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Marseille

Old-port mornings, calanque hikes & multiethnic markets

Browse Marseille

Marseille is one of the most rewarding places to explore, and this local guide brings together the best things to do, where to eat and where to stay in one place. Highlights include Le Marche des Capucins (Noailles), Notre-Dame de la Garde and Vieux-Port. Food lovers should not miss Chez Fonfon and Chez Etienne. Below you will find 12 hand-picked local recommendations across sights, restaurants, hotels and tours, which you can filter by category and budget to plan the perfect trip, whether you have a weekend or a week.

Marseille at a glance

  • Ideal stay: 2 to 3 days
  • Best time to visit: spring and autumn
  • Highlights: Le Marche des Capucins (Noailles) and Notre-Dame de la Garde
  • Where to stay: Vieux-Port and Le Panier
  • Local picks: 12 hand-chosen recommendations
  • Getting around: walkable, plus easy public transport

Local tips for Marseille

Stories and neighbourhood know-how from our local guides.

Where to stay in Marseille

Compare live hotel prices and availability on the map. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Saint-Antoine (15th)

Bureau des Guides du GR2013

Why it matters: this non-profit, co-founded in 2014 by Julie De Muer, Loic Magnant, Baptiste Lanaspeze and Alexandre Field, is the collective of artist-walkers behind the GR2013 – a 365 km waymarked trail created for Marseille-Provence European Capital of Culture 2013 that loops through 38 towns and 3,000 sq km of the metropolis. It exists to make the whole territory walkable and legible to the people who live in it, not to sell scenery. The guided walks are led by the artists, ecologists and urbanists who mapped the route, and they deliberately take in motorway edges, industrial zones and ravines alongside the hills. Tip: the walks are the point – check the programme before you go, and expect the peri-urban rather than the postcard.
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Vieux-Port

Calanques Boat Tour

A boat cruise along the dramatic cliffs and coves of the Calanques.
★ 4.7
$$
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Calanques

Calanques National Park

Turquoise coves cut into white limestone cliffs south of the city.
★ 4.8
$
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Bay

Chateau d If

The island fortress-prison of Monte Cristo fame, out in the bay.
★ 4.5
$
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Le Panier

Chez Etienne

A legendary, cash-only Panier spot for wood-fired pizza and grilled meats.
★ 4.5
$$
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Vallon des Auffes

Chez Fonfon

A tucked-away harbour institution for classic Marseille bouillabaisse.
★ 4.5
$$$
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Belle de Mai

Friche la Belle de Mai

Why it matters: this 45,000 sq m former Seita tobacco factory has been run since 2007 as a SCIC – a cooperative where every member, from resident artists to the city, gets one vote – and it now houses 70 organisations and 400 artists while drawing 450,000 visitors a year. It is a whole quarter rather than a venue: six performance halls, 2,400 sq m of exhibition space, shared gardens, a bookshop, a creche, a skate playground and an 8,000 sq m rooftop terrace open in summer. Come for an exhibition, then eat at Les Grandes Tables and stay for the roof at sunset. Tip: the Jobin entrance has the ticket office, and much of the site is free to wander – check the day’s programme on arrival.
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Vieux-Port

InterContinental Marseille

A grand luxury hotel in the former Hotel-Dieu above the old port.
★ 4.6
$$$
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Sainte-Marthe (14e)

L’Apres M

Why it matters: when the McDonald’s here closed in 2019 and made its 77 staff redundant, assistant manager and staff rep Kamel Guemari led former employees, neighbours and local associations in taking the building over during the March 2020 lockdown to hand out food parcels in a corner of the quartiers Nord that badly needed them. It runs today as fast social food – a working burger joint that doubles as a mutual-aid platform and exists to get people back into work – and the City of Marseille backed the purchase of the building in 2021 to make it permanent. Order a Maous Costo or a Faim de l’Espace. Closed Sundays, and it sits well north of the Vieux-Port out in the 14th, so go deliberately rather than hoping to pass by.
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Noailles

Le Marche des Capucins (Noailles)

Also known as the Noailles market, this is the most colourful – and cheapest – market in Marseille, where you can stock a week of fruit and veg for a handful of euros. The surrounding streets spill over with the scent of spices, pastries and North African specialities; don’t leave without trying a mahjouba, a tuna brick or a fricasse.
★ 4.4
$
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Le Panier

Le Panier

The oldest quarter of Marseille, a tumble of ochre lanes and street art.
★ 4.5
$
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Noailles

Marche des Capucins

The buzzing daily market of Noailles, the citys aromatic belly.
★ 4.4
$
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Vieux-Port

MuCEM

A striking waterfront museum of Mediterranean civilisations.
★ 4.6
$
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Garde Hill

Notre-Dame de la Garde

The golden-crowned basilica watching over the city from its highest hill.
★ 4.8
$
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Vieux-Port

Vieux-Port

The ancient old port where fishing boats still land the mornings catch.
★ 4.6
$
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Before you go

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Book your trip to Marseille

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Marseille travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Marseille?

Two to three days is enough to enjoy the highlights of Marseille at a relaxed pace.

Where is the best area to stay in Marseille?

Stay central and walkable to the main sights for a first visit.

What are the best things to do in Marseille?

Browse the local picks above, from top sights and museums to where to eat and stay. Or read our best things to do in Marseille guide.

What is the best time to visit Marseille?

Spring and autumn usually bring the most comfortable weather and thinner crowds, though Marseille is worth visiting year-round.

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