Marseille

Grit and grandeur coexist seamlessly in Marseille, an exuberantly multicultural port city with a pedigree stretching back to classical Greece.

Start planning your trip

Best Time to Visit

Best Things to Do

Attractions

Must-see attractions for your itinerary

Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde
Marseille
Occupying Marseille’s highest point, La Garde (154m), this opulent 19th-century Romano-Byzantine basilica is Marseille's most-visited icon. Built on the…
Le Panier
Marseille
'The Basket' is Marseille's oldest quarter – site of the original Greek settlement and nicknamed for its steep streets and buildings. Its close, village…
Vieux Port
Marseille
Ships have docked for millennia at Marseille’s birthplace, the vibrant Vieux Port. The main commercial docks were transferred to the Joliette area in the…
La Cité Radieuse
Marseille
Visionary modernist architect Le Corbusier redefined urban living in 1952 with the completion of this vertical 337-apartment tower, popularly known as La…
Château d’If
Marseille
Commanding access to Marseille's Vieux Port, this photogenic island-fortress was immortalised in Alexandre Dumas’ 1844 classic The Count of Monte Cristo…
Musée des Beaux Arts
Marseille
Set in the lavish, colonnaded Palais de Longchamp, Marseille’s oldest museum owes its existence to an 1801 decree of pre-Napoleonic France's short-lived…
Cours Julien
Marseille
Marseille's most vibrant bohemian quarter centres on Cours Julien, an elongated concrete square shaded by palm trees. It’s lined with great bars, cafes…
Jardin du Pharo
Marseille
Perched high above the southern side of the Vieux Port are the six immaculately grassed hectares of the Jardin du Pharo, the grounds of the Palais du…

View more attractions

Planning Toolkit

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Things to Know
Contemporary Marseille is the place to be right now. From health and saftey to etiquette, here’s what you need to know to get the best out of your visit.
Read article
Best Neighborhoods
Here's a look at Marseille's most interesting enclaves, and what to expect in each one.
Read article
Day Trips
These are the best day trips within an hour of Marseille by bus, train, or bike.
Read article
Money and Costs
Follow these tips on transport, meals, low-cost sightseeing and other essentials to get more for less on your next trip to Marseille.
Read article
Transportation
Marseille’s reputation as a frenetic, fast-paced port city is not unwarranted, but the best way to get around is often by foot.
Read article
Free Things to Do
With savvy planning and smart intel, visitors can even tap into France’s second-largest city, Marseille, without spending a cent.
Read article

Articles

Latest stories from Marseille

Sports

Get into: soccer in Marseille

Apr 3, 2023 • 5 Min read

Olympique de Marseille is the only top-level football club in Marseille, and its support is rabid and unswerving.

Shopping
Marseille in 5 shops: indie fashion, contemporary art and (of course) soap
Mar 28, 2023 • 4 Min read
As you discover the allure of Marseille, drop by these independent retailers, five of the city’s best.
Best in Travel - 2023
Check out Camille Potts' best day in Marseille
Nov 15, 2022 • 1 Min read
Comic book writer and illustrator Camille Potts shows you have to have the best day in Marseille.
Best in Travel - 2023
4 days to learn about Marseille
Nov 15, 2022 • 11 Min read
Marseille is both beachy and urban, French and Mediterranean, modern and historic. Here's how to learn more about Marseille in four days.
Bars & Pubs
Marseille’s top 10 rooftops for expertly mixed tunes, drinks and dancing
Sep 27, 2022 • 7 Min read
Social butterflies, night owls and cocktail connoisseurs seeking expertly mixed tunes, drinks and dancing: these are Marseille’s 10 rooftop hot spots.
Art and Culture
9 of the best museums in Marseille
Sep 13, 2022 • 6 Min read
Marseille has bold and eclectic museums. Here are the best.
Destination Practicalities
The 5 best neighborhoods in Marseille
Jun 22, 2022 • 5 Min read
Here's a look at Marseille's most interesting enclaves, and what to expect in each one.
Budget Travel
Experience the allure of Marseille, for less
Jun 16, 2022 • 7 Min read
Follow these tips on transport, meals, low-cost sightseeing and other essentials to get more for less on your next trip to Marseille.
Activities
15 top things to do in Marseille: experience the best of the Provencal capital
May 24, 2022 • 10 Min read
Here are the best things to do in Marseille to really get under its salty, weathered, Mistral-whipped skin.
Beaches
Live your best beach life in Marseille on one of these top beaches
May 19, 2022 • 6 Min read
As every self-respecting Marseillais will proudly tell you, there's no need to leave the city to find powder-soft golden sand.