France’s second largest city after Paris Marseille is unlike any other French city. Its cosmopolitan structure stands out as soon as you step into the city.. No sign of snobbish French here. Marseille is a typical Mediterranean city formed by the combination of different cultures.. I am sure that you will find a different taste in Marseille with its historical harbor, colorful streets and structures that will take you back centuries.. Come on then, welcome to my Marseille travel guide!
When to go to Marseille?
Marseille Mediterranean Since it is a city, it has a sunny and warm weather almost most of the year.. We went to Marseille in June, where you can have the opportunity to swim if you come in the summer.. Even though the weather is 30 degrees during the day, it has a windy weather in general, we traveled comfortably without getting bored.. Spring and summer are the most ideal seasons to visit the city, which is rainy with a temperature of 10 degrees in winter.. If you happen to be in Marseille in March, you can have the chance to watch the Marseille Carnival.
Transportation in Marseille
Since Marseille is a port city, it is almost the city of the city except for certain places. you can explore it all on foot. If you think about the weather conditions in the season you are going, although it is not a problem in spring, I recommend you to evaluate the difficulty of walking around the city, especially in summer, and use the transportation networks.. Marseille has 2 metro lines (M1 and M2), 3 tram lines (T1, T2, T3) and bus lines that you can easily go to anywhere in the city.
Marseille Inner City Transportation Ticket Prices
The transportation network in Marseille is La Regie des Transports de Marseille or RTM for short.. As in many European cities, you can use the same ticket for metro, tram and busses in Marseille.. There are different types of tickets in Marseille according to your needs.. Don’t forget to have someone read the machines when you get on the subway, tram and bus.
Standard Single Ticket: (Solo 1 Trip Ticket)Standard single ticket is from the machines at the subway and tram stations 1.70 euro< You can get it from the bus driver for 2.00 euro when taking it to /strong>. Standard single tickets are valid within 1 hour and you can take the tram and bus unlimitedly except using the metro once in 1 hour.
Ticket for 10: (10 Trips Card) You can buy 10 tickets from machines at metro and tram stations for 14.00 euro. For those who say they will use public transportation a lot, a 10 ticket is much more reasonable than buying a standard single ticket.. (Ticket prices have been updated in December 2018)
Marseille Pass (Citypass Marseille)
Marseille Pass with 24, 48 and 72 hour options is valid You can use it unlimitedly, except for sea transportation, within hours.. If you buy a Marseille Pass, you can enter 15 museums for free, take a boat tour to If Island, and take the mini train to Notre Dame De La Garde Basilica.
Current ticket prices and For other ticket options, you can visit here.
Marseille Metro
Marseille Metro is the red M2 line serving in the east-west direction of the city. and the blue M1 line serving in the north-south direction.. You can go from Bougainville to Sainte Marguere Dromel by the red M2 line, while the blue M1 line to La Rose You can go from to La Fourragere. You can easily reach Gare De Saint Charles Train Station, which is the main train station of the city, by using both the M1 and M2 metro lines.. This point is also used as a transfer point between two subways.. If you want to go to Vieux Port, you can take the Red M2 line, because the Blue M1 line does not pass through the Vieux Port area.. Note that the Marseille metro runs from 05.30 to 00.30. Click here to have a look at the detailed transportation times.
Marseille Tram
Another means of transportation used for transportation in Marseille is the tram. The Marseille tram has 3 lines, T1 (Noailles-Les Caillols), T2 (Arenc Le Silo-La Blancarde) and T3 (Arenc Le Silo-Castellane).. By using the Marseille tram, you can easily go to many places where the metro does not go.. Marseille tram provides service between 05.00 and 00.30. you can reach. If you want to get information about bus lines, you can check this address.
Where to Stay in Marseille?
Provence-Alpes-Cote Marseille, the most important city of the d’Azur region, is a warm, colorful Mediterranean city that lives every hour of the day.. Despite all these beauties, Marseille is not a very safe city not only for me, but for most French people.. After this insecurity, the issue of where to stay in Marseille becomes an important issue.
