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As beautiful and amazing as visiting it is, France isn’t a cheap destination for travellers. Marseille, the second biggest city in France, is no exception. My challenge was making my visit to Marseille part of a month-long trip to France as budget-friendly as possible. While I’m sure there are attractions worthy of your money, I managed to find many free things to do in Marseille during my trip.
What’s great is that even though I mostly stuck to free attractions, Marseille won me over. I had prepared myself not to like the city based on its reputation of being quite gritty. One day in Marseille sightseeing later and I genuinely can’t wait to go back. I’ll say now that one day is certainly not long enough and I have no doubt some attractions are worth paying for. These are just my Marseille travel tips for fellow travellers on a budget, looking to spend one day in Marseille and save money.
Is Marseille worth visiting?
Whether you visit on a budget or not, Marseille is worth visiting. The city has so much history to it and some of its viewpoints are stunning. I know that Marseille is famous for its grungy urban centre, but that can be appealing to when experienced with an open mind. And even if you lost interest in the city, Marseille is an excellent base to explore nearby attractions such as Les Îles and Calanques National Park.
Getting to Marseille
Marseille is located in Southern France just to the west of the French Riviera. If you’re travelling to Nice, Avignon, or Montpellier, it’s an easy place to get to from any of these cities.
To get to Marseille from within France, your best choices are the train or bus. Taking the TGV from Avignon was quite a quick and comfortable ride, and it would also work for Nice and Paris (which is only 3.5 hours away on the TGV!).
However, this was one of the rare train trips I managed in France. I honestly found using Flixbus a far more reliable and cheaper option, even though I prefer train travel.
Flying to Marseille is also possible when travelling from Europe or Africa. Ryanair has the most routes to Marseille Provence Airport, but it does have some national carriers flying in too.
Where to stay in Marseille
Marseille is a large city, so you want to be mindful of where you stay in the city. Like most of my trips through France, I found an Airbnb with a spare room to stay in and had some great hosts. It was up by the Palais Longchamp, an area of the city I liked. There was a nice selection of places to eat and it wasn’t too busy.
Not that there aren’t hostels and hotels in Marseille, it’s just the good ones were often outside my price range. If you want to travel that way, definitely budget a little more for accommodation. Hotels and hostels are generally much closer to the port, although some are way out to the southeast near the Sacre Cœur Basilica of Marseille. I can’t say I know why, but at least they have good metro access.
Free things to do in Marseille
There’s a lot you can do with one day in Marseille even when you’re on a budget. That doesn’t mean you can’t spend several days in Marseille, especially with paid attractions such as MUCEM, the Marseille History Museum, and the Musée des beaux-arts de Marseille. But the following are places to visit, regardless of whether you have money to spend or not.
Marvel at Palais Longchamp
Being the first attraction that I saw and one that immediately wowed me, let’s start with the Palais Longchamp. Sitting at the top of a pleasant boulevard just up from my Airbnb, this palace is quite the sight. More of a monument than an actual palace, the building houses two museums. But it’s the extravagant fountain, staircases and balconies here that are not to be missed.
This section is known as the Château d’eau or “water castle” and is at the level of grandness that you’re surprised it’s even real. I found myself returning here repeatedly for things like eating lunch because it’s just so monumental and elegant. During my visits, I saw a couple taking wedding photos here and models doing a photoshoot, neither much of a surprise given the backdrop.
Stroll along the Old Port
Whereas other cities may have a grand square as their spiritual centre, Marseilles has its Old Port. This great big sheltered harbour is surrounded by the city on three sides with lively waterfront areas. Today it acts as a massive marina for hundreds of sailboats and yachts, with endless rows of masts filling the space.
But the waterfront is no less busy, with people all over the place, with many lining up for ferries and boat trips. As mesmerising as it is to look out past the boats, you’ll want to pay some attention to the architecture here as well. This pocket of the city is full of classic buildings, especially up near the City Hall. You really won’t mind the crowds here at the Old Port because there’s just so much to take in.
See the views from Pharo Palace
Off to one side of the Old Port lies the Pharo Palace. Situated behind a little park on a peninsula, the palace occupies an important spot near the entrance to the Old Harbour. It seems the palace is more of a venue these days with a wedding party outside when I was there. The big draw though is its many superb clifftop viewpoints that let you look out in different directions. Judging by the number of people here, it seems to be a popular spot with locals especially.
