Lovely, lovely Marseille! The French port city basking in the glow of the Mediterranean sun. For those travellers lucky enough to arrive in town via cruise ship, even a day in Marseille from a cruise promises some wonderful memories. This guide is your henchman to the Marseille cruise port and what you need to see while in such little time in this Provencal beauty.
About Marseille
Remarkably diverse, this city, France’s oldest and its second-largest, blends the cultures that have made it what it is today, a historic seaport with a modern, vibrant vibe. Wandering about Marseille is a delight, from its celebrated old town, Le Panier, to its labyrinthine ancient port, Le Vieux Port, and its fascinating neighbourhood markets: old is mixed with new, traditions are vibrant while the modern beacon shines. Travellers to France will always find something special in Marseille.
A Guide to Marseille Cruise Terminal
The Marseille cruise port, whose official name is Môle Léon Gourret, is one of the busiest cruise liner arrival ports. Cruise lines such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, and Holland America Line all serve the port of Marseille. The cruise port terminal, for its part, has all the facilities needed in order to make the transit efficient.
Cruise Port Terminal Facilities
- Numerous Cruise Line Terminals: There are several terminals at the port servicing different cruise lines for a smooth and organised embarkation process.
- Passenger Services: Waiting areas, signs and ticket desks, toilets.
- Accessibility: The terminals are designed to be accessible for passengers with mobility challenges.
How to Get from Marseille Cruise Port to the City Centre
Now here’s something the cruise ships wont tell you: there is a FREE shuttle service available from the Marseille cruise terminal to the city centre.
Courtesy of the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille. This shuttle runs on days when a cruise ship is in port, usually from 9:20 am to 5:20 pm, every 20 minutes.
To meet the shuttles after getting off your cruise ship, follow the green line across the ground, which will take you to the exit from the cruise terminal. The walk, depending on where your ship docked, is 10 or 15 minutes. At the exit you’ll find an air-conditioned shuttle (free, for cruise passengers who have yet to venture further into the city by using the Metro, taxis, or on foot) that takes you another 15 minutes.
The shuttle brings you down right by the Les Terrasses du Port area, and right across the street from the La Joliette metro line station, which is suited for getting around town and linking with the other public transport solutions.
Book a Tour that Picks You Up at Marseille Cruise Port
A good way of enjoying the highlights of this city for those who want to avoid dealing with the local transport system is to go on a tour. Tours are a great way to ‘tick off’ the popular sights in a city and this one can be a real time-saver too: many of them pick you straight up from your ship.
Check out some of these interesting Marseille tours that will pick you up from your ship:
- E-Bike and Food Tour: Take a three-and-a-half-hour e-bike foodie tour to discover Marseille through its tastes and aromas, sampling traditional dishes and flavours.
- Aix-en-Provence & Cassis: a great way to sample the sights and sounds of Aix-en-Provence, a historic university town and cultural hotspot just 25 miles north of Marseille, which can easily be arranged from the port.
- Avignon & Pope’s Palace: an enchanting journey through the heart of Provence, featuring a walk through Avignon and its history as well as a wine-tasting in the nearby appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Closest Airport to Marseille Cruise Port
The Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) is the easiest to get to by far for those who start or end their cruise in Marseille. It’s located about a 20 to 30-minute drive away from the city centre by car.
Marseille Provence Airport handles a large number of international flights worldwide and domestic flights to other parts of France, making it as convenient for globe-trotting travellers as for local wanderers. It’s well-connected and able to deal with carrying masses of passengers smoothly, delivering them right from the heart of the terminal to your cruise ship and then back again.
Once you arrive at the airport, you have several ways to get to the cruise terminal: most cruise lines will offer a shuttle service for free or for a fee arrival directly to the pier. If not, then you can take a taxi, Uber or private transfer to the cruise terminal in a direct route.
More budget-friendly but slower would be to travel by public transport: take the shuttle bus from the airport to Vitrolles-Aéroport train station, then go by regional train to Marseille St-Charles train station. From St-Charles, connect to one of the local transport options that arrive at the cruise terminal.
How to get around Marseille
Travelling by public transportation in Marseille is easy and efficient, thanks to the extensive network operated by the transport company Régie des Transports de Marseille (RTM). The metro, tram and bus networks, as well as ferrys, link up most of Marseille’s neighbourhoods and suburbs.
Metro
If you’re seeking to get from one of the main tourist areas or shopping districts to another or simply want to go to a colourful neighbourhood , the Marseille Metro offers a practical option. The network follows two parallel lines, connecting the main points of interest: the Vieux Port (Old Port), Notre Dame du Mont Basilica, the Canebière shopping district, the beaches of Prado. The public service hours go from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Tram System
Marseille has a scenic system of trams, which provides a nice overview of the city. The system runs three lines: T1, T2 and T3. It operates every day between 5 a.m and 12:30 a.m. The T2 line is the most efficient one because almost all of the city’s landmarks are on it – Old Port, Canebière shopping district, and Joliette.
