Marseille | 3.5-Day Itinerary

On previous trips to France, I’d always skipped Marseille—there were so many other places to explore. But Marseille is too important to France, a city that shaped its history time and again. I’d imagined it as fiery as La Marseillaise, chaotic and loud. Yet reality proved different—perhaps because of the spots I chose to visit, or where I stayed.❤️ I took the train from Paris’ Gare de Lyon, arriving in Marseille after 4 hours. 💖 A/ Hotel 💖 B/ Centre de la Vieille Charité (Old Charity Hospital) I wandered to this old charity house as dusk fell. The courtyard was smaller than I’d pictured. Built in 1670 by order of Louis XIV, it was originally a detention-style shelter for homeless outsiders, designed by his court architect Pierre Puget—I wonder what his fee was? Those taken in weren’t allowed to leave freely… the concept feels eerily familiar, doesn’t it? Beneath the dome lies a simple church; the three-story buildings surrounding the courtyard, once dormitories, now house small museums. There was a solo exhibition by an illustrator during my visit. In the center of the courtyard, a singer performed, and everyone sat on the ground, relaxed and at ease. I thought: What if it were night, with no tents, just a bonfire? The mood might have been even more magical.❤️ 💖 C/ Rue du Petit Puits This street bursts with graffiti splashed across building walls—raw, bold, a perfect reflection of Marseille’s unapologetic spirit. 💖 D/ Cathédrale La Major (Marseille Cathedral) With its Roman-Byzantine style, the cathedral’s striking horizontal stripes soften its grandeur from afar. But up close, craning to admire the intricate mosaic patterns, you grasp the architects’ ambition: to create something magnificent, again and again. 💖 E/ Mucem (Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée) This modern building, perched on the coast, looks like it’s wrapped in seaweed—impossible to ignore. I wonder what architect Rudy Ricciotti envisioned when designing it? To me, it feels like a tangled metaphor. France has long had ambitions in the Mediterranean; does Marseille live up to that role? 💖 F/ Fort Saint-Jean Walking along the coast toward the Old Port, I passed Fort Saint-Jean. By then, the setting sun gilded its walls, and the sea sparkled like scattered diamonds—hypnotic. Every crenellation was occupied; those who couldn’t find a spot sat on large rocks. In that moment, I let go of thoughts of history, culture, or religion. Facing the sea breeze, watching the sun sink below the horizon, I simply surrendered to nature. 💖 J/ Vieux-Port (Old Port) By the time I reached the Old Port, I was exhausted. I stumbled into a restaurant—and lucked out. The shellfish, marinated in spices then pan-seared, were packed with flavor. The salad, with roasted pumpkin strips, was sweet and satisfying. Was it just hunger, or was it truly that good? #BeautyOnTheRoad #CulturalSites #Travel #FranceTravel#Marseille #EuropeanTravel #TravelGuide #Mediterranean #Provence