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Voykit pocket guide · France
Marseille
Give Marseille 2 nights: one for the Vieux-Port, Le Panier and Notre-Dame de la Garde, one for the Calanques or a boat to Château d'If. Skip it if you want Provence villages.
Marseille is France's second city and its biggest Mediterranean port, founded by Greeks around 600 BC and still a working, mixed, loud place rather than a postcard. Sights cluster around the Vieux-Port and Le Panier, with the sea cliffs of the Calanques to the south. Two nights covers the centre; add a third for the Calanques or a day trip.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and crowds), and the mistral in winter
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €100–160 excl. bed · High €180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a counter | €1.50–3 |
| Sandwich or pizza slice | €5–9 |
| Bouillabaisse in a harbour restaurant | €25–45 per person |
| Beer: bar / supermarket | €5–8 / €1.50–3 |
| Metro or tram single ride | €1.70 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MRS · Marseille Provence
- About 30 km (19 mi) northwest of the centre; shuttle bus to Gare Saint-Charles, roughly 25–30 minAbout 19 mi (30 km) northwest of the centre; shuttle bus to Gare Saint-Charles, roughly 25–30 min
Typical fares
- MRS airport → Saint-Charles, shuttle bus
- about €10 one way, 25–30 min (check)
- MRS airport → Saint-Charles, taxi
- about €50 day, €60 night (check)
- Saint-Charles → Cassis, TER
- about €6–8, 25 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
RTM runs two metro lines, three trams and buses; single tickets allow transfers for about an hour. Metro runs roughly 05:00–00:30, most buses stop around 21:00. The free ferry across the Vieux-Port is the shortest commercial boat ride in Europe. Driving in the centre is a bad idea: park and use transport.RTM runs two metro lines, three trams and buses; single tickets allow transfers for about an hour. Metro runs roughly 5:00 AM–12:30 AM, most buses stop around 9:00 PM. The free ferry across the Vieux-Port is the shortest commercial boat ride in Europe. Driving in the centre is a bad idea: park and use transport.
See and do
Known for
- Vieux-Port and the fish market
- Notre-Dame de la Garde
- Le Panier old town and Mucem
- Calanques National Park
- Bouillabaisse
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aix-en-Provence | TER or TGV from Saint-Charles, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Cassis | TER from Saint-Charles, about 25 min, then walk to the port | About 50 min |
| Arles | TER or Intercités from Saint-Charles, about 50–60 min | About 1 h 15 min |
| La Ciotat | TER from Saint-Charles, about 35 min | About 1 h |
| Tarascon | TER from Saint-Charles, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 30 min |
| Saint-Rémy-de-Provence | Train to Avignon or Arles, then bus | 2–2.5 h |
Sleep
- Vieux-Port / Le Panier
- Walk to the harbour, Mucem and the old town; noisier and pricier.
- Gare Saint-Charles
- Best for early trains and airport buses; a short uphill walk to the port.
- Cours Julien / La Plaine
- Bars, cafés and a market; 15–20 min walk from the Vieux-Port.
- Prado / Castellane
- Quieter, metro-connected, good for beaches and parking.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-BYEN |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the metro? | Où est le métro ?oo ay luh may-TROH |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Pickpockets around the station, the Canebière and crowded buses.
- Some taxi drivers overcharge; note the driver number and complain at the tourist office.
- The Calanques close to walkers on high fire-risk summer days: check the day before.
- The mistral wind is cold and strong even in spring.
Marseille is fine for tourists who stay alert in the station area and on busy buses; the real annoyances are pickpockets, aggressive driving and the odd overcharging taxi. Avoid walking alone in the northern quarters at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Marseille yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Vieux-Port and the fish market
- Notre-Dame de la Garde
- Le Panier old town and Mucem
- Calanques National Park
- Bouillabaisse
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Office de Tourisme et des Congrès de Marseille: www.marseille-tourisme.com/en/
- Ville de Marseille: www.marseille.fr/
- Marseille Provence Airport: www.marseille-airport.com
- RTM (Marseille transport): www.rtm.fr/en
- Wikivoyage: Marseille, revision 5236216 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5236216
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Marseille
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate-general in Marseille; other countries mostly work through their embassy in Paris (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/marseille). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.