Picture it: August of 2008, my first trip to Switzerland. It’s my third trip to Europe in as many years, but make no mistake: I am still a travel newbie. The world is a sprawling tome—and I want to read every page.
In booms the voice of my best friend’s father. “Absolutely not,” he scolds me, as if he were my own dad. “You can’t go to Marseille. It simply isn’t safe.” As I write this, I can’t recall why specifically he told me that France’s second city was off-limits. But I do remember that he was unequivocal.
The good news? I went to Marseille (albeit 18 years later), and lived to tell about it. The better news? My Marseille itinerary will have you ready to explore this underrated gem in less than 18 minutes.
Where to Stay in Marseille
As you can imagine, given that Marseille is the second-largest city in France, Marseille hotels run the gamut—both in terms of quality and quantity. They’re also located all over the city, with many of the best ones being located right along the Old Port. On the more moderate end I’m thinking of Hôtel Belle-vue Vieux Port; Grand Hôtel Beauvau is signifcantly more expensive, but also has a much more luxurious ambiance.
You could alternatively opt to stay away from the water and in one of Marseille’s more residential neighborhoods, though I wouldn’t suggest going too far off the tourist trail. I’m alluding specifically to Le Panier, a hip area that is home to plenty of locals, but where enough tourists like to hang out that it doesn’t feel totally alienating. Here I usually like apartments, be that one like Bleu Ciel au Panier, which you can book via an online travel agency, or any number of the Airbnbs on offer here.
How to Spend Your Time in Marseille
Walk (and eat) along the Old Port
Marseille is not unique in having a Vieux-Port (Old Port) area—just about every city along the coast of France does. What is unique here, however, is just how large it is, and how central it is to the city’s ambiance, not to mention how many amazing restaurants you’ll find along it. Whether you eat the local specialty (bouillabaisse) or any number of seafood dishes, Marseille comes alive in this part of town.
Take your time exploring Le Panier
Of course, another of my favorite things to do in Marseille is exploring its other neighborhoods—certain ones, anyway. This city might not be deadly dangerous; I also don’t feel comfortable roaming aimlessly. In particular, the hip hub of Le Panier is a great place to wander, whether you sit down for a cocktail at one of its many sidewalk cafés, scope out street art or simply uses its steep, cobbled streets to get your steps in.
Shop for Savon de Marseille
Whether in Le Panier or close to the Old Port, there’s no shortage of shops selling Savon de Marseille, whether or not the soap in question is officially branded as being from the city. Obviously, the best-selling scent is the lavender one made using essential oils from further inland in Provence, but certain shops have literally dozens of different options. This is definitely #1 on my list of souvenirs from Marseille!
Go up to Notre Dame du Mont—or don’t
The Notre Dame du Mont church is visible from the moment you exit Gare Saint-Charles, but especially once you arrive at the aforementioned Old Port—it simply towers above everything. Surprisingly, although ascending to the church itself is usually listed near the top of lists of what to do in Marseille, I didn’t go up there. I was exhausted, sue me! Rather, I focused on admiring it from the ground, and in particular from this underrated viewing platform.
Spend a day in Les Calanques
The bad news? After taking a bus all the way to Les Baumettes and hiking more than an hour to Calanque de Sormiou, I arrived to learn that it was officially closed. The “police offer” there (who looked more like a lifeguard) made me turn around almost as soon as I arrived. The good news? Even if you check the official website and find that Les Calanques are closed (if the map is “Green,” you’re good), you can take a boat tour from Marseille’s Vieux-Port area.
Another Misunderstanding: Marseille is Technically in Provence
In many ways, Marseille feels like it should be part of the French Riviera. Well, one way in particular: It’s right on the Mediterranean; and although it’s 2-3 hours from Nice (depending upon how you travel) tends to feels like a rougher cousin to that city, rather than akin to most other places within the region it technically belongs to.
I’m speaking, of course, about Provence—which, no matter how many days in Marseille you decide to spend, does not really come through in the city’s identity in any meaningful way apart from the scent of lavender wafting out of the soap shops. I actually still feel perplexed by this fact, but perhaps it seems normal to you and I’m the odd one out!
Other FAQ About Visiting Marseille
Is Marseille safe?
I am not a police officer or a statistician—I can not quality or even really qualify how safe or unsafe Marseille is. With this being said, I heard horror stories about Marseille for almost two decades before I visited, with one person in particularly telling me I shouldn’t go there even if my life depended on it. Zero sketchy things befell me in Marseille, which if anything evokes a French version of Naples, Italy.
Is Marseille a good tourist destination?
Certainly, Marseille is a better tourist destination than you’re probably expecting. It’s rough-around-the-edges in all the best ways, an urban grit that contrasts beautifully with some of the best beaches anywhere in France. Moreover, it’s simply much less snobby than most other cities along France’s Mediterranean coast, which makes me love it even more than I do.
How many days in Marseille is enough?
How long you stay in Marseille should depend both on how long you have in the south of France more broadly, as well as the length of your overall France trip. One format I’ve liked a lot on recent trips is 2-2-2: Two nights in Marseille; two nights in inland Provence; and two nights in Nice, or elsewhere along the proper Côte d’Azur. Of course, it you have more time to spare, then three nights in Marseille (or even longer) is fully justifiable.
The Bottom Line
Beyond the specific tips contained in this Marseille itinerary, I have a more general piece of advice: Don’t believe the hype about France’s second city. Well, at least not the bad hype—not most of it, anyway. While there’s a grain of truth to Marseille’s less-than-sterling reputation—it is a bit run-down in places; it feels sketchy, and in a way that’s more like Naples than Rome—it’s also perhaps the most “real” destination in the famously snobby south of France, and maybe in the country as a whole. Certainly, it’s on the way to Nice, which means that you’d might as well stop here for at least a night. Need personalized help putting your France trip together? Commission a custom France itinerary today!
