Marseille is the oldest city in France and one that should be on every South of France bucket list! Although Marseille is the second largest city in France, it retains its charming feel. You can walk around most of the touristy areas with ease and there is a great selection of things to do and see. Keep reading for 10 unique things to do in Marseille during your trip!
10 Unique Things to do in Marseille
Visit the Soap Museum
Marseille was once the soap capital of the world and soap production and sales remains an important part of the local economy. Marseille’s soap is famous for being made with olive oil, which is said to make it some of the finest soap in the world.
There are soap stores on every corner and they sell tons of different types of soaps. You’ll find soaps in every scent and shape imaginable and it’s hard not to buy all of them.
In addition to the plethora of great soap shops to check out, the Soap Museum is also worth a visit.
At just 2.50€ for a visit that includes a bar of soap, it’s a great deal to tour the small museum. For 5.50€ you can attend a workshop in addition to touring the museum and getting a free bar of soap.
The museum is very small, but very well done. You can easily tour the entire museum in about 20 minutes and you’ll leave with a deeper knowledge about soap making in Marseille.
Tour Château d’If
If you’ve ever read the famous novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, then you’re undoubtedly familiar with Chateau d’If. The fortress, built in in the early 1500s, is one of the main settings of the fictional novel.
In real life, Chateau d’If is a fortress located on an island about 1 mile from Marseille (20 minutes by ferry). The fortress served as a prison for many years before opening to the public in the late 1800s.
Touring the prison is eerie but very interesting. Visitors can also explore the entire island, taking in the stunning views of Marseille in the distance.
Visitors can purchase tickets to tour Chateau d’If at the ticket booth in Vieux Port (address: 4 Quai du Port). I recommend buying tickets first thing in the morning as they often sell out.
Have Dinner at a Circus Themed Restaurant
Marseille has a variety of great restaurants, but one of the most fun is certainly Splendido. This Italian restaurant is circus themed (in a stylish way) and the decor is really extravagant and fun. The food and drinks are also delicious and we loved everything we tried. You definitely can’t go wrong having dinner here!
Make a reservation as they get very busy!
Go on a Food Tour
Marsille has a great mix of local and international food and is famous for several dishes! Specifically, you’ll find a large Middle Eastern and North African influence in the city and there are several delicious restaurants that serve wonderful Arab cuisine.
A food tour is such a fun way to try a bunch of restaurants and local food spots and to sample some of Marseille’s specialties.
In addition to being able to try a wide variety of food, a food tour is a great way to get to know a city and find restaurants to go back to during your time there. I am always introduced to so many hidden gem restaurants on food tours that you won’t always find on Google/TikTok or other search engines.
Food Tours in Marseille
- No-Diet Club Local Food Tasting and Walking Tour
- E-Bike and Food Tour
- French Pastries and Chocolate Tour
- Beyond Bouillabaisse: Diving into Marseille’s Multicultural Stew
Must try dishes in Marseille:
- Bouillabaisse
- A traditional fish stew
- Navettes
- Boat shaped biscuits
- Panisse
- Chickpea french fry
- Madeleines
- Little almond flavored cakes
- Aïoli
- A garlicky spread with eggs that’s popular for dipping or on a baguette as a sandwich
- Brik à L’Oeuf
- An egg filled Tunisian pastry
- Specifically delicious from Chez Yassine
- An egg filled Tunisian pastry
- Pastis
- Anise (licorice) flavored liquor
Admire the Street Art in Le Panier
Le Panier is the oldest district in Marseille and this cute neighborhood is filled with street art, shops and little restaurants and cafes. The streets are narrow and quaint and it’s fun to wander around with no particular plan.
Because of all of the unique street art, Le Panier is often referred to as an open air museum – and it’s easy to see why!
While you’re in Le Panier, it’s worth taking a stop at the Cathédrale Basilique Sainte-Marie-Majeure. This Cathedral is beautiful inside and out!
Exploring Le Panier is a great way to work up an appetite and the neighborhood as a great selection of cafes where you can stop for a drink and a snack.
Cafes in Le Panier
- Cokiss
- For cookies and coffee
- Chez Lucas
- Sandwiches
- Dutch Cafe
- Pastries, juices, coffee and cocktails
Le Panier is such a unique district to explore and since it’s the oldest part of Marseille, it’s naturally filled with a ton of history and stories. A guided tour of the Le Panier is a great way to learn more about this neighborhood and see some of its hidden gems!
Tours in Le Panier
Enjoy a Rooftop Happy Hour
Rooftop happy hours are always fun, especially when there are beautiful views! Marseille is a lovely city to enjoy an evening rooftop happy hour, especially if you time it right to enjoy the sunset.
