Places to visit in Marseille and all the landmarks to know while travelling here

Marseille is the port city of France has a rich history as the city was initially a Greek residential region but later conquered by the French. There are multiple places to visit in the city and a vibrant football culture. Here are places are a must-visit when in the city.

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Places to visit in Marseille, France

Le Panier

The Basket is Marseille’s oldest quarter and the site was originally inhabited by Greeks. The place got its nickname from its steep streets and buildings. It is heavenly for explorers who like the close village-like feel, artsy ambience, cool hidden squares and sun-baked cafes. The entire place had to be reconstructed after World War II which very conveniently hid many artisan shops and ateliers or workshops in the jumbled lanes.

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Vieux Port

The Vieux Port is Marseille’s birthplace where innumerable ships have docked since people can remember. The major commercial docks were moved to the Joliette area in the 1840s keeping the old port as a blooming harbour for fishing boats, extravagant yachts and also tourist boats. This entire dock is guarded by the St-Jean fort and St-Nicolas fort and both the sides are filled with bars, cafes and night clubs.

La Joliette

Another dock region of Marseille is the old maritime neighbourhood of La Joliette. Since the docks have gone out of practice in the late 19th century, this region is now swamped with bars, shops and restaurants. Ferries are still embarked on from this place but the rest of 19th century façades have been cleared impressively. Here one can also find Marche de la Joliette one of Marseille’s most buzzing markets, Les Docks which were 19th century abandoned warehouses now home to boutiques and galleries. There is also Les Terraces du Port which is a vast shopping mall filled with upmarket international chains nearby.

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Cathédrale de Marseille Notre Dame de la Major

This stunning Cathedral stands tall between the old and new ports and has been constructed back in the late 1800s. The foundation stone for this cathedral was laid down by Napoleon III in 1852 but its completion was halted by the appointment of the New major after him. The massive structure gives a major Byzantine style façade made of cassis stone and green Florentine marble. The cathedral is open for tourist from 10 am to 6:30 pm from Wednesday to Sunday on April till September and 10 am to 5:30 pm from October to March.

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