Local Attractions
This 19th century Romano-Byzantine church, set high above the south side of the Vieux-port, is one of Marseilles best known landmarks. From its terrace there are great views of the city and the sea while inside, the interiors are richly adorned with marble, mosaics and murals.
Made famous by the novelist Alexandre Dumas and his tales of the Count of Monte Cristo, Chateau d’If is a nearby island that was once a prison. You can take a trip across to the island by embarking on a boat from the Quai de Belges in the Old Port (Vieux-Port).
Home to the Museum of Fine Art (Musee des Beaux Arts), this imposing monument, located on the Longchamp Plateau, was erected to commemorate the building of the Durance Canal and is a fine example of second empire architecture. As well as the Fine Arts Museum it also houses the Natural History Museum and is surrounded by attractive landscaped gardens and water features.
Located at the top of the old town, this beautiful piece of 17th century architecture consisting of a church and surrounding buildings, was originally built to house the destitute and dieing. Today, there are a number fascinating museums to explore and discover.
Site of the old port of Marseilles where you’ll find the town’s marina. It is overlooked by the old town and two 17th century forts. Today it is a lively area of the town with many restaurants and cafés and home to the weekly fish market. This area was destroyed during the second world war, and was bought back to life with new buildings designed by the architect Fernand Pouillon.
