Marseille is a city that, compared to others in France, stands out for its bubbly personality and the vibrancy of its inhabitants.The multiculturalism and redevelopment initiated in 2017 have made Marseille a must-visit city on a trip to discover a less touristy but arguably more authentic France.
Legend has it that Marseille was born from the merger of Gyptis, daughter of a Celtic-ligurian king and Protis, a merchant from Greece: actually, this town in Provence, France, was founded by the Phocians in the 6th century, developing over time as a very lively, cheerful and modern city, considered by many to be the French Naples. It overlooks the Gulf of Lion, enjoying one of the most enchanting landscape views in the entire Mediterranean Sea. Greek rule shaped ancient Massalia, so much so that Homer’s language was spoken in the city for many centuries, still influencing its linguistic inflection considered among the most elegant in all of France.
Marseille has gone through an extremely dark period throughout its history, which made it an almost unrecognizable city: today, thanks to the awarding of the title of Capital of Culture in 2013, Marseille has literally been reborn, thanks to a process of profound redevelopment that, starting from the port, has then involved the entire city, making it a must-visit stop during a sabbatical trip around Europe.
What to see in Marseille in a week: the Old Port
Marseille revolves around its Old Port, which is the most authentic and truthful area of this city in Provence: its origins date back at least 2,600 years, that is, to the founding of Marseille itself. This is where most of the locals, restaurants, bars and artisans’ stores are concentrated, not to mention the tourists’ yachts and especially the fishing boats that moor at dawn after spending a night fishing.In this regard, one cannot fail to visit the Old Port without immersing oneself in the colors, scents and friendly shouts of the Fish Market, where you can find fish such as octopus, squid, sea bream and more.
After being named Capital of Culture in 2013, a sprint was immediately given to the redevelopment of the city, starting right from the Old Port, which was overhauled and beautified thanks to the
Miroir Ombrière
by Norman Foster. It is a somewhat bizarre structure that consists of a stainless steel cover and mirrors, in which the teeming life of Marseilles is reflected. Boarding the Ferry Boats is also a great way to visit the port of Marseille, from a much calmer and quieter perspective, however, being in the heart of the Gulf of Lion.
The Old Port is nestled between the Fort Saint Nicholas, expressly desired by King Louis XIV and the Fort Saint Jean, used as a prison during the French Revolution: from the latter, precisely from the Place d’Armes, a footbridge over the sea starts that will allow visitors to reach the Museum of the Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean, located inside a perfectly cubic building. Thousands of books, photographs, and original artifacts chronicling the history, archaeology, art, and anthropological culture of Marseille are preserved here. The Mucem is a must-see stop on a weeklong vacation to Marseille, thanks in part to the presence of an auditorium, bookstores, children’s play areas and a restaurant complete with a panoramic terrace overlooking the Old Port.
Just a stone’s throw from the museum is another place born of Marseille’s redevelopment, this time signed by Stefano Boeri: the Italian architect has created the Villa Méditerranée, an extraordinary white C-shaped building jutting out into the sea, where it is possible to take real underwater tours from the underground floors of this futuristic structure.
Marseille in a week: its most beautiful churches
From the Villa Méditerranée there is a clear view of La Major, the beautiful Cathedral of Marseille erected between 1852 and 1896 at the behest of Napoleon III. Striking is the façade of this monumental house of worship, made of green and white marble and topped by a large dome that verges on 70 m. height. The interior of the church, flanked moreover by the 12th-century Old Gothic-Romanesque Cathedral (which cannot be visited in any case), enchants with its splendid Byzantine mosaics and vestiges of an ancient early Christian place of worship dating back to the 5th century.
Then among the most beautiful churches in Marseille is the 19th-century Bonne Mere, called Notre Dame de la Garde by the locals: the chioesa’s most characteristic feature is certainly the magnificent view of the sea from its churchyard, the building being 150 m away. height over the Gulf of Marseille. The Romanesque-Byzantine church preserves mosaics, frescoes, polychrome marbles, and above all, many ex-votos that only testify to the great veneration of the Marseillais for the Virgin Mary.
La Basilica of St. Victor is instead a Romanesque church also not far from Marseille’s Old Port and its oldest core dates back to the 5th century.The crypt is one of the must-sees in Marseille and holds the remains of two martyrs who lived in 250 AD.
A trip to Marseille cannot fail to include a relaxing stroll through the city’s oldest district, viz. Le Panier: one finds oneself walking through narrow alleys overlooked by houses with colorful facades, among balconies and workshops of artisans selling their nativity figurines, an art that only brings the French city closer to Naples.
What to see in Marseille in a week: from Le Panier to La Corniche
Travelers cannot leave Le Panier without admiring the stone from directly from Mount Golgotha inside the Church of the Accoules and without visiting the Vielle Charitè. It is a beautiful French Baroque building dating back to 1640 and built to house the needy: restored by Le Corbusier, the large building revolves around a courtyard and now houses the Museum of African, Amerindian and Oceanic Arts and also the Museum of Mediterranean Archaeology.
In Marseille, walks along La Canebiere, a street that connects the Old Port with the Reformes area dating back to 1666 full of stores, restaurants, and elegant buildings such as the Opera House and the Stock Exchange Palace, are a must, but especially at the Corniche. It is a beautiful promenade, frequented by sportsmen or families intent on spending a few hours relaxing between restaurants where they can enjoy an excellent Bouillabaisse fish soup and sunbathing on Des Catalans beach.
In a week in Marseille it is worthwhile to reach, the island part of the Iles du Frioul archipelago about 20 minutes from the city of Provence. Here stands a 16th-century fortress intended for Francis I, the protagonist of Alexandre Dumas’ novel “The Count of Montecristo”: literary tradition has it that the famous characters, Abbot Faria and especially Edmond Dantes, stayed in this manor.
