Marseille

[teeceew]

Will be travelling on Arvia in April and as with previous cruises we usually enjoy just strolling around the town on our own can anyone suggest areas of local interest near to the port of Marseille  .

[edinburgher]

20 hours ago, teeceew said:

Will be travelling on Arvia in April and as with previous cruises we usually enjoy just strolling around the town on our own can anyone suggest areas of local interest near to the port of Marseille 

I have just now replied in some detail to your questions re "ports of call".  I note you have now said you are sailing Arvia, so highly unlikely you will be porting in Seville.  it will be Cadiz.

[teeceew]

Thanks for all the advice .

[karatemom2]

When we visited Marseille last September we took a ferry to the Chateau d'If in the morning and spent a couple of hours touring there. It was quite easy as the ferries to the island run right from the harbor area near where the shuttle buses from the ship drop you off. In the afternoon we took the tiny train tour that drives you to Cathedral Notre Dame de la Garde - you can depart and tour the cathedral then catch the train back to town. All very easy to do on our own and accessible from your cruise ship shuttle. We enjoyed some crepes for lunch at one of the local eateries along the harbor as well - plenty of options there.

[edinburgher]

On 3/21/2024 at 6:47 PM, teeceew said:

can anyone suggest areas of local interest near to the port of Marseille  .

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On 1/6/2024 at 2:44 PM, edinburgher said:

 

Thought i might add this for you.Karatemom 2 did a couple of these.

 

The following is a copy/paste of a reply I gave earlier last year with some minor tweaks.

 

It is easy to spend time around the Vieux Port, itself worth a visit in its own right And if already in the area next to the Vieux Port, you could wander into the historic  Fort St Jean,at one end of the VP, part of which is free entry. From here you can cross a footbridge to the ultra modern MUCEM complex.on the waterside which is worth visiting.  (as an aside, your shuttle bus may drop off and pick up from here or  close to it) It is mostly outdoors with walkways and terraces, and some lovely views of the Vieux Port, Notre Dame de la Garde and the Med.  It is a public space and can be enjoyed free of charge by anyone whether local or visitor unless you choose to enter any of the paying exhibitions.  There are seating areas, and cafes and restaurants  and it is a lovely place to stroll  or sit whilst admiring the views of both city and sea.  And from there you will be able to see the huge Cathedral de la Major a 5 minute walk away across the road. one of the largest cathedrals in France,  it merits a short visit and has free entry. 

 

There are also short  boat trips on offer from the Vieux Port going to the Chateau d'If (think Count of Monte Cristo) and a couple of other tiny islands, and longer ones to the Calanques of Cassis.  And one of those little tourist trains which tootles around and it goes up to the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde for the wonderful views, and  a couple of HOHOS. The little train and HOHOS leave from alongside the VP close to the historic building with the flags outside which is actually the Hotel de Ville. Also a few museums close by too. . And the shopping is excellent.

 

These suggestions would be the easiest to do  given their very close proximity to each other, but at the same time offer a number of sights/attractions

 

Do read about the city and include the official Marseille Tourist Information website which I think is excellent (click for english version), Marvellous Provence, Tripadvisor and others,

Edited March 26 by edinburgher

[Zana711]

Aside from what's been said, I would add Palais Longchamp and walking around the Le Panier area. The Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde is really worth seeing, even if you don't want to visit churches, as the views from there are wonderful. It's at the top of the city, so can see all of Marseille. It's easy to take the Bus #60 from either the MUCEM St Jean stop or outside Vieux Port metro station. The bus will take you to the top - you can pay via a contactless card - perhaps less fun than the petit train but it runs more frequently and is cheaper.

If you're interested to read more about my experience of doing a DIY excursion in Marseille - here's my blog post: https://diycruiseports.com/diy-port-guides/marseille-cruise-port-diy-excursion-guide