01Neighborhoods · DAY 1 IDEA
Marseille
Noailles quarter
Lined with Arabic and Indo-Chinese shops some of the streets could be part of a bazzaar in Algeria. A fascinating area.
Allow about 60 minutes · planning estimate
Europe / France
Marseille.
Places to go. A little room to wander.
THE SHORTLIST
A few places worth your time.
02Culture · DAY 1 IDEA
Marseille
Place Jean Jaurès
La Plaine is the local name for Place Jean Jaurès close to Cours Julien. Every Thursday and Saturday morning the Plaine market is the place to shop. If you are there early enough you can make very good deals, even if what you'll find there is sometimes "tombé du camion" (fallen off the truck) as one says in Marseille.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
03Culture · DAY 1 IDEA
Marseille
Vieux Port
Watching fishermen selling their stock by auction is a must. Arriving into Marseille in the Vieux-Port on a summer evening is something you will never forget. You can watch this show by going to Frioul islands or Chateau d'If and going back late in the afternoon. There is also a nice view of the harbour from the Palais du Pharo (Pharo Palace). The famous Canebière avenue goes straight down the harbour. However the Canebière is not that interesting despite its reputation.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
04Culture · DAY 2 IDEA
Parvis Saint Laurent
Fort Saint-Jean
Fort Saint-Jean is a fortification at the North-Western end of the Old Port, built in 1660 by Louis XIV. You can walk through the old fortifications, stroll through a small park, enjoy the view on the Old Port or on the sea, or walk over the free-hanging bridges to the museum or the Church Saint-Laurent. The Fort also offers a 10-min video show about the history of Marseille and the Fort.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
05Culture · DAY 2 IDEA
Rue Fort du Sanctuaire
Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde
The big church which overlooks the city. Old fishermen used to have their boats blessed in this church. You can still see many boat models hanging around in the church. From there it is one of the nicest view of the city. You can use the tourist train from the Vieux Port to reach the church - you can get off the train, look around and board a later train back to the port.
Allow about 90 minutes · planning estimate
A note before you go. Start with Noailles quarter, then decide whether Place Jean Jaurès deserves a separate visit rather than rushing both. The suggested days are an editable grouping, not a timed tour. Visit allowances exclude transfers, meals and queues; confirm the exact entrance and current visiting arrangements for Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde before setting off.
Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. Suggested days and time allowances are editorial starting points. Check the linked visitor information for opening hours, access, and reservations.
BEFORE YOU SET OFF
A more practical kind of plan.
Getting your bearings
The number of transfers is unlimited (including the return journeys) within the one-hour limit between the first boarding and last transfer on all the network (you must validate with each entry to the bus). There is no service at all on 1 May. The Pilote website includes all the bus, tram and métro schedules but is easier to read than the RTM sites. Moreover, this site repeats the schedules of the majority of transport in common runs of the agglomeration (tram, bus interurban, trains regional) and makes it possible to search for journeys in Marseille and the nearby communes.
Build a route that makes sense
Noailles quarter and Place Jean Jaurès are about 0.6 km apart in a straight line. Use the route link to compare the actual streets or transport connections before putting both in the same morning; the measurement is not a walking distance or a transfer estimate.
A LITTLE STRUCTURE. ROOM FOR DISCOVERY.
Your Marseille plan.
Add a few stops, choose your days, and leave space between them.
Day 1
Time estimates cover visits only. Add time for meals, travel, queues, and breaks. Map links open Google Maps with your selected stops.
Save personal booking references elsewhere. Clearing browser storage removes your plans; download a copy to keep.
Location, map & reference details
Visitor information & sources
Reference credits & reuse
This city guide includes selected, abridged material by Wikivoyage contributors, adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. The adapted guide text is available under the same license; photographs and website design retain their separate terms. Selected and abridged reference descriptions; operational prices and timetables omitted. Elsewhere added the shortlist, geographic grouping and planning notes.
- Marseille: reference version 5385048 · contributor history
Reference material retrieved 2026-10-19. It is community-edited background, not firsthand reporting or a live opening-hours service.
KEEP EXPLORING