It’s no secret that we walk…a lot. We hike all around the national parks in the US—sometimes against our better judgement. Many of the free things that we did in Paris revolved around walking. As travelers, what better way to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, than to literally trek around the land? We thought it fitting that our second to last France post includes a walking tour of Marseille.

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A lot of people skip over Marseille on their way from Paris to Nice. We almost made this mistake as well, but we’re thankful that we didn’t. One of the first things that struck me on our walking tour of Marseille was how very vibrant it is. Colorful buildings with orange tiled roofs meet the multi-toned Mediterranean Sea.

Founded in 600 BCE, Marseille has a very long history. It’s the oldest city in France (which of course wasn’t France then). Since it’s a major port and trading center, people have been coming to Marseille for thousands of years. This means that today it’s a culturally diverse place with a wide range of influences and a plethora of food options. Here’s our 2-day walking tour of Marseille with must-see sights and of course, eats. Don’t worry, you’re going to earn those calories…at least that’s what I tell myself to justify my gelato habit.

Where to stay

Vieux Port (Old Port)

We highly recommend staying near the Vieux Port. It’s walkable from the train station, centrally located to many of the historic sites, and contains pretty much every type of cuisine you can imagine. We stayed at Hotel Hermes and recommend it for short 2-3 day visits. The staff is extremely welcoming and helpful, plus it has a cool rooftop terrace with a bar and incredible views of the harbor.

Being our budget traveling selves, we booked the cheapest room. While it had everything we needed, I want to note that it was very small (like turn sideways to fit between the bed and wall small). If you’re staying longer than a few days, we recommend going with a larger room. And yes, the irony of someone who lives in a van complaining about small spaces isn’t lost on me😉

If you don’t have the extra days to stay in Marseille, it’s an easy daytrip by train from Avignon and other areas. You can still enjoy this energetic city while staying elsewhere in Provence.

Walking Tour of Marseille Itinerary

Day 1

Eat: Grab a café, croissant, and/or omelet at any of the places along the harbor or in the square Cours Honoré-d’Estienne-d’Orves just a block off the harbor.

Do: After this, make your way up to Notre-Dame de la Garde. Another big church on a big hill. Enjoy views of the sprawling city and deep blue sea along the way. Notre-Dame de la Garde is my very favorite church in all of France. Instead of a dark solemn interior like most churches, this one is bright and nautical themed—almost cheery!

Do: Next head back down the hill towards La Corniche—a seaside walking road along the Mediterranean coast. You’ll want to make your way to Parc Balnéaire du Prado (The Prado Seaside Park) and then onto the replica of David statue.

If you walk there and back by the most direct route it will be close to 7 miles (11k). If you take the scenic route (aka are directionally challenged like us) you’ll likely walk further—possibly closer to 10 miles. I just try to think of that as a few extra scoops of gelato.

If you don’t need to justify your gelato consumption, here’s where you can cheat the walking tour a bit. You can catch a bus and get off 1 minute from the David statue, then walk back on La Corniche.

Eat: La Dolce Vita—you’ll find this restaurant across from the park. We recommend the pizza and a cold brew to quench your thirst.
Travel Tip: Many of the restaurants close mid-afternoon (from 2 or 3 pm to 6 or 7 pm) so plan your lunch accordingly.

Do: If it’s hot out, bring your bathing-suit and stop at one of the many swimming spots along La Corniche on the walk back.

Do: Make your way back to Vieux Port and spend some time there exploring the harbor and colorful boats.

Eat: Our recommendation is eating somewhere off the main harbor as prices are lower. We ate Indian food twice during our brief stay in Marseille and Ashoka was our favorite. It’s on a side street and has excellent food and service.

Day 2

Eat: See day 1.

Do: Head to Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church and take in the imposing neo-Gothic architecture and intricate stained glass. This place is pretty much the opposite of Notre-Dame de la Garde—dark and brooding (buildings can brood, right?). It offers a nice quiet place to get away from the busy city.

Do: Next up on your walking tour of Marseille is the History Museum. Note: the entrance is inside the shopping mall. That took us a while to figure out.

The museum is divided into 13 sections that take you through a trip in time. Spend a couple hours here learning about the rich and varied history of this port city.

Eat: Brasserie des Templiers is a short walk from the museum and serves rich and satisfying French food. I recommend the salmon lasagna.

Do: After lunch, walk through the La Panier neighborhood on your way to Cathédrale La Major. Take your time exploring the narrow streets, shops, and squares, then stroll through the hallways of the cathedral and pretend you’re a character from Game of Thrones.

Do: You’ll find a giant Ferris wheel just a short walk from the cathedral. You can’t miss it. We passed on riding the wheel, but have heard that it has phenomenal city and sea views.

Eat: For dinner try out Bar Bu, just one street away from Ashoka. It’s a gourmet burger and fish & chips place. While France is well-known for its strikes and protests, one of the biggest debates we heard about while there, was whether it’s true that the hamburger is outselling the ham baguette.

Here’s a map of all the places mentioned in the walking tour of Marseille.

Hopefully this walking tour of Marseille has given you an itinerary for this vibrant historic city and convinced you that it’s well worth a visit during a trip to France. Have you ever been to Marseille? What was your favorite thing to do there?

Related Posts:

• Budget Travel Guide to Avignon, France
• Bouchons, Basilicas, and Other Things We Love in Lyon
• 11 Free (or Cheap) Things to do in Paris
• 7 Mistakes We Made in Paris (and How to Avoid Them)

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