Is there a better way to start your trip than with a weekend in Marseille? It don’t think so!
Located in the South East of France, this city is perfect to enjoy the summer. The summer which lasts quite long! What are the best things to do? Where do you go to watch the sunset? And god, where can you drink the best cocktails?
Come, I’ll take you with me!
Day 1 – Discover the city center in the morning
To start this citytrip in Marseille, I can only recommend you to stroll around the streets in Le Panier. This neighborhood is the cutest of the city!
You will discover a labyrinth of little colourful streets and a lot of shops specialized in local products: the Marseille soap of course, but also the famous Ricard, an aniseed-flavored alcohol. which tastes marvelous with some ice. You also pass by food shops with the best products that the South France has to offer. They taste like the sun (olive oil, tapenade, dried tomatoes…).
On the way back from Le Panier, you will arrive on Le Vieux Port. The literal translation is ‘the old port’. It is the heart of the city.
The U-shaped harbour allows you to walk past some quite impressive boats. There are several fun bars alongside the harbour to enjoy some refreshments. If you are spending more than 2 days in the city, taking the boat to Le Frioul is an absolute must. It takes 30 minutes and the boat will take you to a small island! On this island you’ll discover a much wilder side and great little beaches to sunbath or take a cooling dip.
But let’s go back to Le Vieux Port! It’s from this departure point that you can walk to Le Mucem, the incredible museum of Marseille whose architecture is in communion with the sea. Even if you aren’t a museum lover, the location of the museum is just splendid and allows for a great view over the Mediterranean Sea.
After a morning rich in visits, it’s time to have lunch!
Lunch in Marseille
There are a lot of very nice restaurants in Marseille but I have to admit that my favorite ones are the Italian ones. Here is a selection of my best addresses (for lunch or dinner):
- Frattelli for their Italian accent and generous pasta
- La Cantinetta for their secret terrasse and their pasta alle vongole
- Marcello if you want to share and taste different meals
- Giorgia if you are a truffle fan
Giorgia restaurant
- Gigi for their delicious fresh pasta
Gigi restaurant
An Afternoon trip to the beach in Marseille
As you can see, Marseille is surrounded by the sea and you have different beaches alongside the coast. A recommendation is Le Boulevard des Baigneurs located in the 8th district. It lies between le Bain des Dames and l’Anse des Sablettes and it is a small beach where the water is 100% blue!
I love going there to swim and admire the beautiful houses that surround the beach.
I also really appreciate Le Cabanon de Paulette, a beach bar where you can have fresh cocktails to stay ‘hydrated’ while tanning.
Le cabanon de Paulette on the beach
Sunsets in Marseille
As the end of the day approaches, find a sweet spot to watch the sunset and get tired for bed, or ready for the night
La Cabane des Amis is located on the beach. They serve good wine, music and food (you can have pizzas or cheese plate) where you will definitely feel the holiday mood!
Sunset at La Cabane des Amis
To end the day, what do you think about having a cocktail? I recommend you to go to Bar Gaspard, a place where they propose you cocktail according to your mood and personality. Nobody has the same one and it’s a very original way to taste new flavors.
Day 2 in Marseille – Enjoying the sun and the blue sea
For the second day I propose a much lighter program: first of all, eat and then simply enjoy the sun and the sea!
To do so, I firstly take you in a place to have a great breakfast (or brunch according to your wake-up hour). La Fiancée is a very nice café where you can have huge pancakes and great coffee. The atmosphere is open and relaxed.
Another great place is the Black Bird Coffee located on Le Cours Julien, where you can also have nice pancakes, handmade pastries and good beverages. On Sunday they propose a buffet for their brunch.
Tanning in Marseille
After filling up those bellies with local delicacies, it is time for some intense activity! Tanning and swimming. Bistrot Plage is where you can rent sunbeds for the day just in front of the sea. This location has private ladders leading directly into the blue sea.
To eat, you can book a table at the restaurant or directly eat on your deckchair as they also serve snacks!
I’ve never tried it but I know that La Baie des Singes, is also a famous location to spend the day in the sun and go swimming.
It’s unfortunately time to go back to reality but I hope that this article has made you want to discover Marseille. There’s still a lot to do but this was a good beginning.
Have a great summer!
