Musée des Beaux Arts

Marseille

　　Set in the lavish, colonnaded Palais de Longchamp, Marseille’s oldest museum owes its existence to an 1801 decree of pre-Napoleonic France's short-lived Consulate, which established 15 museums across the country. A treasure trove of 16th- to 19th- century Italian and Provençal painting and sculpture, it's set in parkland popular with...

Plage des Catalans

Marseille

　　The small, bustling, beach-volleyball-busy Plage des Catalans is the closest stretch of sand to the Vieux Port. ...

Vallon des Auffes

Marseille

　　Nestled around this picture-postcard fishing village, a remnant of old maritime Marseille long since swallowed by modern sprawl, are traditional cabanons (seaside cabins), built by fishermen to store tackle and cook traditional Sunday bouillabaisse. A narrow staircase (behind the bus stop) links corniche Président John F Kennedy with the harbour....

Pizzeria La Bonne Mère

Marseille

　　Reservations are essential at this fantastic pizzeria in the lee of Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde. La Bonne Mère uses only the freshest organic and imported ingredients and the creamiest mozzarella, strewing them on hand-spun dough that proves for 24 hours before crisping to perfection in its wood-fired oven. ...

Waaw

Marseille

　　Marseille’s creative chameleon and the heart of the cours Julien scene, Waaw ('What an Amazing World') has everything you could possibly want for a night out, whether that’s a cold cocktail, a late-night dancehall DJ set or an innovative dinner made from local market produce. The city’s unofficial cultural headquarters...

Musée d’Art Contemporain

Marseille

　　Creations of Marseille-born sculptor César Baldaccini (1921–98) jostle for space with works by Christo, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Nice New Realists Yves Klein and Ben in this repository for the most modern works held by the Musée Cantini. From the Prado metro station, take bus 23 or 45 to...

L' Eau a la Bouche

Marseille

　　You haven’t had pizza until you’ve eaten at chef Rodolphe Bodikian’s mouth-watering pizzeria. Scattering unusual ingredients – such as sobrasada (spicy Mallorcan sausage) and Corsican Brousse (a fresh curd cheese) – across thin, crisp crusts, this is one of the best Italian spots in the city. Gluten-free is available, and...

Maison Empereur

Marseille

　　If you only have time to visit one shop in Marseille, make it this one. Run by the same family since 1827, France’s oldest hardware store remains a one-stop shop for beautifully made homeware items including Opinel cutlery, Savon de Marseille soaps, wooden toy sailing boats and ceramic shaving bowls....

Cours Julien

Marseille

　　Marseille's most vibrant bohemian quarter centres on Cours Julien, an elongated concrete square shaded by palm trees. It’s lined with great bars, cafes and music venues, and its street-art-slathered side-streets are home to a wealth of bookshops, galleries, tattoo parlours and ethnic restaurants. Markets are held in the square on...

Parc Borély

Marseille

　　Five kilometres south of central Marseille, this 17th-century park encompasses a lake, a miniature of the Notre-Dame de la Garde cathedral, a botanical garden and the graceful 18th-century Château Borély, which houses the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, de la Faïence et de la Mode. ...

Le Rhul

Marseille

　　This long-standing classic in a 1940s seaside hotel with Mediterranean views has plenty of atmosphere, however kitschy. Although this is one of the most reliable spots for authentic bouillabaisse, consider ordering the other Marseillais seafood classic, bourride (per person €63, minimum two people), a garlicky close cousin brimming with aioli....

Jardin du Pharo

Marseille

　　Perched high above the southern side of the Vieux Port are the six immaculately grassed hectares of the Jardin du Pharo, the grounds of the Palais du Pharo, which was commissioned by Napoleon III in 1852. With unparalleled views over old Marseille, the gardens are a perfect picnic spot and...