Two of my favorite places for an evening drink in Marseille are The Terrace Bar, located at Hotel Dieu and Ciel. Both of these bars have great drinks and wonderful views!
Go to a Concert at Notre Dame de la Garde
Visiting Notre Dame de la Garde is definitely a must do while in Marseille. The basilica is stunning and the views of Marseille are beautiful.
While visiting the basilica during the day should certainly be on your itinerary, it’s also wonderful to visit at night when there’s a concert or event. We saw a Boys’ Choir perform and they were incredible. I recommend arriving early to your event of choice to watch the sunset from the basilica, it’s a stunning spot.
It’s a little difficult to find out information about events at Notre Dame online. How we discovered that the Boys’ Choir was performing was by seeing a flier inside the basilica while we were visiting during the day.
When you arrive in Marseille, I recommend asking around about events at the basilica, or heading up during the day to see if there are any performances during your trip!
Note: Notre Dame is located about 45 minutes walking from Vieux Port – however, I only recommend walking during the day. At night, definitely take an Uber or taxi.
Ride the Petit Train
Taking a ride around Marseille on the Petit Train is one of the most popular things to do in the city – and with good reason! This little train is a fun way to tour the city while listening to a narration about the history and significance of different sites and neighborhoods.
You can buy tickets for the Petit Train at the pickup point in Vieux Port (174 Quai du Port), and trains run every 20-40 minutes.
The Petit Train offers three (season dependent) routes. I recommend Route 1 as it includes a stop at Notre Dame. Like I mentioned above, Notre Dame is on the top of a steep hill, so having the opportunity to ride the Petit Train to and from the basicalia is fantastic.
I learned a lot about Marseille on the Pettit Train and it definitely allowed me to see neighborhoods and sites that I may not have seen otherwise.
Enjoy Middle Eastern and North African Food
Marseille is home to many North Africans and Middle Easterners. There are tons of fantastic restaurants to check out that feature both North African and Middle Eastern cuisine.
For example, Chez Yassine (located at 7 Bd d’Athènes) is a great local restaurant to check out for Tunisian dishes! It’s located right next to the Noailles Market, which sells a variety of fruits, vegetables, street food and North African ingredients.
In the entire area around Noailles Market, you’ll find a great selection of Tunisian and Moroccan restaurants and businesses.
If you’re in the mood for some delicious Syrian food, I highly recommend Bistronomie Yasmine. Located in Vieux Port, this restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating and serves delicious food. This was one of my favorite meals I had in Marseille!
Ride the Ferry from One Side of the Old Port to the Other
Walking around Marseille’s Vieux Port is a pretty easy walk, however, it can take 25+ minutes depending on where you’re going. If you’re in a hurry to get from one side to the other, or just don’t feel like doing the walk, there’s a little ferry that will take you back and forth.
The ferry runs pretty often and is very inexpensive. In total, it takes about 3-4 minutes to get from one side to the other and the ride is fun to do. There are signs on both sides of Vieux Port showing where the ferry picks up.
BONUS: Take a Tour
Marseille is a unique city and whether you’re there for 24 hours or a full week there are plenty of ways to fill your time. A unique tour run by a local is always a fantastic way to do and see something new when visiting a city.
Fun tours in Marseille
Where to Stay in Marseille
When visiting Marsille, I recommend staying in the Vieux Port (Old Port) area. This is the most touristy area (in a good way) and it’s walkable to tons of major attractions, shops, restaurants and cafes. It’s also one of the prettiest areas of the city.
There are two sides to Vieux Port and they are both great. There are several hotels right in the middle. Walking from one side of Vieux Port to the other only takes about 25 minutes (or less), so no matter which side you stay on, you’ll be able to access everything on both sides quite easily.
The best hotels in Marseille:
- Hotel Dieu Intercontinental – my favorite hotel in Marseille
- Grand Hotel Beauvau Marseille Vieux Port
- Hôtel Marsiho by HappyCulture
- Maisons du Monde Hôtel & Suites
- Hotel Belle-Vue Vieux-Port
I hope you found this post with 10 unique things to do in Marseille, France to be helpful! Marseille is a lovely city filled with great restaurants, activities and experiences. If you have any other unique things to do in Marseille to add to this list, or if you have any questions, let me know in the comments.
Be sure to also check out my itinerary for one perfect day in Marseille as you plan your trip!
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♡Kate
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Thanks for all the recs! This was super helpful. My sister and I are leaving for France in 3 days and will be spending two nights in Marseille.
Thank you so much, Sarah! I hope you have the best time in Marseille!