What to do in Marseille: visiting the vibrant port city
Fort Saint-Jean at sunset from the park at Palais du Pharo. All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
Marseille visitors can enjoy a beautiful and bustling port, a charming old town section, great restaurants, high-speed trains to Lyon and Paris, and train service to the seaside towns of the French Riveria.
All these features absolutely make Marseille worth a visit.
Marseille has been an important trading port since the Middle Ages and has been influenced by traders from throughout Europe and North Africa.
The city really grew on us as we explored more and realized how much it has to offer.
We found that the countless bars and restaurants in the port area served as many locals as tourists. We saw many local young people enjoying their night out.
Being a photojournalist from the New York City area for decades I think I’m pretty good at spotting sketchy neighborhoods and Marseille certainly has more than its share but staying in the tourist areas will keep you as safe as you are in Paris or other big cities.
On our recent visit, we took a high-speed train from Paris, spent a few days in Marseille then rented a car for a driving trip along the French Riveria to Nice and the surrounding towns. We also stayed another night on our way back to Paris.
Arles, Avignon, and Aix-en-Provence are nearby and easily reached by train for a convenient day trip.
What to do in Marseille
Fort Saint-Jean on the left and Mucem on the right at dusk.
Mucem - Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean
The striking complex is located at the far end of the port. The museum opened in 2013 and now hosts nearly 2 million visitors annually.
The museum consists of three sections, the J4 designed by Rudy Ricciotti; the iconic Fort Saint-Jean, a fully restored historical monument, and the conservation and resource center (CCR).
Fort Saint-Jean is a military complex with its foundations dating back to the 12th century. It served as a military fort for three centuries.
While storing German munitions during World War 2 it was severely damaged after an accidental explosion.
Today you can access the beautiful outdoor areas of the fully restored fort for free and take in both the history and the fantastic views.
You can access the main Mucem building via a 115 m long bridge.
Palais du Pharo
We’d recommend walking out to Palais du Pharo, not for a visit to the building but for the stunning view back at the walled port.
We walked out to the park in the early evening and took in the wonderful view of the city. Many people visit for the sunset view but I would suggest being back in the port area, which is much safer, before dark.
Sunset from Palais du Pharo.
Le Panier - the old section
Marseille was born 600 years BC in the Le Panier area. The Greeks picked this location because of its wonderful location near the sea and high on a hill.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries Le Panier was the “bad” section of the town. Near the turn of the 21st century, a huge urban development plan took place and now the district is home to restaurants, artists’ studios, and countless shops.
The narrow streets and colorful street art only add to the charm.
Among the highlights of Le Panier are pretty squares such as Place des Pistoles and Place de Lenche, featuring many nice restaurants.
The Cathedral of La Major is the oldest church in France, having been originally built in the 4th century. It’s certainly worth a visit, plus it’s free.
The Cathedral of La Major at dusk.
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Located on a hill high atop the city Notre-Dame de la Garde is the most visited site in Marseille. Not only is the church amazing but its location treats visitors with fantastic panoramic views.
Construction of the basilica began in 1853 on the site of an ancient fort on the highest point in Marseille.
While the location offers amazing views it also is a bit of a challenge to get there. Of course, you can walk but it’s about a 45-minute uphill journey from the port area.
There are two much less exhausting options available.
The number 60 bus takes you conveniently to the base of the Basilica’s steps.
The Petit Train de Marseille (Route #1) from the port directly to the Basilica. Aside from convenient transportation, you’ll also get to see much of the city along the way.
The “train” leaves from 174 quai du Port, about 150 metres from the Town Hall and costs 8€ for adults.
Palais Longchamp
Palais Longchamp was built to bring water to the city and is surrounded by a beautiful park.
In 1835, a cholera epidemic hit Marseille because of a water shortage. After the tragic epidemic, the city began excavating an 85km canal to bring water from the Durance River to Marseille.
In addition to the beautiful building and park, there are two museums at Palais Longchamp. The Museum of Fine Arts contains 17th and 18th-century paintings and sculptures. The Natural History Museum is one of the most visited museums in France. It contains thousands of fossils and other specimens.
And best of all everything at Palais Longchamp is free.
Getting around Marseille
The Marseille tramway
The Marseille tramway consists of three lines with 32 stations. The tramway usually runs from 5:00 am to midnight every 5 to 10 minutes on weekdays and 10 to 15 minutes on weekends.
Since tramways are above ground you’ll also get to see other areas of the city along the way.
The Marseille Metro
While a smaller system than the tramway the Metro serves many popular destinations.
The Metro operates daily between 5 am and 1 am.
There are several types of tickets, and all of them work on all the mass transit options. A one-trip ticket costs 2€ and a ten-trip card costs 15€.
Tap-to-pay works perfectly and is the easiest way to pay for the Metro.
All tram stops and Metro stations also have ticket vending machines.
Our favorite travel resources
Hotels - Booking.com. Lots of search options and information. Link
Activities - Viator. We love food tours and historical guides from Viator. Link
Airfare - FareDrop. Custom notifications of airfare sales. Link
Phone connection - Airalo. E-Sim for your phone, it’s easy and available for every country. Link
Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. This means that if we recommend a product, activity, or hotel, we might receive a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
Where to stay in Marseille
Hôtel Carré Vieux Port
Where we stayed for one night. One block from the port and very close to the Metro.
“Very good” on booking.com
InterContinental Marseille hotel entrance at night
InterContinental Marseille - Hotel Dieu
We stayed at this classic luxury hotel for two nights with a wonderful view of Notre-Dame de la Garde overlooking the city. It’s expensive but “wow”.
Hôtel Maison Montgrand - Vieux Port
The moderately priced hotel is located in the center of Marseille with a very nice courtyard.
The hotel has received almost 2,000 “very good” reviews on Booking.com
This post was researched and written by John of the Empty Nest Explorers. You can learn more about the Empty Nest Explorers here.
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