Marseille itinerary: 1 to 7 days
Plans for one to seven days in Marseille, day by day: the Château d'If on the one-day plan, then Notre-Dame de la Garde, the Old Port, the Mucem and Fort Saint-Jean, and the Calanques, Palais Longchamp and Parc Borély as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Marseille in 1 day
Day 1
Château d'If
Island fortress and former prison off the coast, made famous by The Count of Monte Cristo; reached by boat.
Old Port of Marseille
Historic harbour at the heart of the city, with the morning fish market, cafes and Norman Foster's mirror canopy.
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Neo-Byzantine basilica on the highest point of the city, with its golden Virgin and views over the sea.
Marseille in 2 days
Day 1
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Neo-Byzantine basilica on the highest point of the city, with its golden Virgin and views over the sea.
Abbey of St. Victor, Marseille
Fortified medieval abbey near the Old Port with early Christian crypts and sarcophagi.
Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations
Mucem, a national museum in a lattice-concrete building at the harbour mouth, linked by footbridges to Fort Saint-Jean.
Fort Saint-Jean
Seventeenth-century fort guarding the Old Port, with free gardens and walkways that are part of the Mucem.
Day 2
Old Port of Marseille
Historic harbour at the heart of the city, with the morning fish market, cafes and Norman Foster's mirror canopy.
Marseille Cathedral
La Major, a huge 19th-century cathedral in striped stone on the waterfront beside the Panier.
La Vieille Charité
Seventeenth-century former almshouse with a domed chapel, now housing archaeology and non-European art museums.
Porte d'Aix
Triumphal arch from the 1830s marking the old entrance to the city from Aix-en-Provence.
Marseille in 3 days
Day 1
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Neo-Byzantine basilica on the highest point of the city, with its golden Virgin and views over the sea.
Musée Cantini
Modern art museum in a 17th-century mansion, with Fauvist and Surrealist works.
Old Port of Marseille
Historic harbour at the heart of the city, with the morning fish market, cafes and Norman Foster's mirror canopy.
Fort Saint-Jean
Seventeenth-century fort guarding the Old Port, with free gardens and walkways that are part of the Mucem.
Day 2
Abbey of St. Victor, Marseille
Fortified medieval abbey near the Old Port with early Christian crypts and sarcophagi.
Vallon des Auffes
A tiny fishing harbour tucked under a road bridge on the Corniche, with colourful boats, cabanons and seafood restaurants.
Palais de la Bourse
Nineteenth-century exchange building on the Canebière, home to the chamber of commerce.
Marseille History Museum
City history museum beside the Greek port remains, with ancient shipwrecks from Massalia.
Porte d'Aix
Triumphal arch from the 1830s marking the old entrance to the city from Aix-en-Provence.
Marseille Cathedral
La Major, a huge 19th-century cathedral in striped stone on the waterfront beside the Panier.
Day 3
Jardin botanique E.M. Heckel
Botanical garden inside Parc Borély with themed collections and greenhouses.
Château Borély
Eighteenth-century country house in Parc Borély, now the museum of decorative arts, fashion and ceramics.
Parc Borély
Large seaside park near the Prado beaches, with a lake, rose garden and botanical garden.
Marseille in 4 days
Day 1
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Neo-Byzantine basilica on the highest point of the city, with its golden Virgin and views over the sea.
Musée Cantini
Modern art museum in a 17th-century mansion, with Fauvist and Surrealist works.
Old Port of Marseille
Historic harbour at the heart of the city, with the morning fish market, cafes and Norman Foster's mirror canopy.
Fort Saint-Jean
Seventeenth-century fort guarding the Old Port, with free gardens and walkways that are part of the Mucem.
Day 2
Abbey of St. Victor, Marseille
Fortified medieval abbey near the Old Port with early Christian crypts and sarcophagi.
Vallon des Auffes
A tiny fishing harbour tucked under a road bridge on the Corniche, with colourful boats, cabanons and seafood restaurants.
Palais de la Bourse
Nineteenth-century exchange building on the Canebière, home to the chamber of commerce.
Marseille History Museum
City history museum beside the Greek port remains, with ancient shipwrecks from Massalia.
Porte d'Aix
Triumphal arch from the 1830s marking the old entrance to the city from Aix-en-Provence.
Marseille Cathedral
La Major, a huge 19th-century cathedral in striped stone on the waterfront beside the Panier.
Day 3
Jardin botanique E.M. Heckel
Botanical garden inside Parc Borély with themed collections and greenhouses.
