Marseille, France: What to See and Where to Eat in the Southern French Seaport

Art museums: If you’re looking for art, go to the grandiose Musée des Beaux-Arts de Marseille or the tiny Musée Cantini. Marseilles has many museums, and you can probably find one focused on a niche subject you love. Le Musée du Savon de Marseille, for example, is a museum dedicated to the art of soapmaking!

Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde: Take the time to make the trek up to the basilica on the hill. This decadent church floats high above the city and gently reminds you of its presence as you hop around Marseille, offering peeks of its silhouette at unexpected moments. Built on the highest natural point of the city on the site of an old fort, Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde took over 40 years to complete. You can imagine the detail to be expected inside of the gold-crusted church. Its exterior echoes the unique striped visage of the Cathédrale La Major and offers breathtaking views of Marseille, its surrounding areas and the Mediterranean Sea. There are many ways to reach the basilica if you’re not feeling up to a 45-minute walk uphill.

Cathédrale La Major: The brilliant neo-Byzantine cathedral looms over the Vieux-Port. It’s easy to reach from the city center. Maybe you stumbled upon it during your walk through Le Panier earlier in the day. Cathédrale La Major boasts an opulent interior with a fascinating peek at ancient mosaics discovered during a renovation. Several churches stood on this site, and the glimpse back in time belies the cathedral’s age. However, its striped exterior almost steals the show, and the courtyard offers great views of the Mediterranean Sea and the Old Port.

History museums: Speaking of history, there are several great museums in Marseille that will give you brilliant insights into the history of the area or the city itself. The Musée d'Histoire de Marseille is a great place learn about the complex history of the city. Musée d’Archéologie Méditerranéenne, Musee Regards de Provence, Musée des Docks Romains will all offer insights the area's past. Even if you're not a history buff, one of these museums is worth prioritizing as Marseille is France's oldest city - it was founded around 600 BC by the Greeks and has since become the culturally diverse seaport that it is now thanks to a host of immigrants over the years.

Le Panier: The oldest neighborhood in Marseilles, Le Panier, is a window back in time with ancient buildings, winding alleyways and narrow cobbled streets. It’s a delightful maze: go get lost in it. You’ll see colorful murals everywhere, a striking contrast to the dark skinny streets and old stone buildings. Neon colors surprise you at unexpected turns. Find a sidewalk cafe, sit outside and have your morning espresso. Wander through the art galleries and tiny shops. If you’re in the market for a souvenir in Marseilles, this is the neighborhood in which to find it.

Plage des Catalans: Follow the crowds to Plage des Catalans. This little beach is an easy walk away from the crowded city center, and it’s frequented by locals. As you walk there, soak up the convivial spirit of everyone around you. There is a communal sigh of relief as the work day ends and everyone makes their way to the waters edge to meet friends, play volleyball, swim and watch the sunset.

Rue Saint-Ferréol: Marseille’s busiest shopping street feels like a party. It’s the Champs-Élysées’s much cooler younger cousin. In fact, the local young people hang out on this hip street on le week-end. This is a great time to do some shopping if you’re in need of a pair of cool new sneakers. If not, walk down Rue Saint-Ferréol anyways; it’s a great way to get a feel for modern Marseille.

Vieux-Port: The area called the Old Port, the u-shaped port right in the middle of the city, is worth a visit. This part of town is hard to miss; it’s the heartbeat of Marseilles, and many of the important sights are near here. Spend time sitting by the water, craning your neck to catch your reflection in the mirrored public art installation L'Ombrière de Norman Foster, watching the leathery sailors take their boats out and generally getting lost in the noisy crowd. You can grab a drink or snack at any of the sidewalk cafes surrounding the port to get a great view of the action.

7VB Café: A specialty coffee shop tucked right on the edge of Le Panier, 7VB offers something that can be hard to find in this part of Europe, specialty coffee. This is the place to go if you’re tired of tiny dark espressos and want just one light-roast pour over on your trip. They also make fresh-squeezed juice, and creative pastries. Pull up a chair at an outdoor table, and watch the neighborhood greet the day.

Atelier Renata: Ring the bell to be let into a very cozy space where you'll enjoy a communal meal in what feels like chef Erika Blu's family kitchen. Cozy lighting, a big table, Persian rugs, an old stove and a menu of elevated cucina povera dishes. Chances are the dinner will end in a party. This is a very special dinner spot to prioritize when you're in Marseille; you are sure to have a memorable meal here.

Au Falafel: Have lunch at this little cafe right off of Rue Saint-Ferréol. The perfect melding of cultures, Au Falafel is a classic French sidewalk cafe with a menu focused on falafel. You can sit at a sidewalk table and watch the people stroll past. The server will bring an old school chalkboard menu to your table to let you choose from several pita options or several plate options. The food is Middle Eastern. The atmosphere is all French. The melding of the two cultures is the perfect representation of Marseille, so very French and so very diverse at the same time.

Café l'Écomotive: Located steps from the train station, Gare St. Charles, this little vegetarian sidewalk cafe is a saving grace when it comes to grabbing lunch before you catch a train to one of the surrounding towns! It has a menu of fresh southern French dishes, featuring whatever is in season. As with many restaurants in Marseille, the classic dishes get an unexpected infusion of spice and flavor thanks to the diverse cultures influencing the city's dining scene. The staff here are so very kind too!

Deep Coffee Roasters: Another specialty coffee roaster to make time for in Marseille, this coffee shop is located closer to the busy shopping street Rue Saint-Ferréol and is the perfect quiet space to take a break from all your walking. You can grab a pour over here too, though the espresso is top-notch!

LouLou Monsieur Glace: When on vacation to a sunny place, you must find good ice cream. This is it! Lou Lou Monsieur Glace is serving up artisanal ice creams in a hip storefront near the water. Grab a scoop and walk towards the water while you enjoy it.

Kif: The cutest little gourmet grocery store with a good natural wine selection is the perfect shop to pick up picnic supplies. No trip to Marseille is complete without a picnic on a beach at sunset! Plus, French grocery stores are temples to food and always fun to explore.

Poissonnerie Kennedy: You're in the South of France, you're on the coast, you need a great seafood dinner. Poissonnerie Kennedy offers the perfect seafood menu in a very cool atmosphere. Plus they have fun natural wine! It's definitely worth venturing outside of the city center.

Razzia: This bright coffee shop near the famous Cours Julien is the perfect lunch stop. Their menu offers amazing sandwiches, good coffee and French cider in a fun atmosphere. Grab a table here after you view the street art on Cours Julien and enjoy one of their sandwiches of the day filled with vibrant colorful flavors of Marseille cuisine.