Plan One Day in Marseille, France’s Rowdy Port City

Marseille, France, is one of those places people like to say you’ll either love or hate. It’s certainly more chaotic than many French cities. I’d almost compare it to Naples, Italy, with fewer scooters nipping at your heels.

We visited for a few days to catch some football during the Paris Olympics — they held a few events all about France, not just in Paris itself — and had a pretty enjoyable time.

I’m not moving to Marseille anytime soon, but it’s a fun city escape to experience a different side of France. This guide is everything I’d try to get to with just one day in Marseille.

Is Marseille worth a day trip?

You can easily fill a full day’s worth of activities with a day trip to Marseille. I’d recommend a true full day here, though. If you’re traveling from elsewhere, consider spending the night in the city to maximize your time on a Marseille itinerary. 

With a full day, you can tick off most of the city’s big attractions and spend time lingering at the city’s best snack spots.

Marseille may be known for its maritime history, scenic coastline, and rowdy demeanor, but it’s a place with lots of options for observing it all from near or far.

How to Spend One Day in Marseille

Here are some things to do in Marseille in one day:

• Have brunch at Carlotta With.
• See the views from Notre-Dame de la Garde.
• Shop at Le Four des Navettes, the oldest bakery.
• Stroll the Vieux Port.
• Learn at The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (Mucem).
• Explore Cosquer Méditerranée.
• Admire Marseille Cathedral.
• Enjoy a treat at Vanilla Noire.
• Relax at Place Général de Gaulle.
• Enjoy another treat at Les Cookies de Lucas.
• Have happy hour at Cours Julien.
• Eat dinner at Propaganda.

Stop 1: Brunch at Carlotta With

I don’t always eat breakfast while I’m traveling, but when I do I try to find a place as hipster as possible. Carlotta With filled that need.

Order a bunch of stuff to keep you satiated for a while, as it’ll be snacks from here until a suitable dinner. (There are PLENTIFUL snacks, though.)

First of all, they call themselves a “culinary apothecary.” I’m not even sure what that means, but honestly, I don’t think I even need a second. They have lots of vegetarian options for the plant-eaters out there and plates perfect for sharing.

We started with a pain au gianduja, a play on pain au chocolat with a filling of gianduja, a creamy nut spread. For our savory plates, we shared two toasties, one with beets that returned to haunt me in the bathroom later as they often do. 

Note: This is a reminder to yourself for later. You’re fine. You just ate beets earlier.

Prices were higher than you might see in a more classic boulangerie around town, but you can’t spend money when you’re dead. Everything was delicious. If you like options, Petrin Couchette was also on my list for looking very cute.

Stop 2: Notre-Dame de la Garde

If you took my advice about brunch, you’ll be an easy-ish hike up to the city’s impressive basilica from there. We saw buses and the little touristic trains passing by as we hoofed it on foot, so you do have options if you don’t want to walk.

Notre-Dame de la Garde has some of the views of the city and the sea from the top. Built in the 19th century, it features a towering statue of the Virgin Mary and an intriguing design inside that reminded me of Christmas.

It was all red and white candy stripes.

The theme inside is a nautical one. You’ll find ship paintings and ship hangings that don’t feel like Christmas but are impressive nonetheless.

Once you’re done here, you’ll descend to your next stop, passing by a tank that sits here as a symbol of what Marseille experienced for its liberation during World War II. This is Le Char Jeanne d’Arc, or the Joan of Arc tank. 

Stop 3: Le Four des Navettes 

This is the oldest bakery in Marseilles, and they’re known for their navettes. These boat-shaped cookies flavored with orange blossom water are popular during religious festivals. They have a firm but somehow chewy texture and are very, very dry.

While they’re a local delicacy, I wouldn’t buy as many as we did. I think it was six, in which case it was five too many. They’re fine. Maybe save them to dip in something later.

The good news is, the almond cookies at this shop are MUCH better. Buy more of those, instead. We noshed on some of those on a shady bench in the courtyard of Abbaye Saint-Victor nearby. That part was lovely.

Stop 4: Vieux Port

The Old Port of Marseille is what many travelers likely picture when they think of the city. This is where you’ll catch the city’s boat tours, artisan stalls, and fish markets when they’re operating on your one-day itinerary. 

My favorite part was the Ombrière, a stunning mirrored canopy by architect Norman Foster that reflects the scenes below. It reminded me of a similar concept at The Bean in downtown Chicago.

Fun fact: The Bean’s real name is Cloud Gate, but nobody calls it that. It’s The Bean and yes, we love it.

We walked about for a bit to check out the boats and listen to the street performers then went on our merry way. There was learning to be had at the next stop.

Stop 5: Fort Saint-Jean/Mucem

We visited in the summer, so there’s no way we were going to ignore an activity that involved some time in a climate-controlled space.

Now that we’ve spent some time inside Mucem, we can honestly say we’d visit no matter the weather. The waterfront museum is excellent, and an awesome way to learn about the ancient histories of this part of the country. 