The Old Port (Vieux-Port) area is one of the places where you can stay with peace of mind in Marseille.. Hotel prices in the old port start from 30 euros per night.. You can also stay at affordable prices in Belsince and Noailles, which includes the Old Port.. Hotel prices in these two regions start from 50 euros per night.. Hotel prices in the region start from 25 euros per night.. We paid 100 euros for two people for 3 nights at the Odalys Appart’Hotel Canebiere, which is very close to La Canebiere street.. (1 euro is still 3.5 TL:) While we were waiting for a normal hotel room, it was a great chance to encounter an apart flat.. They blocked 70 euros from our credit card when checking in for the apartment with its own kitchen, the reason for this was to secure the fixtures such as microwave, oven, refrigerator, stove in the kitchen.. Already blocked when leaving the hotel. I can say that it is the most comfortable place I have stayed in among my European trips.
You can browse and book all Marseille accommodation options here. If you are thinking of choosing Airbnb to maintain the comfort of your home on your trip, you can create a new membership here and get a discount of 130 TL on your home reservation.
Marseille’ Shopping in da
Design boutiques, antique shops, vintage shops in this city! You won’t understand how time passes while walking between the streets. Rue Francis Davso, Rue Saint Ferreol, Rue de la Republique, Rue de Rome, Rue Paradis make sure to take note of the streets. La Canebiere is one of the widest shopping streets in Marseille.. You can do your grocery shopping here.
Places to Visit in Marseille
Vieux Port
The liveliest place in the city, Vieux Port, that is, around the Old Port.. Giant mirrors await you at the exit of the Vieux Port metro! After taking a photo in a mirror-covered place, you will see a huge Ferris wheel.. If you want to ride the Ferris wheel, which turns into one of the most colorful symbols of the city when it gets dark, and go back to your childhood, the price is 7 euro.
Vieux Port is full of restaurants and cafes.. Here you can watch the boats docking in the harbor and soak up the sun.. Be sure to see both day and night!
click for Vieux Port location
Notre Dame Basilica (Notre Dame) de la Garde)
Our second stop after visiting Vieux Port is Notre Dame Basilica, because the easiest way to get here is from the street leading to the port area 60 bus number. Since we didn’t have a ticket, we wanted to buy it from the driver, but he said he didn’t have any tickets left, so we didn’t pay for our trip to the basilica
It takes 20 minutes by bus to go to Notre Dame Basilica from the city center.. After wandering the side streets of Marseille, we arrive at the cathedral, which salutes the city from the top, just like in Lyon.. This place has a magnificent view where you can see the whole of Marseille as a panoramic.
The bus leaves the entrance of the basilica and takes you to the city every half hour from the same place. As you go up the stairs, the beauty of the view increases.. Entry to the basilica is free. But it’s the most heavily guarded church I’ve ever seen.. Although 8 soldiers waiting in different corners with long-barreled weapons in their hands cause some uneasiness, the fact that the basilica has a special importance for Catholics and the Virgin Mary statue on top is made of solid gold proves why security is so tight.
Notre Dame de la Garde, whose construction was completed in 1864, is open to visitors every day between 07.00-18.15. You can come to the Basilica by bus number 60 or by Petit Train (excursion train) departing from Vieux Port..
click for Notre Dame de la Garde location
MuCem (Musée des civilisations et de la Méditerranée)
MuCem is the last stop of the bus number 60, which you will get on in front of Notre Dame de la Garde. The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations is one of the city’s newest cultural stops.. You can get to know the Mediterranean culture better at the museum, which opened its doors in 2013.. MuCem is open to visitors between July and September between 10.00-20.00 and other months 11:00-19.00. Entrance to the museum is 9.5 euro for adults and 5 euro for students. Visit MuCem even to see its different architecture. I would like to remind you that the museum is closed on Tuesdays.
