"Aix on your own" or Aix/Cassis/Marseilles with Italy Tours?

[canuck23]

Hi all! 

We will be in Marseilles in mid October. I actually already have the "Aix on your own" excursion booked with Royal Caribbean (basically just bus transportation to and from with about 6 hours to explore on your own). I would be quite happy wandering around for 6 hours (especially as it is a market day), but I do have a husband that gets quite whiney when he thinks he has seen enough! 

 

We are using Italy Tours EU in Naples, and also came across their Aix / Cassis / Marseilles tour. Cost would be about double per person (roughly $120 vs $60). This would give us a few hours in Aix (with a guide), a few hours in Cassis, and Weather permitting, a drive along the fantastic ‘Crested Roa’ (one of Europe’s nicest roads) to the famous cliff ‘Cap Canaille’, which is located 400 meters above sea level and offers astonishing views of the Mediterranean sea. We would also visit ‘Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica’ and subject to docking times of the ship, we will tour the old port and take photos of the famous ‘MUCEM’ Museum.

 

Obviously we would see WAY more on the Italy Tours day....but it also seems like maybe too much? Is this probably too little time spent in Aix or Cassis to truly enjoy either? Or if I have a whiney husband, maybe I'm better off with some sort stops everywhere?! haha 

 

Looking for advice! Thank you! (For context, we are 40 years old, love cruising / travelling, and likely would have the opportunity to visit this region again). 

[marazul]

Take the longer tour.  You will have enough time in Aix.  Cassis is perfect for a leisurely lunch at the port.  Most restaurants  will still be open in October and it is a beautiful spot. Great seafood too. 

Notre Dame de la Garde is very interesting with great views from the terrace.

 

And six hours in Aix will provoke a lot of whining...

Edited July 26, 2022 by marazul

[carlmm]

Last time Iwas in Aix we stayed three days, thus I would say there is certainly more than enough to see and enjoy for six hours.

The other tour obviously covers more ground.

You might come back and enjoy some more indepth experience - Aix.

You will never come back and want to see as many different places as possible - second tour.

[edinburgher]

 drive along the fantastic ‘Crested Roa’ (one of Europe’s nicest roads) to the famous cliff ‘Cap Canaille’, which is located 400 meters above sea level and offers astonishing views of the Mediterranean sea.

 

I would also opt for the longer, more varied tour.  Wonderful views from N D de la Garde, (Known locally as la bonne mere/the good mother)also from the road mentioned above which we know as"la Routes des Cretes". With friends in la Ciotat we have been driven this route a few times over the years as it runs between la Ciotat and Cassis.  It is scenic yes, but I would argue that there are many more much more scenic routes in Europe. which are more famous so it isn't perhaps "one of Europes nicest roads".  Consider it as a scenic drive, no more no less.

 

Noting that this tour costs double the cost of the other, I would say that I think you are getting valuewith the longer one as there is certainly more driving and guiding involved. The "Aix on your own" is really only transport both ways, so if you really  wanted to "do Aix on your own" you could do it cheaper than euro 60pp using public transport..  Many previous threads on CC about how to do this.

Edited July 27, 2022 by edinburgher

[marazul]

Yes, there is  lot to do in Aix especially if you stay there. However, the OP's husband seems to like more variety.

 

To the OP, look for local tour operators like Provence Amazing Tours, instead of using a tour consolidator.

[TheHawk1]

20 hours ago, canuck23 said:

Hi all! 

We will be in Marseilles in mid October. I actually already have the "Aix on your own" excursion booked with Royal Caribbean (basically just bus transportation to and from with about 6 hours to explore on your own). I would be quite happy wandering around for 6 hours (especially as it is a market day), but I do have a husband that gets quite whiney when he thinks he has seen enough! 

 

We are using Italy Tours EU in Naples, and also came across their Aix / Cassis / Marseilles tour. Cost would be about double per person (roughly $120 vs $60). This would give us a few hours in Aix (with a guide), a few hours in Cassis, and Weather permitting, a drive along the fantastic ‘Crested Roa’ (one of Europe’s nicest roads) to the famous cliff ‘Cap Canaille’, which is located 400 meters above sea level and offers astonishing views of the Mediterranean sea. We would also visit ‘Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica’ and subject to docking times of the ship, we will tour the old port and take photos of the famous ‘MUCEM’ Museum.

 

Obviously we would see WAY more on the Italy Tours day....but it also seems like maybe too much? Is this probably too little time spent in Aix or Cassis to truly enjoy either? Or if I have a whiney husband, maybe I'm better off with some sort stops everywhere?! haha 

 

Looking for advice! Thank you! (For context, we are 40 years old, love cruising / travelling, and likely would have the opportunity to visit this region again). 

RCI offers two excursions to Aix, the 6 hour on your own trip you mentioned and a 4 1/2 hour trip with guided tour.  The guided excursion is slightly more expensive, but less time, presumably because it's just a tour of the highlights and then back on the bus?  I was planning to just walk around the old port in Marseilles after the Aix tour drops us off.  Seems easier than paying for someone to take you there?  However, an itinerary like that would not include the scenic road trip to Cassis.