Marseille, France

Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde

The symbol of Marseille is the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde Cathedral in neo-Byzantine style. It stands at the highest point in Marseille (162 m above sea level). The cathedral was built in 1853, on the site of a chapel dating back to the 12th century. A giant golden statue of the Virgin Mary crowns the bell tower, which is about 60 meters high. It can be seen from anywhere in the city.

Old Port

Marseille’s calling card-Vieux Port (Old Port) and the bay where, in ancient times, the first settlement was established. In the 19th century, commercial sea transport was moved to new docks, but the old port remained the hub of city life.

Old Town

Not far from the Old Port lies the old town. For a long time, it was a neighborhood of taverns and red-light districts and had a bad reputation. But that is all in the past now; order and calm reign here, and apartment prices are among the highest. Unfortunately, very little remains of the medieval buildings-most of it was destroyed during the Second World War by retreating Germans. New houses were built on the site of the destroyed homes, more or less reminiscent of the old architecture.

Sainte Marie Majeure Cathedral

The Cathedral of Sainte Marie Majeure was founded in the 4th century, but in the second half of the 19th century the cathedral was completely destroyed and rebuilt in 1852-1874 in the Romanesque-Byzantine style. From the ancient cathedral, the altar and the choir section have been preserved.

Saint Laurent Church

Not far from the Cathedral there is the Church of Saint-Laurent, built in the 17th century. From here you can enjoy a magnificent view over the Old Port.

Triumphal Arch

The Arch of Triumph was built in honor of Napoleon and the revolution. The arch serves as a gateway between two districts of Marseille-the European and the Arab-African Belsunce (Belsunce).

Old Bridge

The old bridge borders the city to the north. It was built by Fernand Puylomni in the years following World War II and serves as a stone ornament of Vers-Pont-du-Gard.

Take a stroll through the city center

In Marseille there are two city centers - this is Cours Julien and the Place Jean Jaurès; this area is also considered the most youth-oriented. There you’ll find the most fashionable and informal shops, cafés and clubs, as well as secondhand and bookstores. On Thursdays and Saturdays you can visit a large flea market at Place Jean Jaurès.

Shopping

You can do your shopping in Marseille on the pedestrian street Cours Saint-Ferréol, where the most fashionable stores are located, including the Lafayette department store. One of Europe’s largest shopping centres, Marseille Grand Littoral, is a 10-minute walk from the Old Port on Avenue Saint-Antoine. In this department store, more than 185 boutiques are open, and the Carrefour hypermarket is also operating.

If Castle

From the Old Port, you can set off for the Friulian Islands and for the famous Château d’If, the former prison located on a small island and made popular thanks to Alexandre Dumas and his “The Count of Monte Cristo”.

Sightseeing Tour “Sunny Marseille”

Marseille is an amazing city that leaves no one indifferent, a place that literally seethes with life-cheerful street noise, the chatter of local residents, and the scents of the sea and the fish market. It is a large city and yet it’s striking with the quietness of certain little streets, central avenues, and patriarchal neighborhoods, the shine of mansions along the waterfront, and the fishermen’s huts. It is a cosmopolitan city, a port city, a city with a million secrets! You will learn why Marseille was destined for a special fate, who the first foreigners were and why they ended up here, which ship never left the Marseille harbor and why, what “bouillabaisse” is and what it’s served with, what people were thrown into the dungeons of the Château d’If for, the lucky number of the people of Marseille, and the place where the beautiful Mercedes lived.

Walking tour: group 1 - 4 people, price - from 170,00 €.

Car tour: group 1 - 4 people, price from 290,00 €.