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La Major Cathedral, Marseille

For couples · Marseille · France

Romantic things to do in Marseille

Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Bertrand SOUBEYRAND, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick answer

Marseille is romantic in an unpolished way: sunsets over the islands from the Corniche, seafood dinners in tiny harbours and swims in turquoise coves. Couples tend to stay in Vieux-Port.

Key facts

Romantic ideas
5
Couple-friendly sights
3
Area for couples
Vieux-Port
Best months
May and October

Romantic ideas

1.Sunset at the Vallon des Auffes

Watch the fishing boats turn golden under the bridge, then stay for a seafood dinner by the water.

2.Notre-Dame de la Garde at dusk

Climb to the basilica's terrace to watch the sun set over the Frioul islands and the city lights come on.

3.A day on the Frioul islands

Take an early boat, find a quiet cove on Ratonneau and come back on an evening sailing past the Château d'If.

4.Calanque de Sormiou

Hike down to the turquoise cove for a swim, ideally on a weekday outside the peak summer weeks.

5.Fort Saint-Jean at sunset

Walk the ramparts and gardens of the fort as the light falls on the harbour entrance and the MuCEM's lattice.

Sights couples love

Vallon des Auffes, Marseille
Photo: Florent Chabaud, CC BY-SA 3.0

Waterfront · Endoume and Vallon des Auffes

Vallon des Auffes

Walk down the steps from the Corniche at sunset, then continue to the rocks at Malmousque for a swim in summer.

Time needed
45 minutes
Cost
Free
  • Free
  • Couples
  • Photo spot
  • Food

Street · Endoume and Vallon des Auffes

Corniche Kennedy

Walk or cycle it from Catalans towards the Prado in the late afternoon, stopping at the Vallon des Auffes and Malmousque.

Time needed
1–2 hours
Cost
Free
  • Free
  • Views
  • Outdoors
  • Couples

Waterfront · Endoume and Vallon des Auffes

Malmousque

Bring water shoes; entry is from rocks rather than sand, and there are no facilities.

Time needed
1–2 hours
Cost
Free
  • Free
  • Outdoors
  • Off the beaten path
  • Couples

Where couples should stay

$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, food lovers and nightlife

Vieux-Port

The rectangular harbour is the city's centre of gravity: the morning fish market on the Quai de la Fraternité (still widely called the Quai des Belges), Norman Foster's mirrored Ombrière canopy, boats to the Château d'If and Frioul, and cafés along both quays. Metro line M1 stops at Vieux-Port, and Le Panier, the MuCEM and Notre-Dame de la Garde are all walkable.

Good
Most central base with boats and metro on the doorstep; Huge choice of restaurants and bars; Harbour views from many hotels
Watch out
Traffic and crowds along the quays; Restaurants facing the port can be overpriced
Nearby
Fish market, Ombrière, Fort Saint-Jean, Abbaye Saint-Victor

Romantic day trips

  • Cassis (About 30 minutes by train or bus) — A small fishing port backed by the Cap Canaille, one of the highest sea cliffs in France, with pastel houses, cafés and its own white wine.
  • Aix-en-Provence (About 35 minutes by express coach) — The elegant university town of Cézanne has plane-tree-lined Cours Mirabeau, dozens of fountains, 17th- and 18th-century mansions and excellent morning markets.
  • Avignon (About 35 minutes by TGV) — Avignon was the seat of the popes in the 14th century, and the vast Gothic Palais des Papes and the half-ruined Pont Saint-Bénezet still dominate the walled city.
  • Arles (About 1 hour by train) — Arles has a Roman amphitheatre and theatre, Romanesque cloisters at Saint-Trophime and the places Van Gogh painted during his stay.
  • Côte Bleue (About 30–40 minutes by train) — West of Marseille, a scenic railway runs along the cliffs and viaducts of the Côte Bleue, stopping at small ports and coves such as Niolon, Carry-le-Rouet and Sausset-les-Pins.

For dinner

Share local specialities such as Bouillabaisse, Grand aïoli and Pieds paquets. Book seafood restaurants at the Vallon des Auffes and in Les Goudes ahead on summer weekends.

Questions travellers ask

+Is Marseille romantic?

Marseille is romantic in an unpolished way: sunsets over the islands from the Corniche, seafood dinners in tiny harbours and swims in turquoise coves.

+What is the most romantic thing to do in Marseille?

Sunset at the Vallon des Auffes: Watch the fishing boats turn golden under the bridge, then stay for a seafood dinner by the water.

+Where should couples stay in Marseille?

Vieux-Port: The old harbour, fish market and café terraces facing the forts.