Marseille, a city in southern France's Camargue area, is close to the Rhône river's mouth and is situated on the Mediterranean Sea's Gulf of Lion coast. The locals are known as Marseillais.
Best places to visit in Marseille
Marseille, a port city, is a vibrant, multiethnic destination with an abundance of history and art. When you take a closer look at Marseille's attractions, you'll start to wonder how to fit them into your schedule. The Old Port is brimming with attractions and has personality and charm.
If you can only spend one day in the city, make it this one. You'll discover parks, museums, and cultural institutions as you travel, letting you enjoy Marseille's tourism to its fullest.
We're making a list of Marseille's top attractions because there are so many that you really must see. Try to cover every one of them!
Old port
Vieux Port or Old Port, is one of the top Marseille points of interest. It’s now the center of restaurants, cafes, and hotels that sit alongside historical buildings like the Sainte Marie lighthouse and Maison Diamantée. The lively marina offers many different things to experience, like browsing the fish market and riding the ferry.
Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde
A magnificent golden statue of the Virgin and Child is perched atop the tower of this 19th-century neo-Byzantine church 150 meters above the river to guard Marseille's nautical community.
The basilica contains the lower levels of a renaissance fort that also had a chapel. There have been religious sites and watch towers on La Garde for many centuries.
Although a tourist train frequently runs from the Old Port, the climb should not be taken lightly in the summer.
CALANQUES NATIONAL PARK
The southern and eastern suburbs of Marseille border a region of extraordinary natural beauty. The Calanques are a group of rugged, white limestone cliffs and rivers that rise to enormous heights and drop abruptly to the ocean. These rocky beauties are accessible by both land and water.
Panoramic Hike in the natural park of the Calanques from Luminy
LA CORNICHE
La Corniche is one continuous balcony next to the Mediterranean sea that winds down the coast for several kilometers from the Old Port, passing via beaches and eccentric tiny neighborhoods.
You can drive by it, but the sea air and magnificent views of the Frioul Archipelago and the Château d'If towers in the bay make walking there just as worthwhile.
The Vallon des Auffes, a typical fishing port on a steep inlet bordered by dilapidated ancient houses and accessible from the sea beneath the arches that support the road, is one of the most remarkable sites.
Getaway Water Hike around the Island
ABBAYE SAINT-VICTOR
This place of worship was formerly a part of a fifth-century abbey. With Early Christian and Carolingian-era foundations, the basilica of the monastery is one of Marseilles' oldest standing structures.
LE PANIER
The Greek colony of Massalia was located in this area of Marseille, just north of the Old Port, and it has been inhabited since 600 BC.
It had historically been one of Marseille's poorest neighborhoods, as evidenced by La Vieille Charité, a baroque almshouse built in the 17th century with three stories of arcaded galleries surrounding a chapel.
With independent boutiques, craft businesses, cafes, and a huge amount of creative street art, it is becoming a popular neighborhood.
Walking Tour of the oldest neighborhood in Marseille
MuCEM
Modern museum MuCEM, which opened in 2013, revitalized a section of Marseille's waterfront near the Fort de Saint-Jean from the 17th century.
The majority of visitors concur that the displays are inconsistent, irrationally switching between time periods and themes, but they are so varied that there are galleries to catch everyone's interest.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN MARSEILLE
- Visiter the îles du Frioul by boat
- Hiking and snorkeling from Luminy in the Calanques National Park
- Walking and cultural tour of Marseille
- Cooking classes with a Chef
- Provence Lavender Discovery Private Tour
- Wine Tasting in Avignon
- Beer Tasting in Marseille
- Sailboat Tour
- Pétanque
- Hikes: in the Calanques from Marseille
To Conclude
Marseille is the oldest city in France. Marseille is also famous for their foods and restaurants. In Marseille, there are many sightseeing places, restaurants, museums, and monuments, some of them are listed above, which make the city a popular tourist destination. So everyone must visit Marseille and makes their moments memorable.
To discover unique experiences in the fantastic French city of Marseille, visit PlanetAzur, where you will find guided tours, visits, culinary experiences, and much more! A unique site where you can come into close contact with the splendid reality of Marseille and beyond, in close contact with nature and the history of the city.