This beautiful coastal French city rests by the Mediterranean Sea and is France’s largest port city. Marseille will keep you busy all day long with numerous sites and activities!
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Transportation
- Taxi: Since we arrived via cruise ship, which was north of the city, we decided that taking a taxi would be our best option to get to all the things there are to do in the city. It was a 15 minute drive or 1.5 hours walk and we did not have the energy or the time to walk. The taxi ride only cost us 10€ so not too bad. We told the taxi just to take us to the main square in Marseille so we could walk around to all of the sites.
To-Do
Marseille is the 2nd largest city in France but when we were in the Old Port of Marseille (Vieux Port), we felt like we just stepped into a small French town with cafes on every corner. When we were in Marseille, we spent most of our time in the Old Port, but we did explore the outskirts of the city a little bit.
- L’Open Tour Marseille: This hop on, hop off double decker bus is a great way to see the city and take lots of pictures! It was 19€ for a day pass or 22€ for a 2 day pass. The route the bus takes has lots of stops and was our transportation to the top of the hill where we were able to explore Basilique Norte-Dame de la Garde.
- Le Petit Train de Marseille: Another option we had to take to get to the top of the hill, which runs a similar route as the hop on, hop off bus was a small fun train. If we had kids or were looking for a budget tour, we would have probably considered this as the train was super cute and tickets were only 7€ for the day. However, we wanted to make sure to get good pictures and see all of the sites.
- Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde: Meaning, “Our Lady of the Guard”, this beautiful basilica is the most famous site in Marseille that rests atop the highest hill. This makes it a great vantage point for pictures.
It was definitely worth the journey up the hill as we were able to get some great views once we reached the top. We were also able to explore the inside and outside and it was free! On top of the hill we were able to see the Old Port of Marseille, the city of Marseille, and the Mediterranean Sea.
- The Terrasses du Port: This shopping center is located in the 2nd Arrondissement (district) of Marseille, in the Old Port part of the city and has quite a few shops. We were just browsing around, seeing how the lifestyle of the French people in Marseille was lived. There are plenty of shops with souvenirs as well and we ended up buying a couple items of clothing.
- Santons Fair: If you happen to be in Marseille during the middle of November (the 20th to be exact), you can explore the Santons Fair, located right next to the Ferris Wheel in the Old Port. It is the oldest Christmas market in the Provence region, dating back to 1803. We were there a tad bit too early so we just saw them setting up for everything.
Food
- La Chope d’Or: After doing all of our exploring, we were feeling quite hungry so we looked for something close to where we were. Located in the Old Port, the food at this café was absolutely delicious and tasted very fresh. We had the mussels with chips (fries) and Pates au saumon frais et coriandre (salmon pasta). After our main course we got the Cafe gourmand, which was an espresso served with 4 different kinds of desserts in small portions. The restaurant had friendly service and a great view of the Port and we could even see Notre Dame de la Garde in the distance.
Travel Tip: It would be smart to brush up on your French when traveling to Marseille, since many of the locals speak very little English and mostly French. They are friendly though and will try to communicate with you but it would make it easier for both parties if you know the basics, especially the restaurant terms (such as asking for the check).
This beautiful French city of Marseille can be explored in one day, although we would have loved to spend more time there, especially to check out the Christmas market. Let us know in the comments below if you have ever been and what you liked about it!