Château Borély
Eighteenth-century country house in Parc Borély, now the museum of decorative arts, fashion and ceramics.
Parc Borély
Large seaside park near the Prado beaches, with a lake, rose garden and botanical garden.
Day 4
Palais Longchamp
Monumental 19th-century fountain-palace built to celebrate the Durance canal, with gardens behind.
La Friche
Former tobacco factory turned arts centre, with exhibitions, a rooftop terrace and events in Belle de Mai.
Marseille in 5 days
Day 1
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Neo-Byzantine basilica on the highest point of the city, with its golden Virgin and views over the sea.
Musée Cantini
Modern art museum in a 17th-century mansion, with Fauvist and Surrealist works.
Old Port of Marseille
Historic harbour at the heart of the city, with the morning fish market, cafes and Norman Foster's mirror canopy.
Fort Saint-Jean
Seventeenth-century fort guarding the Old Port, with free gardens and walkways that are part of the Mucem.
Day 2
Abbey of St. Victor, Marseille
Fortified medieval abbey near the Old Port with early Christian crypts and sarcophagi.
Vallon des Auffes
A tiny fishing harbour tucked under a road bridge on the Corniche, with colourful boats, cabanons and seafood restaurants.
Palais de la Bourse
Nineteenth-century exchange building on the Canebière, home to the chamber of commerce.
Marseille History Museum
City history museum beside the Greek port remains, with ancient shipwrecks from Massalia.
Porte d'Aix
Triumphal arch from the 1830s marking the old entrance to the city from Aix-en-Provence.
Marseille Cathedral
La Major, a huge 19th-century cathedral in striped stone on the waterfront beside the Panier.
Day 3
Jardin botanique E.M. Heckel
Botanical garden inside Parc Borély with themed collections and greenhouses.
Château Borély
Eighteenth-century country house in Parc Borély, now the museum of decorative arts, fashion and ceramics.
Parc Borély
Large seaside park near the Prado beaches, with a lake, rose garden and botanical garden.
Day 4
Palais Longchamp
Monumental 19th-century fountain-palace built to celebrate the Durance canal, with gardens behind.
La Friche
Former tobacco factory turned arts centre, with exhibitions, a rooftop terrace and events in Belle de Mai.
Day 5
Calanque de Sugiton
Rocky cove in the Calanques National Park, reached by a steep hike of about an hour from Luminy.
Marseille in 6 days
Day 1
Château Borély
Eighteenth-century country house in Parc Borély, now the museum of decorative arts, fashion and ceramics.
Musée Cantini
Modern art museum in a 17th-century mansion, with Fauvist and Surrealist works.
Old Port of Marseille
Historic harbour at the heart of the city, with the morning fish market, cafes and Norman Foster's mirror canopy.
Fort Saint-Jean
Seventeenth-century fort guarding the Old Port, with free gardens and walkways that are part of the Mucem.
Day 2
Abbey of St. Victor, Marseille
Fortified medieval abbey near the Old Port with early Christian crypts and sarcophagi.
Vallon des Auffes
A tiny fishing harbour tucked under a road bridge on the Corniche, with colourful boats, cabanons and seafood restaurants.
Palais de la Bourse
Nineteenth-century exchange building on the Canebière, home to the chamber of commerce.
Marseille History Museum
City history museum beside the Greek port remains, with ancient shipwrecks from Massalia.
Porte d'Aix
Triumphal arch from the 1830s marking the old entrance to the city from Aix-en-Provence.
Marseille Cathedral
La Major, a huge 19th-century cathedral in striped stone on the waterfront beside the Panier.
Day 3
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Neo-Byzantine basilica on the highest point of the city, with its golden Virgin and views over the sea.
Parc Borély
Large seaside park near the Prado beaches, with a lake, rose garden and botanical garden.
Day 4
Palais Longchamp
Monumental 19th-century fountain-palace built to celebrate the Durance canal, with gardens behind.
La Friche
Former tobacco factory turned arts centre, with exhibitions, a rooftop terrace and events in Belle de Mai.
Day 5
Calanque de Sugiton
Rocky cove in the Calanques National Park, reached by a steep hike of about an hour from Luminy.
Jardin botanique E.M. Heckel
Botanical garden inside Parc Borély with themed collections and greenhouses.
Day 6
Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations
Mucem, a national museum in a lattice-concrete building at the harbour mouth, linked by footbridges to Fort Saint-Jean.
