2 days in Marseille, France’s second largest city, felt like the perfect amount of time to visit as a solo female backpacker.
Marseille is admirably located on the Mediterranean coastline, yet you might find yourself questioning whether it’s a good idea to visit, solo or not. The ‘interesting’ reputation of this city may put some people off. But in this post, I’m going to show you that it is worth a visit, albeit a short one.
I actually almost didn’t go to Marseille. I was on a coastal tour which began in Italy, leading me to Nice, Cassis and then Marseille, before heading to Spain. But when I told people my intentions to go to Marseille, they tried to convince me otherwise. It’s not ‘safe’ is what is often said about this city. And sure, I felt an odd vibe at times if I went up the ‘wrong’ street. I was ‘extra careful’ (especially so to not wander around alone in the dark). But I knew to be aware, and if you go prepared for the city to feel ‘gritty’ in parts, then, well, you’re prepared.
While I’ve spent a lot of time in Nice and on the Cote d’Azur over the years, I had never ventured as far along the coast as Marseille. Getting to experience actually how different this city feels to the more ‘luxurious’ part of the South of France was quite interesting.
In this post, I’ll give you an insight into visiting Marseille (as a solo female backpacker) through my experience and what I got up to. You don’t need to be a solo backpacker to take some tips on things to do, but hopefully I’ll let the solo backpackers know it’s ok to visit Marseille alone!
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How to Get to Marseille?
For me, getting to Marseille was a short bus ride from neighbouring Cassis (the most stunning town full of outdoor adventuring – DO visit Cassis!). I hopped on a public bus from the centre of Cassis which took me to the bus stop Castellane Prado in Marseille.
It is however likely you won’t be coming from there (most visit Cassis FROM Marseille – but I was coming along the coast from Nice!)
Marseille does have an international airport, with plenty of flights coming in from all over every day. Flying directly to Marseille is therefore easily done, you can check for cheap flights below.
Marseille is also easily reached by train (my original intention was to travel by train from Nice to Marseille, until I decided to check out Cassis en route!). Marseille Saint-Charles is the main train station in the city, and is very centrally located.
Longer haul buses also run to this city (cheaper than the train). For example, you can hop on a bus in Barcelona and head straight to Marseille that way. This is actually the way I left after my visit – by bus to Barcelona (which cost only €18.99)! The bus station is located just next to Saint-Charles train station.
Accommodation
As I was on a solo backpacker trip, I chose to stay in a hostel.
Marseille has a decent choice of hostels. The best located and top rated options are:
- VERTIGO VIEUX-PORT (rated 8.6 on Hostelworld)
- MEININGER MARSEILLE CENTRE LA JOLIETTE (rated 8.6 on Hostelworld)
- THE PEOPLE HOSTEL – MARSEILLE (rated 8.4 on Hostelworld)
VERTIGO VIEUX-PORT and THE PEOPLE HOSTEL are especially well located – MEININGER is a little further from the main city sights. However, it trumps on having the best kitchen facilities, which just might make it win for you!
If you’re not travelling on a budget, then of course there are even more accommodation options available for you. I always head over to Booking.com or Agoda for the best variety and best deals on accommodation!
The hostel I stayed in was THE PEOPLE HOSTEL – MARSEILLE. I definitely recommend a stay here. Some of the reasons why include……
- Excellent location, in the 2nd arrondissement, Le Panier. A 10 10 minute walk from the train station, 10 minute walk from the Vieux Port.
- The hostel is decorated in a pretty cool manner – surely the coolest in Marseille?! It is artsy, in a street art style. This fits well with being located in the district Le Panier, known for its arts vibe.
- Supermarket just a few minutes walk away.
- The dorm rooms are a good size, with comfy beds (not the rickety bunk bed type!).
- Option of female only dorm room – this is what I went for!
- Bed areas have good curtains for decent privacy, a light you can put on without bothering anyone, your own plug/USB sockets as well as a shelf.