Start at historic Fort Saint-Jean. You can walk the ramparts, explore the gardens, and wander into various rooms set up with multimedia displays that describe the fort’s history as a guardian of the city’s port. 

Note: You can wander the grounds for free, but you’ll need to pay an entrance fee to see Mucem. Just pay. There’s not too much to see of the fort from the outside and the outside isn’t climate-controlled. 

Enjoy the views from the top of the fort before crossing the bridge, another fun spot for panoramic photos, for the main exhibits at Mucem. There is a lot to see inside. Expect to spend a few hours browsing the exhibits. 

I loved the themed spaces on the ground floor, but their offerings are constantly evolving here.

It’s possible that what we experienced, like a painting of Snoop Dogg, won’t be what you see on your visit. In the case of Snoop Dogg, I hope you’re just as lucky as we were.

Stop 6: Cosquer Méditerranée

This Marseille attraction looked super cheesy at first, and I wasn’t sure whether it’d be a virtual reality thing or something else. It turned out to be a lot of fun, especially because we got to continue our break from the heat.

Cosquer Méditerranée is a slow ride through a cave that is supposed to be a depiction of the actual cave where diver Henri Cosquer found ancient handprints and cave art. Researchers believe the art he found is more than 30,000 years old.

Since you’d need to be a diving expert and/or scientist to visit the real cave, tourists have to settle for the Disney-esque version.

You can’t take photos of the space, so you’ll have to take me at my word that this is a pretty neat thing to do in the city.

While it’s certainly a fun add-on if you’re traveling to Marseille with kids, these two adults had a very fun time deciphering the different shapes on the cave walls.

There’s an exhibit space to explore once you’re back above ground where you can see the kinds of animals — now extinct — depicted in the cave art. When I tell you this was Brian’s favorite stop I am not being hyperbolic!

Stop 7: Marseille Cathedral

This city loves its candy cane striping. Sainte-Marie-Majeure Cathedral, or La Major if you’re lazy, is hard to miss as you exit your cave tour. You can visit inside if you’d like, but the exterior of this one is the most striking part. 

If you skipped around this itinerary a bit and have some time to kill before more snacks, you’ll be within a short walk of Le Panier from here.

Fun fact: This is Marseille’s oldest neighborhood, known for its narrow streets, artsy vibes, and La Vieille Charité, an almshouse-turned-museum. 

What was once very much a working-class area is now the city’s hub for local artisans. You can spend some time in the shops or popping into the galleries. You can also move on to some ice cream if that moves you. I leave that up to you. 

Stop 8: Vanilla Noire

It’s been a while since you ate those dry cookies. If you’re visiting in the warmer months, treat yourself to some black vanilla ice cream at Vanilla Noire. 

They made us try a sample first because some people have called the flavor a little salty. I didn’t get that at all. I thought it tasted like vanilla with the added bonus of making your teeth and tongue black. 

If you don’t love the sound of that, they have all kinds of other unique flavors for you to choose from.

Stop 9: Place Général de Gaulle

You can take your ice cream with you if you’d like for a little stroll through Place Général de Gaulle. Admire the murals and the beautiful Grand Carrousel de la Canebière Marseille, a two-level Venetian carousel that dates back to the 18th century. 

The monument on the other side of the square is the Free France Monument, another nod to the city’s importance during World War II.

My favorite part was the sculpture of the rotund family having a grand old time on a hot day in Marseille. This is La Famille from artist Bruno Catalano. The fact that they’re all so joyfully plump is in stark contrast to the more solemn installations on the square.

Stop 10: Les Cookies de Lucas

I told you there would be lots of snacks available throughout the day. These were so much more delicious than our attempts at being culturally sound with those navettes. I nabbed a raspberry cookie while Brian enjoyed a Nutella and salted caramel option.

They’re soft but somehow still crumbly, and the staff inside are super friendly if you’d like suggestions. You can also just go by vibes. That raspberry cookie was giving me vibes.

Stop 11: Cours Julien

I loved the feel of this street. There is a ton of graffiti here, but it almost looks curated. It felt very much like our favorite neighborhoods in Bogotá, Colombia, a city known for its public art.

READ MORE: Learn about one of my favorite graffiti tours on the planet in this guide to Bogotá’s street art. 

You can spend the rest of the night here if you don’t suffer from travel FOMO as aggressively as I do. Any of the cafes, breweries, and eateries are ideal for spending an evening. 

We hung out at a tapas place called L’Oiseau de Nuit for a while for some Aperol spritzes, beers, and snacks.

We finally got to try panisses, the local chickpea specialty here. They’re essentially little chickpea pancakes that pair perfectly with an alcoholic beverage. It sounds basic, but their mini burgers were delicious, too. 

Stop 12: Dinner

If you have the tummy space, Propaganda is a great option to close out your evening with. This is another tapas bar — I love small plates for the potential to try more stuff — with a large terrace overlooking the water.