La Vieille Charité
Seventeenth-century former almshouse with a domed chapel, now housing archaeology and non-European art museums.
Marseille in 7 days
Day 1
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Neo-Byzantine basilica on the highest point of the city, with its golden Virgin and views over the sea.
Musée Cantini
Modern art museum in a 17th-century mansion, with Fauvist and Surrealist works.
Old Port of Marseille
Historic harbour at the heart of the city, with the morning fish market, cafes and Norman Foster's mirror canopy.
Fort Saint-Jean
Seventeenth-century fort guarding the Old Port, with free gardens and walkways that are part of the Mucem.
Day 2
Abbey of St. Victor, Marseille
Fortified medieval abbey near the Old Port with early Christian crypts and sarcophagi.
Vallon des Auffes
A tiny fishing harbour tucked under a road bridge on the Corniche, with colourful boats, cabanons and seafood restaurants.
Palais de la Bourse
Nineteenth-century exchange building on the Canebière, home to the chamber of commerce.
Marseille History Museum
City history museum beside the Greek port remains, with ancient shipwrecks from Massalia.
Porte d'Aix
Triumphal arch from the 1830s marking the old entrance to the city from Aix-en-Provence.
Marseille Cathedral
La Major, a huge 19th-century cathedral in striped stone on the waterfront beside the Panier.
Day 3
Jardin botanique E.M. Heckel
Botanical garden inside Parc Borély with themed collections and greenhouses.
Château Borély
Eighteenth-century country house in Parc Borély, now the museum of decorative arts, fashion and ceramics.
Parc Borély
Large seaside park near the Prado beaches, with a lake, rose garden and botanical garden.
Day 4
Palais Longchamp
Monumental 19th-century fountain-palace built to celebrate the Durance canal, with gardens behind.
La Friche
Former tobacco factory turned arts centre, with exhibitions, a rooftop terrace and events in Belle de Mai.
Day 5
Calanque de Sugiton
Rocky cove in the Calanques National Park, reached by a steep hike of about an hour from Luminy.
Day 6
Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations
Mucem, a national museum in a lattice-concrete building at the harbour mouth, linked by footbridges to Fort Saint-Jean.
La Vieille Charité
Seventeenth-century former almshouse with a domed chapel, now housing archaeology and non-European art museums.
Day 7
Château d'If
Island fortress and former prison off the coast, made famous by The Count of Monte Cristo; reached by boat.
Ratonneau
Island of the Frioul archipelago, reached by ferry, with coves, swimming spots and the old Caroline hospital.
Watch: Marseille in 3 days
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Marseille
May, June, September and early October are the best months in Marseille, with warm sea and sunshine but fewer crowds. July and August are hot and busy, and the Calanques can close on high fire-risk days. Winters are mild and fairly sunny, though the cold Mistral wind can blow hard for several days at a time.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Marseille on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Marseille on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Marseille on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- From the airport: a private transfer in Marseille with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for France from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Marseille with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Marseille
- Boats to the Château d'If and the Frioul islands leave from the Old Port; check the weather, as crossings are cancelled in strong mistral winds.
- Access to the Calanque de Sugiton requires a free online reservation on summer days, and the massif can close on high fire-risk days; check before going.
- City museums are closed on Mondays; the Mucem closes on Tuesdays.
- Bus 60 or the little tourist train climbs to Notre-Dame de la Garde; the walk up is steep but short.
- The RTM day pass covers metro, tram, bus and the shuttle boats across the Old Port; keep valuables close in crowded areas.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Abbey of St. Victor, Marseille: Jjpetite, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Calanque de Sugiton: ydecaseneuve, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Château Borély: Charliemoon, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Château d'If: Marian78ro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fort Saint-Jean: photography taken by Christophe.Finot, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jardin botanique E.M. Heckel: Moumousse13, CC BY-SA 3.0
- La Friche: Likemonkeys, CC0
- La Vieille Charité: unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Marseille Cathedral: unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Marseille History Museum: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations: Suwannee.payne, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Musée Cantini: André Derain, Public domain
- Notre-Dame de la Garde: photography taken by Christophe.Finot, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Port of Marseille: Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palais Longchamp: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Palais de la Bourse: Robert Valette, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Parc Borély: JohnLuke, CC BY 3.0
- Porte d'Aix: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ratonneau: No machine-readable author provided. Jef-Infojef assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Vallon des Auffes: Florent Chabaud, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