- Bar and restaurant in the hostel.
- Shared lounge area, outdoor terrace – plenty of space where you can chill out around the hostel.
My only real negative of The People Hostel is the lack of kitchen. As a solo backpacker, I prefer to cook food in the hostel, but as I was staying only two nights I didn’t make that a deal breaker!
What to Do in Marseille?
I’ll give you an insight into how I spent 2 days in Marseille (to be honest it was more 1.5 days by the time I got there!). You can use this to help plan your itinerary and see how you can easily fill your time in Marseille.
BUT I didn’t visit everything in the most logical order as I hadn’t done much planning! You may want to alter my itinerary around a little!
Day 1 in Marseille
When I arrived in Marseille, I headed straight to The People Hostel where I was staying. I walked there from the bus stop Castellane Prado. This was a bit of a trek (around 30 minutes) with my large backpack, but hey that’s budget backpacker life! I probably should have just hopped on the tram…
Anyway, once I reached the hostel I knew I had made a good decision on the accommodation front. I got checked in and could have easily chilled for a while as it is nice there. However, I didn’t want to waste much time (it was already the afternoon), so headed out for an explore!
The first main sight I came across was Cathédrale de La Major.
– Cathédrale de La Major
This Roman Catholic cathedral was built over 200 years ago and is one of France’s largest cathedrals. It is impressive to look at both from the outside and inside!
From here, I walked past the Musée de l’illusion. This is an attraction which may spark your interest – step into a world of optical illusions.
I then took a walk down to the water, on Promenade Robert-Laffont, by the Mucem – The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations. While I didn’t go in, again this is another popular city attraction you may want to add to your Marseille trip.
After an explore/walk/chill around here, it was time to continue on to the area I had heard most about – the Vieux Port (Old Port).
– Vieux Port
The Vieux Port is essentially the heart of the city, radiating the liveliest buzz both day and night. The marina, full of yachts, is certainly picturesque. The surrounding bars and restaurants, with their marina view, drawing people in.
When I reached the Vieux Port, I felt a little more at home in this French city. By that, I mean it gave me the taste of the pretty, vibrant waterfront areas I am so accustomed to in the South of France. Moreover, as a solo female traveller I did feel ‘safer’ in this area – it does have a good vibe.
My walk around the Vieux Port gave me the best ‘starting point’ from where to head to the next main sight, Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde.
– Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde
Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde is a city sight that you don’t want to miss!! It is emblematic of Marseille, showing prominence by its place overlooking the city below.
The Basilica is free to visit. It can easily be reached for free too, if you don’t mind a little uphill walking! From the Vieux-Port, an around 20-25 minute uphill walk leads to Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde.
If you don’t fancy the uphill walk for whatever reason however, you can also reach it from the Vieux-Port by taking Le Petit Train (circuit 1) or on the Marseille City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour.
Whichever way you choose to tackle the uphill, it’s worth it! Not only is the architecture of the Basilica wonderful to look at, so are the views! The Basilica looks over whole the city below, with wide views of the Mediterranean Sea, including a view to the Frioul islands.
This is the best viewpoint in the city!!
After taking in the views which I didn’t want to leave behind, I descended back to sea level. It was time to experience the beach life of Marseille! Plages des Catalans was therefore calling me…
– Plage des Catalans
Going to the beach in Marseille is of course a popular activity – who wouldn’t want to soak up the sunrays by the Med?! In Marsille, you don’t need to venture far from the main city action to do just that.
Plage des Catalans is a small, sandy beach, close to the city centre. Thanks to its prime location, as well as the attraction of beach volleyball courts, it is a super popular and lively spot!
- This beach can be easily walked to from the Vieux Port. It is around 15 minutes on foot from the edge of the Vieux Port, or 20-25 minutes from the ‘centre’ of the port.
I spent some time on Plage des Catalans, which was very busy, but the perfect place to chill after a decent amount of walking around. Sunbathing and not moving was all I desired…. while the beach buzzed around me!
