Marseille is going straight – cultured, even. New museums and galleries sprout. Trendy restaurants and bars abound. Hotel openings bang into one another. The 21st-century city is recapturing the trading grandeur of the 19th century. It’s got a sophisticated swagger as it aspires to regain world city status.
Yet it remains Marseille, where the staring sun casts shadows enough for skulduggery. There’s an edge to the place – which is precisely why you should go. If you wanted just museums and hip restaurants, you could go anywhere because everywhere has them. You travel to Marseille for the new-found culture, certainly, but also for the brawling beat of a big port city, picaresque and seductive for the last 2,600 years. For the music, the bombast and football, the Med roots and 50 shades of humanity living life loud. Marseille changes continually but remains its boisterous self; the most overwhelming city in France.
Explore our interactive map below for all the local highlights, and scroll down for our suggested day-by-day summary of the best things to see and do. For further Marseille inspiration, see our guides to the city’s best hotels, restaurants and nightlife and things to do.