Buses
Excursions into the outlying areas far beyond the city centre can be done using Seàctï buses, Marseille’s extensive network of buses, with some 100 lines, plus night services: the city centre south and west are served by the metro (two lines) and the tram (three lines), but the bus network goes everywhere.
One day in Marseille Itinerary
1. Start at the Old Port (Vieux Port)
Begin your exploration in the Old Port, Marseille’s beating heart, and the site where the city has always centered itself, from its founding by the Greeks in 600 BC. Though Vieux Port is today a pretty marina lined by handsome quaysides and punctuated by colourful fishing boats and grand yachts, it remains as much a hive of free trade and hybrid cultures as it ever was. Patisseries and pastel-coloured seafood restaurants spill out onto the water’s edge and fill the heady air with the aroma of bouillabaisse — the port’s flagship culinary dish. Cafes and bars offer simple vistas across the water to the island of Frioul and the city’s exquisite, impenetrable Calanques. To see Vieux Port teeming with fish in the morning sunlight, or bathed in golden light at dawn or sunset, is to experience the essence of Marseille. It is where the port reveals itself as pure history, in all its bumps and blooms: the city’s beating heart, its raw courtyard, and the beating source of its cultural identity.
2. Visit Notre Dame de la Garde
Make your way to Notre Dame de la Garde, Marseille’s iconic basilica, that crowns a limestone outcrop overlooking the city, offering sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea and the city below. Erected in the 19th century in the Romano-Byzantine style, the exteriors are adorned with mosaics, marble and murals in a breathtaking relic of otherworldliness and spirituality. Capping the basilica’s slender spire is a towering statue of the virgin Mary, whose watchful gaze is seen as a source of protection over the city’s sailors and fishermen. A visit to Notre Dame de la Garde brooks a unique balance of religious tranquility, historical depth and a mesmerising visual medley of the urban landscape, an experience not to be missed by anyone who embarks on Marseille.
3. Explore Le Panier District
Wander the labyrinthine streets of Le Panier, Marseille’s oldest district. Often referred to as the heart and soul of Marseille, this neighbourhood is a veritable artery of history and culture. Perched atop a hill on the north end of the Vieux Port, this oldest of all the city’s quarters is a maze of winding streets and pastel-hued century-old buildings that reverberate with the echoes of Marseille past. The discovery of every alley feels like a surprise: an artisanal shop, a local gallery, a bustling café, a rooftop bar. The area has a certain bohemian flow thanks to the artistic community, but the ultimate reason to visit it is that real-life history is etched into every humble façade and you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
5. Lunch at a Traditional Restaurant
Then, for lunch, have your daily fill of Marseille’s traditional Provençal cooking – why not a good old Bouillabaisse fish stew with the harbour at your feet?
For a delightful lunch in Marseille, you have a variety of excellent options. Some top recommendations include:
- La Cantine de Lynn: Known for its French and seafood menu, this restaurant is acclaimed for its welcoming ambiance and quality cuisine.
- Le Hippie Chic Café: Le Hippie Chic Café: blend of French and Mediterranean dishes Food/atmosphere very good.
- Le Bistro Du Panier: This place is differentiated for their American style of serving alongside the French dishes (known mainly for the wide range of burgers and also mouthwatering serve of Tiramisu)
- Cafe Bovo: Good for Mediterranean and French food, pasta and octopus are terrific.
- Grand Bar des Goudes: Yet another good French – and seafood – option. Lovely setting and the perfect spot for a peaceful lunch.
6. Walk Along La Corniche
In the afternoon, walk along La Corniche which borders the Mediterranean Sea and offers a stunning view over the sea and the city, plus cafés and beaches as well as the perfect promenade for a walk, running or sunbathing. The Corniche is not only an impressive promenade, in my opinion it’s one of the best features of Marseille, as it combines natural and urban beauty, and is unmissable when you visit Marseille.
7. Visit Palais Longchamp
Last but certainly not least, my favourite thing to do is visit the stunning Palais Longchamp. This colossal masterpiece of marble-clad architecture was built to celebrate the arrival of the Durance river water to Marseille thanks to the Canal de Marseille which allowed the city to no longer be deprived of water. The Palais Longchamp was designed by the architect Henri-Jacques Espérandieu who gave it a central square like structure topped by a water fountain surrounded by solemn colonnades leading to the two majestic buildings now occupied by the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle on both sides.