click for MuCem location
Marseille Cathedral (Cathedrale la Major)
Marseille Cathedral, located just ahead of MuCem, bears the traces of Romanesque and Byzantine architecture. The building, which has survived since 1893, has the title of the sixth largest church in the world.. You can reach the Vieux Port with a pleasant walk in half an hour.
click for the Marseille cathedral location
Le Panier
This is the oldest quarter of the city where you can get to know the Marseille culture best.. The history of the district, where mostly immigrants live, dates back to Ancient Greece.. In Le Panier, you should wander among the colorful houses and discover the invisible part of the city with the different faces you will encounter while passing through the streets with plenty of slopes.. Le Panier is located above the harbour, with its designer shops and shops selling local products.. The easiest way to reach the region is by metro.. If you get off at the Colbert stop on the M1 metro line, you can reach the bohemian district after a short walk.
click for Le Panier location
Cours Julien
This is a place whose streets are decorated with graffiti, full of bars, cafes, bookstores, antique shops every step of the way. Entertainment continues until morning in Cours Julien, which is one of the districts you should add to your list when you come to Marseille.. A different sound is heard from every corner of the district, where you can see people from all cultures together.. On the one hand, people having fun with African music, on the other hand, those gathered around the show of street performers, those who took their drinks and let themselves to the rhythm of the music…
Cours Julien to live in their head, To step into a different world, even for a few hours, the easiest way to reach the district is the metro.. If you take the metro on the M2 line and get off at Notre Dame du Mont stop, you can suddenly find yourself in this bohemian culture..
click for Cours Julien location
Absolutely in Marseille
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- Take one of the boats from Vieux Port to Calanques. You can enjoy the sea and the sun all day in these wonderful bays between the rocks.. Prices for boat tours start from 26 euro.
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- For sea pleasure in the city, you can choose the famous beach Plage des Catalans. If you get tired of the crowd in the summer months, you can prefer the beach next to Le Petit Nice restaurant.
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- If you have a lot of time in Marseille, it’s the place to stop for a great sea pleasure Cassis. You can immerse yourself in the turquoise waters of this charming town just half an hour away from Marseille.. Bus number M08 goes to Cassis. The bus leaves in front of the Castellane metro stop.
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- You can visit the If Castle, which was used as a prison for many years. You can reach the castle, which is mentioned in the famous French writer Alexandre Dumas’s book The Count of Monte Cristo, by boats departing from Vieux Port.
- History and if you are interested in art, you can visit the Longchamp Palace. Entrance to the museum is 4 euros.
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- If you ask what to eat in Marseille, my answer is of course that seafood. If you like fish soup, I suggest you try Bouillabaisse, the most famous dish of Marseille.. The soup served by cooking fresh fish is a good alternative for those who want to try different flavors.
- The famous lavender soaps of Marseille are served in many restaurants of the city. You can find it in the corner. But the most affordable ones are sold in the markets set up in the port area.
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- A delicious coffee If you want to drink, you can stop by Green Bear in La Canebiere. Since it is very close to our hotel, it has become one of the indispensable addresses of our breakfasts!
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- You can find many places to eat and drink in the back streets of Vieux Port. With its rich beer menu, Les Berthom has become one of my favourites.
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- The address for Hard Rock Cafe, one of the favorite addresses of international trips, is again the back street of Vieux Port.
- France’s world-famous shopping store Galeries Lafayette At Rue Saint Ferreol.
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- Marseille is best enjoyed in Vieux Port. In the evening, take your drink, a snack, sit against the beautiful view of the harbor! You won’t want to get up with the gusting wind.
- Be careful when walking outside at night in Marseille! Due to the high number of immigrants in the city, walking in secluded streets at midnight can be dangerous.
You can also read my Lyon travel guide to discover Lyon, the gastronomic paradise of France.
it’s my trip
*Text Or do you have something on your mind about the subject? I would be very happy if you write your thoughts in the comments 🙂
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