Heading to Marseille, France, for a weekend or longer? Here’s the lowdown on the must-see sights.
For years, Marseille had somewhat of an image problem – it was known as the Provencal capital of crime and seediness.
Today, Marseille is a much nicer place to be, hence it’s u-turn in popularity. Of course, it is still somewhat ‘gritty’ today, but it’s this edginess combined with the dynamic feel of the place that sets Marseille aside from its provencal sisters, St Tropez and Cannes.
Fancy seeing a different side of the provencal coastline? Then a trip to Marseille could be ideal for you to take. To help you to make the most of your time in Marseille, below is a list of a selection of the must-see tourist sights.
Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde
Just south of Old Port is the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, an impressive monument that stands out against the skyline.
This neo-Byzantine church was designed and built in the early 19th century and features a golden Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, that watch over this bustling city.
The walk up here can be challenging, especially in the summer heat. However, if it’s too hot to climb, you can always hop aboard the tourist land train.
Cathédrale de la Major
Formally known as Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille, this stunning Catholic cathedral is a national monument originally established in the 12th century, although it’s been adapted and added to over the years.
The oldest elements were built in the traditional Romanesque style, popular in the pre-Renaissance period, while the newer parts are in the Byzantine-Roman style. With room for around 3,000 seated people inside, the cathedral is one of the largest in all of France. It’s open to the public every day except Tuesdays.
Old Port
Marseille ‘Old Port’ is massive and has been trading for over 2,600 years; it’s an incredible piece of architecture and history combined.
The quay is mainly dotted with three large former warehouses along with their private promenades. Almost every old warehouse has been converted into a chic cafe, stylish patisserie, quirky bar, or an amazing eatery.
Most of the boats in the dock are there for pleasure, as the majority of the industrial boats have been moved to modernised docks, which is where they now trade from. However, there is still a morning fish market which offers a wide range of fresh, locally sourced fish.
Calanques National Park
Both the South and East suburbs of Marseille align with Calanques National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. The Calanques are made up of a collection of craggy, white-stone cliffs and small creeks of water.
You can choose to visit and explore this area on foot by hiking or by sea by boat – both options offer a very different experience to the other.
If you do choose to hike – an experience that could take hours and can challenge even the fittest of people – you will find that the amazing scenery more than makes up for the challenging terrain.
Musée d’Histoire de Marseille
Marseille is blessed with a whooping 26 centuries of history – that’s a lot of history to learn about and understand. Luckily you can choose to pay a visit to the Musée d’Histoire de Marseille – AKA the Marseille History Museum.
In addition to being filled with years of artifacts from Marseille’s history, the Musee d’Histoire de Marseille is also home to an impressive collection of ancient Greek artifacts. Exploring this museum will take at least half a day, maybe longer, but it’s more than worth the time if it means learning more about this intriguing area of France.
La Corniche
From the Old Port, La Corniche is located a few kilometres away and is well worth a visit, just a short walk away from a range of quirky neighbourhoods and tranquil and unique beaches.
While you can choose to drive the route, you will find that walking offers a more rewarding experience. When walking, you can clearly see the vistas of the Frioul Archipelago and also the Chateau towers in the bay.
However, one of the most amazing sites is the Vallon des Auffes, a small traditional harbour that is renowned for its fishing and is located within a steep inglet. Complete with a circle of ramshackle fishing huts around it, it’s easy to see the heritage and history of this area.
MuCEM
Created in 2013, MuCEM is a cutting edge piece of architecture that was created to help regenerate areas of Marseille’s waterfront. Situated next to the Fort de Saint-Jean, the design of this modern building is incredible, but that’s not the best part – what’s inside is what draws the crowds in.
MuCEM offers an overview of culture from the Mediterranean, from art and photography to ancient artefacts. It’s a combination of a museum and a gallery. The exhibitions may not flow naturally into each other and jump from historical period to historical period, but they draw in the crowds due to how innovative and interesting they are.
Le Panier
Inhabited since just after 600 BC, this area of Marseille was an essential part of the Greek area of Massalia. As the city grew and evolved over time, it became a place that many of Marseille’s migrants moved to, which is why today there’s a large mixed population.
Complete with stone stairways and ochre-coloured walls, and long, winding corridor-like streets, it’s easy to see the history behind this area of Marseille.
Until more recently, this was one of the poorest areas of Marseille, but today it’s seen as being a stylish district that is home to a range of quirky and chic cafes, bars and galleries. The city of Marseille restored the beautiful complex of buildings in 1986.
La Plaine and Noailles
Want to gain a perspective of what day to day life is like in Marseille? La Plaine and Noailles are the places to visit. Located directly to the north of Old Port, these two neighbourhoods are able to offer a sense of what daily life is like here.
Noallies is an area where various generations of Africans chose to settle. From Monday to Saturday an amazing market runs here that is filled with all kinds of herbs, spices and knick-knacks and wouldn’t look out of place in a middle eastern souk. It’s a beautiful and tranquil sight, and somewhere that always smells incredible.
La Plaine, located a few streets away is known as being a somewhat trendier part of the city. There are a range of chic bars, boutiques and eateries here, there’s also markets on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
There you have it, a guide to visiting the top tourist sites in Marseille. There’s plenty to see and do here – those listed above are just the start of the things on offer here.
Have you been to Marseille? If so, what was your favourite thing to do?
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