Knowing I was so near the Vieux Port gave me peace of mind for the walk back to the hostel. Meaning, I knew I could stay at the beach until the sun was about to set and walk a ‘safe’ route (around the port). (As everyone says, just always stay aware in Marseille – stick to the areas which feel good, you’ll sense it!).
So I had a lovely little sunset walk by the port, before venturing back to the hostel (via a ‘grab some food in a shop’ stop).
In Marseille, if you are a solo (female) traveller, I would say do just try to stay out all day so you don’t feel the need to go out later and wander around in the dark. At least if you don’t yet know the city so well.
Day 2 in Marseille
I woke up in Marseille to the sun shining and feeling ready for another day of exploring this French city. But before that I needed some food. A quick visit to Monoprix (supermarket) just a few minutes walk from the hostel sorted that out (budget backpacker food life!).
After that I actually headed to a shopping centre (budget backpacker who won’t splash out on food but will apparently go shopping shopping….). I ended up at the Centre Commercial Les Terrasses Du Port, just a 10 minute walk away from The People Hostel.
– Centre Commercial Les Terrasses Du Port
This is a popular waterfront shopping centre, located a short walk (15-20 minutes) from the Vieux Port. There is a wide variety of stores, so anything you might need you are likely to find here. It has all the well-known fashion stores such as H&M, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius, as well as more high end ones! Expect to find restaurants and cafés here too. It’s a really nice spot to do some shopping or simply have a browse!
After a relatively short while here, it was time to explore the nearby streets…
– Exploring the colourful, artsy streets of Le Panier
Le panier is the area next to the Vieux Port, in the 2nd arrondissement. It includes the likes of Cathédrale de La Major, Musée de l’illusion, The People Hostel, Centre Commercial Les Terrasses Du Port, etc – many of the places I mentioned already! But there is an extra special charm to this area which I haven’t quite covered: the colourful, artsy streets.
It is well worth taking time to explore around the narrow streets and admire the work of the area. Le panier is like an open arts museum. Head to Impasse Saint Françoise (this is a super vibrant spot!), and wander the streets around there.
This didn’t eat into my day too much, and is something I’m really glad I did! After taking in the art I headed to Palais Longchamp….
– Palais Longchamp
Palais Longchamp is a beautiful, must visit sight in the city. It is home to the Musée des beaux-arts (Fine Arts Museum) in addition to the Muséum d’histoire naturelle (Natural History Museum). Behind Palais Longchamps is Parc Longchamp, an excellent big green space in the city.
- Entrance to Palais Longchamp and the park is free, but there is a fee to enter the museums. (Note that it is still highly worth visiting even if you don’t wish to enter the museums.)
- It is located in the 4th arrondissement, which is a little further out (and away from the water) than the places I have mentioned already. There are tram stops nearby so you can easily hop on a tram there, or it’s around a 30 minute walk from the Old Port. Walking is definitely the best way to get there I’d say, as you can then see more of the city.
(That being said, I will note that I didn’t take the best walking route there and ended up on a ‘dodgy feeling’ road just past the train station at one point – so again, just do be careful. Any ‘dodgy’ vibes, you will sense! If you accidentally take a route that doesn’t feel right, just stay confident and keep walking until you get to a better feeling area! The way back was much better as I headed straight back down from Palais Longchamp on the main shopping streets – the main areas are all good! I recommend sticking to Boulevard de la Libération or Boulevard Longchamp, if heading up from the Port area anyway.)
I loved my visit here, not knowing it was going to be such a beautiful monument in the city. There is a garden area at the front which is perfect for chilling out in the city (the best spot away from the water). There are many benches where you can sit, as well as plenty of grassy space. I made this my lunch spot for the day, with a lovely view down the tree-lined Boulevard Longchamp.
After my picnic, I explored around the monument, admiring the stunning architecture. I did walk through to the back, to Parc Longchamp, which is a nice space but I didn’t feel it had such a good vibe… The area out the front is definitely my preferred spot!
