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Marseille has long been a great escape to France’s paradisiacal Côte d’Azur, but what piqued my interest in booking a trip here were celebrity chef and world traveler Anthony Bourdain’s rave reviews of the place years ago.
It has always stuck with me how someone who has seen most of the world narrowed down Marseille as a retirement haven, and after visiting I can clearly see why.
The Old Port may be the celebrity of this vibrant city, but Marseille is actually one of the most cultural destinations in France with 111 designated neighborhoods to explore, including the ‘coolest neighborhood in the world’.
Perhaps most surprising was the sheer expanse of the city, yet easily navigable with cheap metro passes with ferries running to a handful of secret islands.
Turns out island hopping isn’t exclusive to Greece and Spain!
The food was divine, the accommodation cheap, and the glowing streets behind the touristy ‘Harbour’ captured my ADD for hours.
$5 covers so much ground!
Covering everything you want to see in a given destination is always a tough challenge.
Tourists in Paris can gaze at the Eiffel Tower while missing hidden gems nestled among the endless sidewalk cafés and astonishing architectural wonders. The same goes for Marseille, where too many visitors spend their time wandering around the picturesque old port, missing so many incredible streets hidden away from the action.
The best way to see the city is by metro. Depending on the length of your stay, you’ll have to do the math.
Single trips cost about $2, but the best value are 10-ride tickets for $16 and day passes (my preference) for about $5.60 (for full details, click here.)
Better yet, ferries run from the old port to Pointe Rouge and les Goudes, a pair of beautiful beaches away from the touristy atmosphere of the city center, for just $5.60.
Here you will discover beautiful beaches on the French Riviera. Please note that ferry services are weather dependent.
Good news though Marseille is one of the sunniest cities in France all year round! Between the trendy neighborhoods, the famous old port and the picture-postcard beaches, Marseille is very easy to reach to make the most of your time.
The secret islands of Marseille
Wandering the beautiful cityscape through a maze of dozens of neighborhoods is a great way to experience the delights of Marseille.
While it can’t match the sidewalk cafés of Paris, there are still plenty of places to stop for a $3 cappuccino to people watch.
But one enticing aspect of Marseille is overlooked by most tourists. I even asked a local how to visit the islands and his response was: “huh?”.
No, not a translation problem. Like me, he just didn’t know about it.
The one from Marseille Frioul Islands are an archipelago of 4 beautiful islands that are easily accessible from the old port. Simply look for the name on the side of the boat and follow the signs.
The 4 islands consist of:
- Pomegue
- Ratonneau
- Tiboulen
- If
One of the most remarkable visits is Château d’Ifa dizzying 1500s fortress overlooking the city.
Tickets cost $35 for admission.
Ratonneau is best for swimming in warm water and diving in crystal clear waters, especially if you want to see the historic wreck of a German bomber from World War II.
Only about 100 people live on the island, so there are also some places where you can have a bite to eat or a drink.
Discover the world’s ‘coolest neighborhood’
Time-out Marseille was recently crowned the coolest neighborhood in the world, so of course I had to go there!
Notre-Dame-du-Mont somehow matches the rugged atmosphere of Marseille, turning what would be off-putting in most cities into its own unique flair.
Look at Athens, for example, a city full of graffiti eyes and side-eyes in alleys. Here, however, it feels more like you’ve immersed yourself in an open-air art gallery, despite the few empty walls that remain like blank canvases.
Lined with trendy bars and airy courtyard seating, it was one of the best places to explore and felt surprisingly safe.
This neighborhood was also the best to enjoy pizza. If you didn’t know, Marseille is one of the pizza food truck capitals of the world, which isn’t entirely shocking considering its location within a few hours of Italy.
Definitely eat there Dad Fredobut avoid the Caterine wine bar as they gave us the anti-tourist treatment so to speak.
Travel Tip: For another unique neighborhood, check out Noailles. It feels like a mini Marrakesh full of spice shops, cafes and hearty North African dishes.
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The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