Find the street art in Le Panier
Exploring without much of a plan, it was sheer luck that led me to the part of town called Le Panier north of the harbour. Having walked up to the City Hall, one thing after another caught my eye. A building led to a street leading to a staircase. Before I knew it, I was deep in this maze of narrow streets that make up the oldest part of Marseille. To be clear, this is an immensely popular area with tourists – I just ended up there by accident.
What makes this area appealing to tourists these days is the street art all over the place. Yes, there are restaurants, boutiques and the renowned La Vieille Charité cultural centre. But none seemed to hold the attention of my fellow tourists quite like the vibrant Instagram fodder, I mean street art. Don’t expect getting photos here to be easy, as you’ll have plenty of fellow tourists to contend with, even in the off-season like November.
Take a look inside Marseille Cathedral
One landmark that’s guaranteed to be on every itinerary for a day in Marseille is the massive Marseille Cathedral. Even with the front covered in scaffolding, it was obvious how magnificent and important the cathedral was.
Although only dating from the 19th century as it replaced an older building, the Byzantine architecture and scale are hard to ignore. Then there’s the interior as well, made from marble and other precious stones. Rather oddly, the main hall is lined with flags and banners, which is not a display you’d expect.
Visit the gardens of Fort Saint-Jean
Is it strange that I recommend you go somewhere because it smells good? Well, that’s honestly part of the reason I suggest you head to Fort Saint-Jean. This big stone fortress overlooks the entrance to the Old Port and dates back to the days of Louis XIV. And yet, what I remember the most is the smells from the fortress gardens.
Big cities like Marseille rarely smell good, but the gardens of Fort Saint-Jean certainly do. Various herbs and other aromatic plants pamper your nostrils as you walk from one viewpoint to another atop the fortifications. Sure the views are phenomenal, like so many places on this list. But this is the best-smelling part of Marseille.
See the Abbey of Saint-Victor
Marseille is home to some monumental attractions but a smaller one that still impresses is the Abbey of Saint-Victor. While no longer an abbey, it’s still quite an atmospheric historical landmark. The original abbey is said to date back to 415 AD, although it went through several cycles of destruction and renewal.
Apparently, the monks here were so notoriously badly behaved that it was converted into a church under order by the Pope! A visit won’t fill you in on those details but you do get a sense of its vintage thanks to the worn stone and dim interior.
Trek up to the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde
Honestly, if there’s one thing you do with your one day in Marseille, make it a trip to the Marseille Basilica.
Its full name is the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde and it rests on a hilltop south of the city centre. Visible right across the city, it naturally also boasts impeccable views right across the city. While it’s a bit of a walk to reach the basilica from the harbour, the climb is worthwhile.
The basilica immediately makes an impression once you’re close enough to see its detail. While not obvious from afar, the gold-leaf statue of Madonna and Child immediately draws you in. And wait until you catch a glimpse of the main church hall and its lavish Byzantine decorations.
The basilica is split into two levels, with a crypt below and a glamorous upper church, both of which you’ll want to see.
Of course, then there’s the view. From the basilica’s vantage point, you get to see all of Marseille at once. The panorama stretches right from the Palais Longchamp, down to the Old Port and out to the island of Chateau d’If.
I’m disappointed I didn’t visit Château d’If because I love the movie The Count of Monte Cristo, but the view will have to do.
Travel tips for visiting Marseille
At this point, I’m sure you’re wondering how all the above may be free. Believe it or not, they are. That is of course if you choose to walk everywhere as I did, but I was exhausted by the end of it all. Marseille does have a public transport network made up of metro lines, buses and trams, so that might be a good investment.
Another downside to keeping to a budget in Marseille is that I didn’t fully explore its food scene. So, no, I didn’t have bouillabaisse, moules marinière, or panisse in Marseille, which I’m sure people will think is a missed opportunity. But I can see myself coming back, so I’ll be sure to fix that next time.
Have you wanted to visit Marseille in the South of France before? What Marseille travel tips would you suggest to visitors looking for things to do in Marseille in 1 day? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.