We overindulged a bit on the sangria but the food was excellent. It was still VERY hot the evening we attempted all of this, but I was nevertheless insistent that we sit on the terrace for the ambiance and the atmosphere. 

Standouts on the food menu were an avocado shrimp special, their croquettes, and what were quite possibly the best tacos we had up to that point in France. 

Sorry, O’Tacos. You’re not even tacos, honestly. 

READ MORE: We’ve learned a lot about France after living in the country for a while. Check out some of the more surprising parts!

Call it a night here or keep the party going at any of the hopping bars or restaurants along the water here. You have options!

With More Time in Marseille

Considering how well we ate, I have a feeling we’ll be back in this city again, even though I stand by the fact that it’s not the “prettiest” French city.

Here are a few alternative things to do in Marseille that remain on my list for next time:

• Hit the beach at Plage des Catalans, close to the city center, or Plages du Prado, the largest sandy strip in the city. 
• Go on a sunset cruise.
• DIY your lunch at La Fabriquerie. 
• Relax in city parks like Parc Borély.
• Hang around the gardens of Palais du Pharo.
• See the water fountain of Palais Longchamp.

Marseille is also a nice base for day trips in the region. Explore the Palais des Papes in Avignon, discover Van Gogh’s art inspirations in Arles, or see a quintessential Provençal town in Aix-en-Provence. All three are accessible without a car, too.

How to Get to Marseille

Most tourists visit Marseille from elsewhere in France. By train, it’s a three-hour trip on the country’s high-speed trains from Paris. If you do arrive this way, the grand staircase at the Marseille-Saint-Charles railway station is impressive.

If you arrive by air, Marseille Provence Airport is your most efficient option. You won’t connect directly to Marseille from the United States, but connections are frequent from Paris. 

From the airport, it’s about 17 miles (27 km) to the city center. Shuttles, buses, and trains into the city center are cheap and frequent. In fact, I found Marseille’s public transit options to be quite easy to navigate. 

The city itself is very walkable, but Marseille is also very well-connected with its network of trains and buses. You can even tap your credit cards for payment on trains like in London, something I wish Paris and its near suburbs would get on board with. 

If you’re a bus guy or girlie, long-distance services connect Marseille with various destinations around France and the rest of Europe. FlixBus is a popular option. It’ll just take you quite a bit longer than high-speed rail.

Driving yourself is your final option, but I wouldn’t recommend it. We had some friends drive to the stadium in Marseille and the traffic was horrendous. The parking situation was worse. You don’t need a car in this city, especially if aggressive drivers freak you out.

Safety in Marseille

Marseille has a reputation as being one of the most dangerous cities in France. While it does have a higher crime rate than the rest of the country, most of the bad stuff is related to drug crimes between rival gangs.

The crime that could affect a tourist is generally of the petty kind. Exercise caution as you would in any big city as you explore what to see in Marseille.

As a native of Chicago, I know that there are certain neighborhoods back home that I wouldn’t want to find myself in after dark.

The same is true of cities like Marseille. Bad crime here generally occurs in pockets that most tourists don’t explore. These districts are best avoided if you’re only here for the day: the 3rd, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th arrondissements.

If you’re here on your own, be as street-smart as you would in any city. Avoid walking solo at night. Watch your belongings at the beach. Get your head out of your phone and pay attention to your surroundings.

You know your comfort level best. If something feels off, trust your gut and get out of there, especially if you’re a solo female.

Where to Stay in Marseille

We stayed at the ibis Marseille Centre Gare Saint Charles for a few nights during our stay in Marseille. It doesn’t get more convenient if you’re arriving by train for your Marseille day trip, as the hotel is steps away from the station.

The price was GREAT, but you’re not getting luxury here. The hotel halls smelled of cabbage upon arrival — this eventually dissipated — and the showers were low-pressure, but the rooms were clean and efficient. I’d stay again, just because of the convenience.

To shop around, browse the map below:

Embrace the chaos of Marseille for a day.

Marseille is definitely more chaotic than anywhere else we’ve visited in France. It’s busier, louder, and layered in graffiti. Despite all of that, we enjoyed it and found lots of options for what to do in Marseille for a day.

I’m not in the love it or hate it camp, but I did like it. While I’d come back, it likely would be for another quick visit. It’s just a little too much for what I’m usually about, especially as I get older. The best way to see where you land is to visit for yourself!

Planning more travel in France? Check out these guides:

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• A Guide to Nice, Even in the Rain
• Should Golfers Prioritize Le Golf National?
• A Christmas Guide to Holidays in Colmar
• How to Visit Cannes From Nearby Nice

More guides for exploring France and elsewhere:

• Things to Do on Trips to Antibes, France
• Should You Plan a Trip to Versailles?
• A Guide to One Day in Avignon
• One Day in Verona Is What You Need
• An Essential Guide to Florence Travel

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