La Caravelle

Marseille

　　On the 1st floor of Hôtel Bellevue, this lovely little bar is styled with rich wood and leather, with a zinc bar and yellowing murals that hint of its 1920s pedigree. If it’s sunny, snag a coveted spot on the portside terrace, and sip a pastis as you watch the...

Chez Étienne

Marseille

　　Family photos and veteran service staff hint at the longevity of this Le Panier favourite, known for authentic, hand-thrown pizza, topped with homemade tomato sauce, fresh herbs and mozzarella. You can't book (there's no phone), and you need to bring cash, but the atmosphere and food (not just pizza, but...

Fort St-Jean

Marseille

　　Intended as much to control the citizens of Marseille as guard them from external threat, Fort St-Jean was built by Louis XIV in 1660 on the site of a 13th-century Hospitaller fortress. Incorporating 13th- and 15th-century elements, it's faced by its twin, Fort St-Nicolas, across the narrow entry to the...

Intercontinental Marseille – Hôtel Dieu

Marseille

　　Occupying a heritage-listed 18th-century hospital, the Hôtel Dieu, the Intercontinental Marseille has a commanding position in Le Panier overlooking the Vieux Port. The grand U-shaped pile features tall arched windows framed by local golden-hued stone and masonry. Within, the 179 rooms and 15 suites are suitably polished, while the best...

L’Epuisette

Marseille

　　This swanky restaurant has a Michelin star and knockout water-level views from an elegantly austere dining room. Many splurge on what may be Marseille’s top bouillabaisse – which comes as part of a four-course menu – and on the superb cellar, which leans heavily towards French whites. ...

Château d’If

Marseille

　　Commanding access to Marseille's Vieux Port, this photogenic island-fortress was immortalised in Alexandre Dumas’ 1844 classic The Count of Monte Cristo. Many political prisoners were incarcerated here, including the Revolutionary hero Mirabeau and the Communards of 1871. Other than the island itself there’s not a great deal to see, but...

La Cité Radieuse

Marseille

　　Visionary modernist architect Le Corbusier redefined urban living in 1952 with the completion of this vertical 337-apartment tower, popularly known as La Cité Radieuse ('The Radiant City'). Its purpose was to increase residential density to allow for more green space. Today the apartments are joined by the Hôtel Le Corbusier,...

Musée d’Histoire de Marseille

Marseille

　　This intriguing 15,000-sq-metre museum traces the story of 'France's Oldest City' from prehistory (the paintings of the Cosquer Cave) to the present day, across 12 chronological exhibitions. The complex was built beside the remains of a Greek harbour uncovered during construction of the Bourse shopping centre. Highlights include the remains...

La Vieille Charité

Marseille

　　In the heart of Marseille's Le Panier quarter is this grand and gorgeous almshouse, built by Pierre Puget (1620–94), an architect and sculptor born just a couple of streets away who rose to become Louis XIV's architect. With its neoclassical central chapel and elegant arcaded courtyard, it’s a structure of...

Vieux Port

Marseille

　　Ships have docked for millennia at Marseille’s birthplace, the vibrant Vieux Port. The main commercial docks were transferred to the Joliette area in the 1840s, but the old port remains a thriving harbour for fishing boats, pleasure yachts and tourist boats. Guarded by the forts St-Jean and St-Nicolas, both sides...

Le Panier

Marseille

　　'The Basket' is Marseille's oldest quarter – site of the original Greek settlement and nicknamed for its steep streets and buildings. Its close, village-like feel, artsy ambience, cool hidden squares and sun-baked cafes make it a delight to explore. Rebuilt after destruction in WWII, its mishmash of lanes hide artisan...

Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde

Marseille

　　Occupying Marseille’s highest point, La Garde (154m), this opulent 19th-century Romano-Byzantine basilica is Marseille's most-visited icon. Built on the foundations of a 16th-century fort, which was itself an enlargement of a 13th-century chapel, the basilica is ornamented with coloured marble, superb Byzantine-style mosaics, and murals depicting ships sailing under the...