille are May to June and September to early October, when the weather is warm, the sea is swimmable from June and the crowds are lighter than in high summer. July and August are hot and busy, and fire risk can close Calanques trails. Winter is mild and quiet, good for museums and city walks, but too cool for swimming and often windy.
+What is Marseille known for?
Vieux-Port, Calanques, Bouillabaisse, Notre-Dame de la Garde, MuCEM, Château d'If and Pastis. The Calanques National Park starts inside the city limits, with hikes and boat trips to coves such as Sormiou, Morgiou and Sugiton.
+Is Marseille expensive?
Marseille is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $160–$260 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Marseille?
Not for the city, where traffic and parking are difficult. A car helps for Provence villages, the Luberon and the Côte Bleue, but Cassis, Aix, Arles and Avignon are all reachable by train or coach.