I didn’t really want to leave as it was so beautiful here, but exploring awaited!
After Palais Longchamp I headed (somewhat) in the direction of the Old Port, wandering some of the main city streets. I passed more pretty buildings, such as Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul and the Préfecture des Bouches-du-Rhône, located near the main shopping street, Rue Saint-Ferréol.
Eventually, I made it back to the Vieux Port (I used it as my ‘base’ in a sense!). From here, I ventured to my next city sight – Palais du Pharo.
– Palais du Pharo
The Palais du Pharo, with Parc Émile Duclaux (the palace garden) is a super spot for more than just a palace visit, but a relaxing escape from the city bustle below and offers some stunning views!
I didn’t actually go in the palace, but is is free to enter!
Chilling in the gardens and admiring the views of the Old Port and the Med was perfect for me. This has to be the best spot for Vieux Port views, looking down at the entrance to the port.
Palais du Pharo is very near Plage des Catalans. So, this could be visited before/after a beach visit! I did not ‘plan’ my Marseille itinerary to make the most sense. However, it worked out well here as I continued on from the palace, past Plage des Catalans, on a coastal walk….
– Coastal Walk
As I had already spent some time on Plage des Catalans the previous day, I didn’t feel the need to on day 2! I was too much in walking exploring mode! SO, I ended up following the coastline along from Plage des Catalans. It is super nice to explore along here. I reached a monument at one point, and of course had neverending views out to the Mediterranean Sea. Reaching Vallon des Auffes is really lovely, with all the little boats floating in the water. This is also quite a popular spot for people relaxing on the rocks or swimming in the turquoise sea.
My day ended nicely by adding this in – I needed to know what was along this direction! This was the perfect last explore of the day, before walking back to the hostel via the Vieux Port again.
….and that concludes my 2 days in Marseille as a solo female backpacker! I left super early the next morning as I had a bus to catch to my next stop, Barcelona!
BUT I didn’t manage to do *everything* in Marseille.…
There are more activities you can do FROM the central area of Marseille.
If you fancy taking a boat trip, this is another excellent activity option. You can head to the Frioul Islands, or explore the coastline along from Marseille, home to the stunning Calanques National Park.
One thing in particular that I missed, which I now wish I hadn’t, was visiting the Frioul Islands. So, lets take a quick look at this…
– Visit the Frioul Islands (and Château d’If)
For a little adventure from the main city area of Marseille, head to the Frioul archipelago, which is only 4km away – a short boat ride from the Old Port!
- The main port, Port Frioul, is located on the island Ratonneau, which is linked to Pomègue by a breakwater, so you can walk between these islands. The Frioul Islands are popular for an easy city escape, with some stunning beaches and nature.
- The island If is home to Chateau d’If – a fortress which attracts visitors to explore some history and to enjoy the panoramic views on offer.
There are various options for visiting the Frioul Islands, whether you want to go more independently or head out on a tour…
- Visit in the cheapest, most independent way by taking the boat (lebateau) from the Old Port to Port Frioul, and to Château d’If if you wish. It is possible to book a 2 island ticket (Fioul and If). Check out the timetables and buy tickets here.
Visiting the Frioul Islands is not the only excuse to hop on a boat…. With the stunning Calanques National Park being a neighbour to Marseille, exploring the coastline on the water is well worth it!
– Visit the Calanques National Park
The stunning Calanques National Park is Marseille’s neighbour, so exploring the coastline is well worth it. This can be done via a boat trip from Marseille….
Head out on the Iconic Calanques Boat Tour with Snorkeling
- Explore the coast from Marseille on a kayaking tour
- If you want to stay active and enjoy the coastline, check out the Côte Bleue Calanques Half-Day Kayak Tour.
I highly recommend going to stay in the town of Cassis for a few days, located just a 30 minute drive from Marseille, to explore the Calanques National Park from there. It is stunning!! If you want to know more about this, you can check out my post here.
