What to see in Marseille for two days.

Marseille is the oldest city in France. It is the second largest city. Besides, this is France’s busiest cruise and cargo port. This is the place where France’s national anthem ¨La Marseillaise¨ was created.

I know most of you after having read the first paragraph asked: ¨Why did Global Wanderluster mention cruise …in Marseille?, Is this blog post for cruise passengers?”. Well, part of my job experience involved ship work which allowed me to explore ports around the world (whenever the ship stayed longer on port 🙂 ).

I visited Marseilles for the first time in 2016 as crew member to do dry dock for the company’s new ship which they christened it one month later, so after duty I managed to go ashore and I asked the locals how to get to the downtown, they showed me the closest bus station. The ride from the port (Chantier Naval) to the closest department store (Les Terraces du Port) took for about 15 minutes, the architecture of its buildings impressed me as well as the cosmopolitan population with muslim community presence, restaurants from around the world and the organized traffic.

Vieux Port (The Old Port)

The Rue de la Republique (in English, The Republic Street) is the longest avenue in Marseille which leads you to the Vieux Port (The Old Port). There are bistrots, shops, church and there are yatch rides to the Calanques or to any nearby bay. From the Old Port, you can take a bus to go to the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde located on the hill (Bus 60) and if you like contemplating the sea, then you have the Vallon des Auffes which is a small fishing neighbourhood (Bus 83, you ought to get down at Vallon des Auffes bus station) with seafood restaurants. As soon as you arrive there, you will see an arc named Porte de Orient.

Cathedrale de la Major

Some blocks from the Cruise Ship Terminal, there is the Cathedrale de la Major (The Major Cathedral) located on top of a neighbourhood and you get there by stairs (to me that is my workout routine 🙂 ). Its facade reminds me the Moorish architecture.

Marseille is also famous for its handmade soap bars with different flavours and in different sizes. You can find them at the ¨Savoneries¨ (in English, soap shops) which are at the Old Port and at nearby picturesque neighbourhoods.

As a crew member, I visited Marseille 3 times and as a Global Wanderluster only once (for the moment), it is always a honour to come back to places and know its streets by heart as if you were at home. Let’s see what the universe sends us next around this fabulous world 🙂