Marseille travel guide

Built on multiculturalism, revolution and a Mediterranean climate, Marseille stands as one of Europe’s most intoxicating coastal metropolises. France’s second city divides opinion – its wild-at-heart spirit is an enthralment to many and anathema to others – but for the majority of the 1.6 million people who call it home, it is the source of an intense pride.

The cascading hills and white limestone cliffs of the Calanques provide an attractive backdrop to the urban throng, but more emblematic of the city are the souk-like backstreets of the town centre, the boisterous bartering at the fish market and the packed crowds at FC Olympique de Marseille’s home stadium. It might be in the south of France, but any dreams of Provençal calm are best realised elsewhere.
The hub of Marseille is the Vieux-Port, a harbour with some 2,600 years of history, while adjacent neighbourhoods such as Le Panier and Belsunce still offer up warrens of washing-webbed lanes perfect for exploration on foot or by bike (the city now has a hugely successful public bicycle system, usable by tourists). Nearby, the tree-lined central avenue of La Canebière crackles with activity day and night, while a short ferry ride offshore reveals Marseille’s other face – the Iles du Frioul, a rocky archipelago perfect for walkers and bird-spotters. The views back across town are spectacular.

There are some hugely diverting museums and cultural sites back in the city centre, but a major part of Marseille’s draw is that it doesn’t cater solely for highbrow visitors. If the notion of settling down on a busy café terrace and watching the world go by over a glass of wine sounds appealing, you’ll be well served. Similarly, if you’ve reached saturation point with the cathedrals and stately architecture that dominate so many European city guidebooks, you’ll enjoy encountering the zip and modern energy that characterises Marseille. For every dose of postcard classicism there’s a splash of something funkier – a 20ft-tall metal giraffe here, a 15-strong band of buskers there.
That’s not to decry the stirring grandeur of its historical set pieces, of course. Coming to the city and not seeing it through the context of its multi-layered past would be missing what makes Marseille so notable. And this being France, the food is special too. By far the city’s most famous culinary creation is bouillabaisse – a pricey but delicious seafood soup containing as many as nine different types of fish – and almost everything you read on Marseille points out the parallel between the dish’s jumble of different flavours and the destination’s similarly varied ethnic make-up.
Its historical role as a major port means Marseille is extraordinarily cosmopolitan – around one in four of its inhabitants have roots in North Africa, and there are also strong Italian and sub-Saharan influences – and this has played a large part in shaping its character. The city’s booming music and fashion industries these days add a dynamic flavour to the multiethnic mix, a fact that is best illustrated by Marseille’s selection as European Capital of Culture for 2013.

Travel Guide 2012