Marseille tourist information
Gaze at 2600 years of history under the auspices of Gyptis and Protis. Ancient Massilia has kept its strong identity throughout the years, which is a rare mix of culture and rebellious spirit.
Covering 240 km2, Marseille is twice as large as Paris. Indeed, it gathers many small villages – 111 to be precise – that joined along the years. They represent the many districts of the city we know today.
Marseille is not an easy town to discover : it takes time. If you are in a hurry, there are still a few museums and monuments to visit but you must keep in mind that the main charm in Marseille is…Marseille itself with its inhabitants, its smells and its exceptional location between the mountains and the sea.
If you should choose an ideal district to start your visit, it should be Le Panier (or « Basket »). It’s the oldest district of the city, which extended as far as the town hall until World War II. While in Le Panier, you can make the most of the freshness of the narrow streets and the various squares : place des Moulins, du Refuse or des Pistoles. On Place des Pistoles, you can find La Vieille Charité : this former hospice was converted into a cultural place. It contains a collection of african, pacific and indian art.and also many egyptian antiquites from the museum of archeology. You can admire the dome of its chapel : it’s a perfect oval, which is the one and only baroque monument in Marseille. Near the « basket », you can find la Cathédrale de la Major, whose romano-bysantine style differs from the harbor in front of it.
Located near Endoume, between Le Pharo and Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, St Victor’s Abbay stands out as the oldest monument in town, and it offers a fantastic view of the harbor. You can see St John’s and St Nicolas’s forts which were built on each side of Le Vieux Port (« Old harbor ») under Louis XIV.
A few palaces can be found in Marseille : Le palais Longchamps was built under Napoleon III ; its magnificent fountain, which was erected for the glory of springs, is the last part of the canal that brings the water of the Durance River into town. Le palais du Pharo offers a wonderful view including Le Vieux Port, If Castle and the Frioul Islands which can be visited by taking the ferry from the harbor. In front of those ferries ends the most famous avenue in Marseille : La Canebière. On its lower part, you can find the Bourse center (shopping, anyone ?), the museum of history and Le jardin des vestiges (« relics garden »).
Yourvisit in Marseille wouldn’t be complete without Notre-Dame-de-le-Garde. The protector of sailors watches over the city from 10 meters above, perched on a neobyzantine monument built by local architect Esperandieu. On football nights, many inhabitants come to burn a candle as a prayer for the local team, L’Olympique de Marseille.
Marseille aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Marseille aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Marseille.
Marseille weather forecast
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